ON COMPARATIVE VALUE OF CROPS. 79 



The committee last year (of which I was a member) expressed 

 some doubts as to the value of green corn stalks as food for milch 

 cows. This has led to careful observation, and some experiments on 

 the subject. 



In consequence of the dry weather, and increasing the number of 

 my cows, the feed in my pasture was unusually short. About the 

 middle of August I commenced feeding with English hay, in addi- 

 tion to the feed of the pasture. I weighed the milk of four cows for 

 three successive weeks. The first week they were all fed on bay. 

 The second week, two were fed on hay, the other two on green corn 

 stalks. The third week, those that had previously been fed on hay, 

 were fed on corn stalks, and those that had been fed on corn stalks 

 were fed on hay. The hay used was cue early, and of superior quality. 

 Some of the cows were more fond of hay than stalks, and others were 

 more fond of stalks than hay. Having carefully observed the man- 

 ner of their eating, (as I did not weigh their food,) and the weight 

 of their milk, I came to the conclusion that they would produce about 

 the same quantity of milk. 



Now if it is a fact that hay and green corn stalks produce about 

 the same quantity of milk, the question naturally arises, on which 

 can they be kept the cheapest ? If farmers commence feeding on 

 their English hay, immediately after it is cut, and feed on it mostly 

 through the fall, it would make a heavy draft on their hay, and I 

 think in many cases it would be exhausted, before pasturing time 

 the next season. Corn can be easily cultivated and will produce 

 abundantly, and I think may be fed on cheaper than hay. 



Green second crop is very good to produce milk ; but this it will 

 not do to rely upon, for it can be produced only on land that is in a 

 high state of cultivation, and on that to much extent, only in favora- 

 ble seasons. 



There is still another question which should be considered, which 

 is, the kind of feed which has the best effect on the animal. If a 

 certain kind of food will produce the same quantity of milk, and also 

 tend, to some extent, to fatten the animal, it Increases the value of 

 that kind of food. Every thing considered, I know of nothing so 

 good for food for milch cows in the latter part of summer and autumn 

 as green corn stalks. 



It is desirable, however, that further experiments may be tried, 

 not only in summer and autumn, but wi)iter feeding also — whether 



