496 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



animals in airy stables by day, and outside at night. Base- 

 ment stables are relatively the cooler in summer. 



The sources of litter. The following are the principal 

 sources from which bedding or litter is obtained: (i) 

 The straw of cereals in all the varieties thereof used direct- 

 ly; (2) the rejected portions of straw and hay material 

 supplied as food; (3) the uneaten parts of corn stalks and 

 the sorghums when properly prepared; . (4) refuse from 

 certain manufactures; (5) the leaves of trees; (6) certain 

 kinds of soil; (7) peat, in various stages of decay. 



The straw of cereals is by far the most important 

 source of litter, and also the most suitable all things 

 considered. Viewed simply from the standpoint of suit- 

 ability, oat straw probably stands at the head, because of 

 its softness. Rye straw does not break up so much as 

 some varieties in threshing, is less soft, and is slower of 

 decay, hence it is so far less suitable. The straw of peas 

 does not shake apart so readily as the straw of non-legumi- 

 nous cereals, and this is so far against it. So convenient 

 and suitable is the straw of the cereals for litter, that to 

 grow an ample supply of this to be used alone or witli 

 other absorbents, as loam and peat, is worthy of the care- 

 ful consideration of the grower of live stock. The fore- 

 thought which holds over straw for litter and properly 

 protected, from seasons when it is abundant against the 

 need of seasons when it is scarce, is to be commended. 



Many kinds of straw are considered too valuable, more 

 especially in old settlements, and justly so, for being used 

 directly as litter. They are first fed and the refuse portions 

 are then used as litter. This applies most markedly to the 

 straw of legumes, which, when harvested properly, is 

 more valuable as fodder than hay overripe or damaged. 

 When hay is overripe at the time of harvesting, when it 

 is damaged in the curing to the extent of lessening much 

 of its palatability, and when it grows so as to be coarse and 

 possessed of many large stems, live stock well fed will 

 reject more or less of it. This may generally be used with 



