26 Experiment Station Report. 



The results of his calculations were repeatedly tried by actual 

 feeding experiments, to test the correctness of his conclu- 

 sions. The main object of Grouven's work consisted in 

 bringing the results of more than twenty years' careful in- 

 vestigations within the reach oi the practical farmer. In 

 presenting his fodder standards to them, he recognized the 

 natural imperfections of a first effort, More than twenty 

 years additional experience in leading European agricultural 

 experiment stations has modified some details in Grouven's 

 statement ; yet the great value of his method to compound 

 rational, and thus more economical fodder rations for farm 

 animals, has received an unqualified endorsement. 



For more details regarding the subject here under discus- 

 sion I refer to some previous publications contained in the 

 reports of the Secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of 

 Agriculture ; see 1879-80, pages 221 to 237 ; 1882-83, pages 

 89 to 127. 



The station proposes to benefit by the lessons of the past 

 as far as the application of the method of compounding fod' 

 der rations for various kinds of live stock is concerned ; yet 

 leaves the working out of a rational and economical diet to 

 the teachings derived from home experiments. The results 

 of a few feeding experiments carried on at the station are 

 reported with such details as will enable the student of a 

 rational system of stock-feeding, as well as the farmer, to 

 obtain the desired information. Whenever our results have 

 accumulated in sufficient degree to entitle to a generaliza- 

 tion, a more detailed discourse will follow. 



I. — Notes on Feeding Experiments with Corn 

 Ensilage. 



The experiments were chiefly carried on for the purpose 

 of testing the feeding value of corn ensilage, as compared 

 with that of hay. A description of the general character of 

 the ensilage, as well as of the hay and corn meal used in 

 this connection, will be found upon a few subsequent pages 

 within this report. 



Three cows — crosses between native stock and Ayrshires 

 — of a corresponding milking period — were selected from 

 the herd of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, to serve 



