208 The Feeding of Animals 



and (3) in the palatableness of the resulting fodder. 

 In discussing this question we must recognize the fact, 

 first of all, that in these respects no general conclusion 

 is applicable to all crops. What would be wisest in 

 the management of the meadow grasses might be 

 wasteful in handling the legumes, and especiall}^ so in 

 harvesting maize. 



The truth of this statement will appear as the facts 

 are displayed. 



It is safe to assert that in general the maximum 

 quantity of dry matter is secured when forage crops 

 are allowed to fully mature and ripen. The only 

 exception to the rule is found in the legumes such as 

 the clovers and alfalfa, where at maturity the leaves 

 unavoidably rattle off and are lost, either before or 

 during the process of curing. The fact that growth of 

 dry matter takes place up to the time of full maturity is 

 well illustrated by the results of experiments conducted 

 on the farms of the Pennsylvania State College, the 

 New York Experiment Station, and the University of 

 Maine, in cutting timothy grass, clover, and maize at 

 different stages of growth. These results are sum- 

 marized in the accompanying tables: 



Timothy grass (yield of dry hay per acre) 



Results in Pennsyl- 

 ^— Results in Maine-^ vania— two farms 

 av. 3 years 1 year av. 2 years 



1878-1880 1889 1881-1882 



Stage of growth lbs. lbs. lbs. 



Nearly in head 3,720 



Full bloom 4,072 4,225 2,955 



Out of bloom or nearly ripe . 4,136 5.086 3,501 



Kipe , a,832 



