128 THE BOOK OF ALFALFA 



of tlie various cuttings, and of the different crops, 

 have heen made at the Utah station, details of which are 

 recorded in the station's bulletins Nos. 31, 44 and 61. 

 These tests and investigations extended continuously 

 through a period of five years, and following are the 

 more important facts developed and the conclusions that 

 may be legitimately drawn from them, as summarized 

 (Bui. No. 61) by Profs. Luther Foster and L. A. Mer- 

 rill who supervised the work : 



1. The largest annual yield of hay per acre is obtained 

 by the method of early cutting and the lowest by the late, 

 the average result standing as follows: early cutting, 

 100; medium, 92; and late, 85. 



2. The early cut alfalfa contains the highest per cent 

 of protein and fat, the most valuable food constituents, 

 and the lowest per cent of crude fiber, the most indigest- 

 ible portion. The former decrease constantly while the 

 latter increases rapidly from early bloom to the full 

 maturity of the plant. 



3. The proportionate amount of leaves to stems is 

 greater aL early bloom that at any subsequent time, and 

 both leaves and stems contain a greater per cent of pro- 

 tein and a less per cent of crude fiber at this time than 

 at any later period in the growth of the plant. The rela- 

 tive proportion of leaves to stems in the different cuttings 

 is as tollows: early, 42 to 58; medium, 40 to 60; and 

 late, 33 to 67. 



4. Alfalfa leaves as compared with stems are very 

 much richer in protein, fat and nitrogen-free extract, and 

 they contain a much smaller proportion of crude fiber. 

 The per cent of the protein and fat grows constantly less. 



