130 THE BOOK OF ALFALFA 



CROP COMPARISONS 



10. The first crop gave the largest yield in each of 

 the five tests and in fourteen out of the fifteen cuttings, 

 while the third crop gave the lov^est for every test and in 

 every cutting but one. The average acre yields for the 

 five years, including all cuttings, stand in the following 

 relation: first crop, 100; second, 78; and third, 39; for 

 the early cuttings alone, first crop, 100; second, 83; 

 and third, 66. 



11. In the average composition of all cuttings for 

 three years, the nutrients of the three crops vary but 

 little. The second has slightly the highest per cent of 

 protein and fiber; and the third the most fat and nitro- 

 gen-free extract. 



12. The third crop has the largest proportion of 

 leaves to stems ; but the per cent of protein in the leaves 

 is highest in the second crop ; and next highest in the first. 

 The leaves of the first crop contain the most fat and of 

 the second, the least. 



13. The third crop produced a higher average rate 

 of gain in the feeding tests than the first or second and 

 also higher than any of the separate cuttings. The 

 amount eaten daily was also highest of all, but the dry 

 matter and digestible matter for a pound of gain were the 

 lowest. In a pound per pound comparison the gains 

 stood as follows: first crop, 100; second, 81 ; and third, 

 126; dry matter for a pound of gain, first crop, 100; sec- 

 ond, 115; and third, 69. 



14. The beef product per acre, taking the average 

 result of all cuttings for the five years, was very much 

 the highest for the first crop and decidedly the lowest for 



