206 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



in nitrogen he may increase the crop two or three fold over 

 what would be obtained where no nitrogen or other fertilizer 

 was used. They indicate, further, that the increase in yield 

 is not the only advantage obtained from the use of nitrogen 

 in the fertilizer. As protein is the most valuable of the 

 food nutrients contained in feeding stuifs, it becomes im- 

 portant that the farmer should adopt every means available 

 for increasing the supplies of this material upon the farm. 

 This he may do to quite a degree by the use on the grass 

 lands of manure from well-fed stock, or by the purchase 

 and use of nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, tankage, 

 dried blood, fish waste or other forms of nitrogenous fer- 

 tilizers. The percentage of protein in the crop may thus 

 be increased as much as three to five per cent above what is 

 obtained where no nitrogen is used as fertilizer. 



Summary. 



In summarizing the subject discussed in this paper, we 

 would call attention especially to the following points : — 



First. — The grasses constitute one of the most impor- 

 tant families of plants, furnishing more food of value to man 

 than any other order. The need of improvement in the 

 hay crop is shown by the small yields per acre, as indicated 

 in the census statistics, the average yields per acre in New 

 England being a little over one ton. Grass is a profitable 

 money crop when hay sells at from $14 to $18 per ton in 

 near-by markets. The better grades of coarse grasses are 

 usually more profitable to sell than to feed to dairy stock at 

 ruling prices for dairy products. 



Second. — The grasses should be grown with the clovers, 

 to produce hay of high feeding value. The clovers are of 

 more value as food for the production of milk, can be more 

 economically grown than the true grasses, and will improve 

 the fertility of the soil. Hay with a considerable propor- 

 tion of clover in it makes a better balanced ration than hay 

 from the pure grasses. A saving can be made in the use 

 of the nitrogenous grain feeds when plenty of clover is 

 available. 



Third. — Greater care needs to be exercised in the selec- 

 tion of the kinds of grasses to be grown together. There 



