14 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



thirty-five to forty pounds of corn ensilage per day, with 

 all the hay called for to satisfy the animal in either case, 

 seems, for various reasons, a good proportion, allowing the 

 stated kind and quantity of grain feed. 



6. The influence of the various diets used on the quality 

 of the milk seems to depend in a controlling degree on the 

 constitutional characteristics of the animal on trial. The 

 effect is not unfrequently in our case the reverse in difl^erent 

 animals depending on the same diet. The increase in the 

 quantity of milk is frequently accompanied by a decrease in 

 solids. 



The valuation of the fodder ingredients is based in this 

 connection on the average of the local market price per ton 

 of each article for the entire period of observation : — 



The commercial valuation of the fertilizing constituents 

 contained in each fodder article is based on the following- 

 market prices: i. e., nitrogen (per pound), 17 cents; phos- 

 phoric acid, 6 cents ; and potassium oxide, 4;^ cents. Eighty 

 per cent, of the entire amount of fertilizing constituents 

 contained in the fodder consumed is considered obtainable 

 by proper management, while twenty per cent, is assumed 

 to be sold with the milk. 



For further details, see seventh annual report of station, 

 pages 37-47, and 73-84. 



It will be apparent, from the above statements, that it was 

 the main aim of our feeding experiments with milch cows, 

 during the years 1885-89, to compare the relative feeding 

 value of our current coarse fodder articles with each other, — 

 as, English hay, rowen, fodder corn, corn stover, corn 

 ensilage and roots. To do this judiciously required in all 

 cases the use of the same quantity and quality of grain feed. 

 It is for this reason chiefly that the latter was confined to 

 the same quantity of corn meal, corn and cob meal, wheat 

 bran and sfluten meal. 



