1893.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 63 



nection with a description of numerous feeding experiments 

 with milch cows, growing steers, Iambs and pigs. An ex- 

 amination of our previous statements concerning the influ- 

 ence of the particular kind of feed stuffs used in tlie compo- 

 sition of the daily fodder rations on the market cost, as well 

 as on the net cost, of the feed consumed in the operation, 

 cannot fail to show some striking instances, proving in a 

 marked degree the previously pointed-out circumstance. 



As the fodder for our farm live stock comes from two 

 different sources, of equal importance as far as variety, econ- 

 omy and efficiency are concerned, it seems but proper to con- 

 sider our chances for the improvement of our fodder supply 

 under two separate headings, namely : — 



1. Home-raised fodder articles. 



2. Commercial feed stuffs. 



1. Home-raised Fodder Articles. 



On various previous occasions, and in particular in Bulle- 

 tin No. 36, an attempt was made to show that an increase in 

 the production of cultivated annual fodder crops, aside from 

 Indian corn or maize, will tend to increase in an economical 

 way the general i:)roductiveness of our farm lands in case of 

 a mixed system of farm industry. The introduction of a 

 greater variety of reputed fodder crops, in particular of the 

 clover iixmWy {Leguminosoi) , it was stated, would prove with 

 us, as it had proved elsewhere, an efficient means to increase 

 not only in an economical way the general productiveness 

 of our farm lands, but tend to cheapen the cost of feed for all 

 kinds of farm live stock. A short abstract from the above- 

 stated bulletin may suffice on this occasion to show the stand- 

 point assumed in the matter : — 



A careful inquiry into the history of agriculture has shown that 

 the original productiveness of farm lands in all civilized countries, 

 even in the most favored localities, has suffered in the course of 

 time a gradual decline. This general decline in the fertility of the 

 soil under cultivation has been ascribed, with much propriety in 

 the majority of instances, mainly to two causes, namely : — 



A gradual but serious reduction iu tlie area occupied hy forage 

 crops, natnvviX pastiwes and meadoivs; and a marked decline iu the 



