FEEDING ANIMALS 129 



ing value as 'barley. The stalks do not differ greatly in chemical com- 

 position from Indian corn stover, which contains about one-third of 

 the nutritive substances present in the entire plant. It is probably not 

 much out of the way to assume that Egyptian corn fodder chopped and 

 mixed with one-fourth or one-third its weight of cane molasses will 

 make as valuable feed as a fair quality of grain hay, and will prove 

 especially adapted for feeding dairy cows, wintering stock and idle 

 horses. F. W. W. 



Cutting Corn for Forage. 



When is the best time to cut field corn to make the best fodder? 



As shown by experience and determined by analyses the whole plant 

 is in richest condition just when the kernels are glazing that is, in the 

 condition for roasting ears. 



Buckwheat for Feed and Fertilizer. 



In growing buckwheat for bees can I cut it when mature and let the 

 chickens thresh it out themselves? Will it make a good chicken feed? 

 I am also informed that the straw plowed under makes an excellent 

 fertilizer. Can this straw be used for stock feed? 



Buckwheat straw is eaten by stock, but is no better, if as good 

 as other straw. Chickens will help themselves to the grain when they 

 know it. It should not, however, be made their sole feed. The straw 

 handles well as a fertilizer because it rots very readily. The green plant 

 plowed under is a good source of humus. 



Barley Straw and Alfalfa Hay for Steers. 



How much barley straw and alfalfa hayhalf and half will it 

 take to feed a "short yearling" beef steer for six months? What gain 

 in weight could I expect? Would it pay to feed a small amount 

 of grain? 



The amount of half-and-half would depend on how much straw 

 the steer can consume in addition to alfalfa hay. If the correspondent 

 is bound to feed equal parts of the straw and hay, the steer would not 

 get sufficient nutriment to make satisfactory gains even if some grain 

 is fed. If he is anxious to feed as much straw as possible, give, say, 6 

 pounds per head daily and feed alfalfa hay ad libitum, of which the steer 

 will then eat somewhere around 15 to 20 pounds daily. I would not expect 

 very large gains even on this ration unless some grain is fed, say at 

 least 2 to 4 pounds per head. With the latter amount of grain and 

 roughage as suggested, good yearlings would probably make a gain 

 of one and one-half to two pounds per head daily on an average for 

 the six months. F. W. W. 



Relative Value of Wheat and Wheat Middlings. 



What is the food value of whole wheat ground as fine as possible 

 with the ordinary farm mills for milch cows, hogs and chickens, as 



