262 FORAGE CROPS. 



It is evident that some of these problems, 

 because of their compHcated character, can never be 

 carried to what may be termed an absolute demon- 

 stration. Approximate results only can be obtained 

 and that is all that is claimed for the findings that 

 are submitted below. 



Outline of the Experiments. — The experiments 

 were begun in the spring of 1895. During that 

 year some fifty-three head of sheep and lam1)s were . 

 pastured for many days on the forage that grew on 

 two and three-fourths acres of land. The pasture 

 consisted of winter rye, rape, peas and oats, vetches 

 and oats and sorghum. During the intervals in 

 which these plants failed to provide a sufficiency of 

 grazing, the sheep were given grass pasture . 



In 1896, an average of eighty-six head of sheep 

 and lambs were grazed during the whole season of 

 pasturage on ten acres of land. Nearly two-thirds 

 of these were mature sh^ep. The grazing began 

 May I St and it ended November ist. The pasture 

 was not supplemented by any grain except for a 

 short period at the first, when the change was being 

 made from dry winter food to succulent pasture. 

 In addition to the pasture, 8.60 tons of cured fodder 

 and 7.30 tons of soiling food were taken from the 

 same ten acres. The cured fodder consisted of hay 

 made from grass, peas and oats, and the first cutting 

 of sorghum. The sorghum was injured by rain 

 while it was being cured and was not much relished 

 by the sheep. The chief of the crops grown were 

 winter rye, fall and spring sown peas and oats, rape, 

 corn and rape, sorghum, Kaffir corn, cabbage, rape 

 and winter rye. 



In 1897, an average of ninety-three head of 



