AGRICULTURAL TEXT-BOOK. 



Nitrogenized, or flesh - formi ng ? natural state, 



mattere &amp;gt; I dried at 212 op. . 



Fon- n itrogenous, or heat and fat- ? natural state - 14 330 



forming matters, - - J dried at 212 F. - 75.09 



Inorganic matter or ash - I natural state, - - 1.980 



5 dried at 212 F. 10.04 



In making hay for our own use, but more especially in purchasing 

 hay, all these points must be taken into consideration. A load of hay, 

 before seeding, carefully dried, not exposed to rain or heavy dews, put 

 by in sheds with salt so that fermentation is impossible, bears a much 

 h.gher intrintic and therefore money value than hay carlessly made, on 

 which ram has fallen, and which has been stacked damp. A spirituous 

 smell is not uncommon in stacks, which shows that the sugar is lost, 

 and with it, probably, most of, or all the nitrogenous constituents. Such 

 hay as we have mentioned last, is probably infe.ior in value to well 

 saved oat straw. To be a good judge of hay, requires both much ex- 

 penence, and the consideration of many particulars ; while the differ 

 ence in nutritive qualities between good and bad samples frequently 

 resembling each other to the eye-is very great Old hay, that is, hay 

 which is over a year old, other things being equal, is always the most 

 valuable. Some chemical change takes place by which it is supposed 

 to be rendered more nutritive ; and as has been already stated, horses 

 prosper better upon it. The same peculiarity is found in grasses when 

 used for pasture. It has been noticed, in the valley of the Kennet, Eng. 

 land, that sheep might safely be fed upon, or soiled with the grass of the 

 first crop of the water-meadows, but it was dangerous to do either with 

 the second crop of the same grass, (C.W.Johnson.) Prof. Way analysed 

 the grass of such meadows taken April 30th (A,) and 26lh June (B,) 

 and found that in 10Q parts in a green state there were contained : 



Water &amp;gt; - 87 A 58 7453 



Nitrogenous matter, . . 3.33 27 g 



Fatty matter, - . 0.81 0.52 



Starch, gum, sugar, &amp;lt;fcc., - 3.93 11.17 



Woody Fibre, 3 .1 3 876 



Ash &amp;gt; 1.28 2.24 



This not only shows that the very season at which grass is cut or fed 

 is a matter of importance, buL elucidates a beautiful provision of na 

 ture. In spring, growth is provided for, and heat or fat is not requisite, 

 but in order to provide for the cold of winter, the later grass abounds 

 in fat forming constituents, so that a provision may be laid up for the 

 inclement season. 



