CROPS AS FOOD FOR CATTLE. 45 



of surplus albuminoids in every one hundred pounds that may 

 be used to utilize the carbo-hydrates of crops deficient in 

 albuminoids. Take first-quality salt hay, for example. It 

 has 3.4 pounds of digestible albuminoids and 41.6 of carbo- 

 hydrates in one hundred pounds. It needs, say ten pounds 

 of albuminoids to make its 41.6 pounds of carbo-hydrates 

 available for making milk, or about six pounds in one hundred 

 short. The twenty-four pounds of surplus in one hundred 

 pounds of cotton-seed will supply what four hundred pounds 

 of salt hay needs to make it good milk-making food. 



Hungarian grass has nearly twice as much albuminoids as 

 it needs for its own carbo-hydrates ; therefore, a ton of good, 

 early cut Hungarian grass, mixed with a ton of good salt 

 hay, will probably make as much milk as two tons of average 

 English hay. 



There is much probability, as yet, about the proportions in 

 which to mix our crops to get the best results ; the quality of 

 crops varies so much, when grown and harvested under so 

 many different conditions, that there will be many problems 

 for each farmer to work out for himself, after getting all the 

 information he can from the chemist and the experiment-sta- 

 tions. My object in writing is to induce the farmers of Essex 

 County to work out the problem, how best to utilize the fod- 

 der they have, or can get most conveniently. Let each one 

 solve the problem for himself, and follow the practice best 

 suited to the conditions of his farm. 



I wish to call attention to principles, and do not intend — 

 for I am not prepared — to give rules for any one to work by. 

 Dr. E. L. Sturtevant, in the July number of the " Scientific 

 Farmer," gives us a very valuable article on Hungarian grass, 

 and says, "As the feeding values of articles are usually cal- 

 culated on the percentage of albuminoids, these analyses 

 would indicate a higher feeding value than we usually see 

 ascribed to millet. It is hard to believe, but it must be at 

 least equal, and probably better, than grass; but, if to such 

 an extent as is here shown, whence the discrepancy of opinion 

 in the practical estimates ? " As I understand the principles 

 given us by Professor Atwater, the analysis of Hungarian 

 grass does not show that it is better, or even equal, to grass, 

 if fed exclusively by itself; for then about one-half of its 



