CROPS AS FOOD FOR CATTLE. 49 



of going into stalks, return directly to the roots to be utilized 

 in the spring, by giving the plant a thrifty start. If we wait 

 until this return process has taken place before we cut our 

 rowen, we have a lot of empty cells. But cut it when the 

 leaves are full, dry it well, and it will be as palatable and 

 profitable to the cow that eats it as the full honey-comb is to 

 the dearest lover of sweets that can be found. 



Two years ago I was sadly disappointed by losing the milk 

 from a heavy second crop on a field mowed early in June, 

 and which I intended to feed down close and plough in the 

 fall. The season was wet, grass grew finely through the 

 summer, and as I had plenty of green food without pasturing 

 that field, I thought I would save it till after I cut and fed the 

 rowen on the later-cut fields. When I turned the cows into 

 that lot, I supposed I should get an increase of milk ; instead 

 of that, ten cows shrunk twenty quarts a day — an average of 

 two quarts each. It took me some time to answer to my own 

 satisfaction why. The solution, as I understand it, can be 

 gathered from what I have #aid about over-ripe rowen. 



All difference of opinion as to the comparative value of 

 crops as food for cattle, will be harmonized when all condi- 

 tions relating to the different crops are well understood, and 

 all will be found valuable when we know how best to utilize 

 the good that is in them. The questions that arise about full 

 and empty leaves are important, and we need more knowledge 

 before they can be correctly answered. The mixing of differ- 

 ent crops to utilize the surplus elements of each, is a very 

 important matter, and I wish particularly to call the attention 

 of such as have salt hay and river meadow hay to use, to the 

 fact that if cut at the right time and well cured, the carbo- 

 hydrates in them are worth as much per pound as in English 

 hay. The best quality of mixed salt hay, according to Pro- 

 fessor Storer of the Bussey Institute, has 41.6 pounds of 

 carbo-hydrates in one hundred pounds ; black grass has 43.8 

 pounds ; best upland hay has 43.1 ; medium quality has 41.1 ; 

 fresh meadow hay has about the same ; the best upland hay 

 has about nine pounds of albuminoids in one hundred pounds ; 

 and the best salt hay and meadow hay have about three 

 pounds. Six pounds of albuminoids in one hundred pounds 

 7* 



