264 THE FORAGE AND FIBER CROPS IN AMERICA 



The New Jersey Station 1 compared 17 pounds of cowpea hay with a grain 

 ration of the following weights: wheat bran 4, dried brewers' grains 3, and 

 cotton seed meal 2 pounds, 36 pounds of maize silage being fed with each 

 ration. The experiment was conducted with four cows and continued for 

 36 days. The result showed a gain of 8.3 per cent, more milk and 15.2 pel- 

 cent, more butter from the grain ration, all the cows testing higher in butter 

 fat when fed grain. On the other hand, one hundred pounds of milk cost 

 39.8 cents, and a pound of butter 8.82 cents when the cowpea ration was 

 employed, while the respective costs were 60.5 cents and 12.06 cents with 

 the grain ration. Other experiments showed cowpea hay to be equal in 

 feeding value to alfalfa hay, while crimson clover hay was less valuable. 

 Cowpea silage, with alfalfa or with crimson clover hay, was not equal to maize 

 silage with alfalfa hay. 



The Tennessee Station 2 conducted a feeding experiment with milch cows 

 for 120 days. Twelve cows, divided into three groups of four each, were 

 employed. The rations were fed in two equal parts, and in proportion to 

 the live weight of the animal. Silage (30 pounds in each ration) was the 

 principal roughage employed, though cowpea hay was also regarded as such. 

 To determine the relative efficiency of protein in cotton seed meal, cowpea 

 hay and wheat bran, 4 pounds of cotton seed meal and 6 pounds of wheat 

 bran were fed in group 1 ; 4 pounds of cotton seed meal and 7 pounds of 

 cowpea hay in group 2; and 6 pounds of wheat bran and 13 pounds of 

 cowpea hay in group 3. The cowpea hay was fed in a finely cut condition. 

 It was the aim, in the substitution of this hay for cotton seed meal and for 

 wheat bran, to maintain the relative proportion of protein in each ration. 

 The amount of dry matter consumed for the production of a gallon of milk 

 was 6.2, 6.5, and 7.2 pounds with groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively; per 

 pound of butter produced, the digestible matter consumed was 12.7, 12.3 

 and 13.1 pounds with groups 1, 2, and 3. Group 2 consumed the largest 

 amount of the protein for 1,000 pounds of live weight and made the cheapest 

 gallon of milk, 5.2 cents, and the cheapest pound of butter, 9.9 cents. Group 

 3, which consumed the smallest amount of dry matter, produced a gallon of 

 milk at a cost of 6 cents, and a pound of butter at a cost of 10.9 cents. Group 

 1 produced a gallon of milk at a cost of 5.9 cents, and a pound of butter at 

 a cost of 12.2 cents. 



328. Acquirement of Nitrogen. The Storrs (Connecticut) 

 Station found that cowpeas grown in sand and supplied with 

 nutritive solutions including nitrogen gained considerably in 

 nitrogen when root-tubercles were present. 3 By means of box 



1 New Jersey Sta. Rpt. 1903, pp. 388-396. 



2 Tennessee Sta. Bui. 15 (1902), No. 4. 



8 Connecticut Storrs Sta. Rpt. 1891, p. 17. 



