48 THE SCIENTIFIC FEEDING OF ANIMALS 



may be cut at any time. They equal the sweet grasses in nutrient value 

 but not in palatability. These forages are liable to cause tympanitis and 

 should therefore be mixed with chaffed straw. Green Indian corn is 

 not dangerous in this respect. It is an excellent supplementary feed for 

 cows in milk, and is usually fed mixed with chaffed straw and oil cake. 

 The best time for cutting is immediately before or during bloom. It is 



Fig. 25. Hybrid or bastard clover {Trifo- 

 Hum hybridum). (Natural size.) 



Fig. 26. Nonesuch {Medicago lupulina). 

 a, Flower; b, ovary; c, partly developed ovary; 

 d, pod; e, seed (magnified). 



then still succulent and soft and characterized by a high sugar content 

 (4.6 percent). Among the different varieties of Indian corn the earlier 

 maturing ones (Bavarian, Italian and Hungarian) are rather more nutri- 

 tious, less woody and more palatable, contain 0.6 percent digestible al- 

 bumen and possess a 9.1 percent starch value, as compared with Ameri- 

 can "horse com" with 0.3 percent digestible albumen and a starch value 

 of 7.3 per cent. American sweet corn probably has qualities similar to 



