CROPS AS FOOD FOR CATTLE. 47 



and that stage is the formation of the ear, — before we begin 

 to cut it. Corn-fodder fed to animals before that period, will 

 not increase the milk." 



At the same meeting, Dr. Loring said : "Now, every kind 

 of grass has just so much nutriment in it. You want to get 

 rid of the refuse, the woody fibres, and save the sugar, starch, 

 and soluble salts, that go to make up the nutritive properties 



of the plants Immature grass is very deficient 



in the nutritive elements that I have spoken of; every chemist 



knows it You cut, for instance, a large crop of 



rowen, which is entirely immature, and every farmer knows 

 that it is the most unprofitable thing he can put into his 

 animal. An animal fed on rowen will make an abundance of 

 every thing else but milk or meat." 



Thus Dr. Loring and Dr. Nichols, in 1871, called both 

 chemistry and practice before the State Board as witnesses 

 to prove that immature grass and immature fodder-corn arc 

 not good. Although the testimony of these witnesses now 

 looks to us practically erroneous, yet, from a certain scientific 

 stand-point, they were then, and are now, scientifically cor- 

 rect ; and my object in making the quotations, is to show 

 wherein they are correct, and where erroneous. Take the 

 corn sown broadcast, for example. It may be very thick, and 

 it may be of the Southern or Western variety, and both 

 practice and chemistry have proved that it may be cut young, 

 and make first-quality milk-producing food ; but let the same 

 crop stand a few weeks longer, and it will get into a con- 

 dition that "will not increase the milk." 



There is a time in the growth of the corn plant, when it 

 has grown all the leaves that belong to the butt-stalk. Up 

 to that time it has been the work of the plant to grow leaves 

 filled with elements to be used later in the growth of the 

 plant. After all the leaves that belong to the butt-stalk are 

 grown, then the process of hardening the stalk begins. 

 Indigestible matter is rapidly formed, the nutritive matter 

 that was in the leaves is rapidly drawn upon by both stalk 

 and root, and the leaves become like a honey-comb, with the 

 honey drawn out. Now, if we wait until this change has 

 taken place before we use our thickly sown fodder-corn, it is 

 nearly worthless ; but if we use it before it has finished 



