202 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



again, the early cut straw is worth double that 

 which is dead ripe. The barley straw on the whole 

 is more nutritious than wheat straw. Dr. V. thinks 

 that " barley straw not too ripe, is nearly equal to 

 oat straw, cut in the same state of maturity." It 

 is of softer texture and contains more albuminous 

 matter than wheat straw. 



OAT STRAW. 



Three samples of oat straw were examined, one 

 "green," another "fairly ripe," and the third 

 " over ripe." In this case, as in the others, the 

 degree of ripeness greatly affected the composition 

 and nutritive value of the straw. Of soluble pro- 

 tein compounds, the green straw contained when 

 dry, 6.56, the ripe 3.13, and the over-ripe 1.54 per 

 cent. ; of sugar, gum, mucilage and extractive mat- 

 ters, the green contained 19.08, the ripe 12.59, and 

 the over-ripe 3.79 per cent. The total per centage 

 of nitrogen in the dry state was: green 1.62, ripe 

 0.76, over-ripe 0.68. 



These are very remarkable result. The amount 

 of protein or flesh forming compounds in green oat 

 straw is as large as in ordinary meadow hay. The 

 greater portion of this matter, too, is found in a 

 soluble condition and would therefore be easily di- 

 gested. As the straw approaches maturity this 

 nitrogenized matter dwindles down to less than 

 one-half. "The question arises," says Dr. V., 

 "what becomes of all the nitrogenized matter, 

 which disappears with extreme rapidity when our 

 oereal crops arrive at maturity? Although I have 

 not made any special experiments with a view of 

 ascertaining this point, it does not appear to me 

 likely that this matter is all stored up in the grain ; 

 and I have not much doubt that, as observed by 

 Messrs. Lawes and Gilbert, a considerable loss of 

 nitrogen takes place in the growth of corn-crops, 

 which loss is particularly noticeable when the crop 

 arrives at maturity." 



Of sugar, gum, and other matters soluble in 

 water, not less than 19 per cent, are found in the 

 green straw, against less than 4 per cent, in the 

 over-ripe straw. These are the most valuable nu- 

 tritive constituents, and the results show that the 

 straw of oats cut green is four times as nutritious 

 as that allowed to get over- ripe. The sugar, etc., 

 of the straw is turned into indigestible woody 

 fibre. The green straw contains only 25 per cent- 

 of this substance, while the fairly ripe straw con- 

 tains 32, and the over-ripe 42 per cent, of this in- 

 digestible matter. 



Dr. V. suggests that where oats are raised for 

 use on the farm, it would be well to out them in 



the green state and feed them out without thrash- 

 ing. This is often done in England, and we have 

 known a number of working horses kept in good 

 condition all winter on this chopped green fodder, 

 without any hay or grain. 



PEA STRAW. 



Pea-haulm is considered by English farmers the 

 most nutritious of all straw, and the analyses of 

 Dr. V. confirm this opinion. It contains 14 per 

 cent, of soluble matter, 1^ per cent, of nitrogen, 

 and over 2J per cent, of oil. It approximates 

 more closely to hay than any other straw. 



Assuming that all are harvested in like degrees 

 of maturity and condition, Dr. V. thinks pea straw 

 best, oat straw next, then barley, and wheat last. 



A FEW WORDS ON HAYING. 



A considerable amount of hay has already been 

 safely mowed away, but yet the great bulk of the 

 hay crop of the country is still to be harvested. 

 Its cutting, curing and gathering will form no in- 

 considerable portion of the labor of the farm du- 

 ring the first half of the present month. Fortu- 

 nately, the general introduction of mowing ma- 

 chines and of "hay elevators" greatly facilitate 

 the operations, and the work need no longer be 

 dreaded. These machines, too, enable us to cut at 

 the right time, and to secure the crop in the best 

 and most expeditious matter. 



The " right time " to cut, however, is a matter 

 not fully determined. There are those who think 

 that our ordinary meadow grasses should be al- 

 lowed to stand till the seeds are nearly or fully 

 ripe. There can be little doubt that this practice 

 gives the largest amount of produce per acre. On 

 the other hand, the great majority of experienced 

 farmers are in favor of cutting while the grasses 

 are iu flower, or, at the latest, as soon as the seed 

 is formed, and while it is in the milk. 



Much has been written on this subject, and many 

 experiments made to decide the question, but as 

 yet we have no certain proof as to the best time 

 to cut gras for hay. The reason of this is, thai 

 the old methods of chemical analysis employed to 

 determine the amount of nutritive substances in 

 grass cut at different times, are now thought to be 

 inaccurate. The results, therefore, can not be re- 

 lied upon. Till further experiments are made, we 

 must rely on practical experience. 



Our own opinion is that there is some danger of 

 cutting grass too soon. We should prefer to wait 

 till the seed is partly formed, rather than to cut 

 while the grass is in blossom. On the other hand, 



