GRASS AND HAY 191 



better cut early than late. The hay may be safely cut any time 

 during the period from complete "heading out" to late bloom. The 

 South Dakota experiment station says: ''The best time to cut millet 

 for hay is when a majority of the heads have distinctly appeared." 

 The tough fibrous nature of the stems and the stiff beards on the 

 heads of millet that has been allowed to approach too closely to ma- 

 turity detract much from the palatability of the hay, and, although 

 something is gained from the seeds in the way of nutriment, enough 

 is lost in palatability and increased fiber to more than make up for 

 it. Moreover, the earlier cut hay is a much safer food for all kinds 

 of stock. On account of the succulency of the stems and leaves the 

 curing takes place rather slowly, and the seeds may make a great 

 deal of development after the plants are cut; hence, if cutting is de- 

 layed until after the seeds are well formed, they will often develop 

 sufficiently during the process of curing to germinate. Cutting for 

 soiling or for the silo can be done a little later than for hay, but 

 should take place before the seed has begun to ripen. (U. S. 

 Year Book 1898.) 



In localities where curing takes place rapidly and there is little 

 or no rain during haying time, the self-rake and the self-binder have 

 been used with good results. The bunches left by the self-rake are 

 allowed to lie without further attention until cured; or possibly, in 

 the case of a heavy yield, they may be turned over once or twice to 

 facilitate drying. When the self-binder is used the bundles are 

 loosely made, and are set up "two and two" in long shocks extending 

 north and south, so that the bundles may get the full benefit of the 

 sunshine. It is not often that this method can be employed in cut- 

 ting for hay, but when practicable it saves much labor and leaves the 

 hay in condition to be stored easily and well. (S. D. B. 51.) 



Compared with timothy, which is usually taken as the standard 

 for grasses, the foxtail millets are somewhat deficient in the two 

 most important constituents, fat and crude protein, but they contain 

 about the same percentage of crude cellulose and a slightly higher 

 percentage of extract matter. The percentages of digestibility are 

 somewhat higher, however, in the millets, so that the actual feeding 

 value differs but little, although the timothy is perhaps more pala- 

 table. The seed contains almost as much fat and extract matter as 

 shelled corn, a little more protein, and about four times as much 

 crude cellulose. (Y. B. Dept. Agr. 1898.) 



Hungarian hay is more digestible than corn stover, but rather 

 less so than good fodder. Sixty-five per cent of the total dry matter 

 is digestible, and of the fresh material 63 per cent. As the hay 

 ordinarily contains from 7 to 15 per cent of water, leaving a total 

 amount of from 85 to 93 per cent of dry matter, or 85 to 93 pounds 

 in each 100 pounds of hay, it will be seen that the animal digests 

 from 55*4 to 60^ pounds of the total dry matter in each 100 pounds 

 of hay. 



Barnyard-millet hay contains rather more fat and crude protein 

 and less extract matter than the foxtail millets, and about the same 

 amount of crude cellulose. It also has a somewhat higher percentage 



