t 



ance of growing fodder crops on one-fifth or one-sixth of his 

 holding, should be impressed upon each cultivator through 

 educational and other means. 



CHAPTER CIL 



FODDER CROPS. 



ROWING of fodder crop is not unknown among Indian 

 dairy men, but there is no arrangement anywhere for 

 growing fodder all the year round and cultivators generally 

 leave their cattle to pick up what they can get. There are few 

 plants that would not be eaten by cattle. Where grass is 

 scarce they are fed on the leaves of bur, peepul, baer, figs, 

 pakur, mango, jack, sajna, bael, simul and other trees. In 

 times of great scarcity even date-palm leaves are given chop- 

 ped up to cattle. Ordinarily, cattle would not eat neem 

 and sorguja leaves, but they have been seen to eat even these 

 when they can get nothing else. But because they will eat 

 almost any kind of plant it is not to be supposed that all 

 plants afford an equally nourishing fodder, or that no special 

 arrangement is necessary for growing food for cattle. Plants 

 that yield specially nourishing fodder will be now described, 

 In Bengal there are some crops grown for fodder. When 

 there is little pasturage available, dairymen give their milch 

 cows country peas, leaves and pods of babul trees, pods of 

 sirisha tree (Mimosa sirissa), bhringi (P\\zsGQ\\\s aconitifolia) 

 and sorghum vulgare (gama). To stimulate the flow of milk 

 gowdlds give their cattle a food made by boiling together 

 slices of unripe bad fruits, mas-kalai and kanta-notia 

 (Amaranthus spinosus). Gowdlds are also aware of the fact 



