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

 information he can I'rom 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 albumenoids, these analyses 

 would indicate a higher feeding value than we usually see as- 

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

 equal, and probably better, than grass ; but if to such an ex- 

 tent as is here shown, whence the discrepancy of opinion in 

 the practical estimates?" As I understand the principles 

 given us by Prof. 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 albumen- 

 oids are lost. The beauty and value of good grass, is, that 

 the nutritious elements are in the right proportion ; it is good 

 food by itself; it asks nothing from any other crop, and it has 

 nothing to give to any other crop. But to get the full bene- 

 fit of Hungarian grass, it must be used with some crop defi- 

 cient in albumenoids. 



Dr. Sturtevant asks, "Wlience the discrepancy of opinion 

 in the practical estimates?" I answer, because of the differ- 

 ent conditions under which it is grown, harvested and fed. 

 Some let it get quite ripe, — think it better so than green, — 

 and if it is to be fed by itself it may be well to let it stand 

 longer than most crops, for after it is ripe it probably has 

 enough albumenoids to utilize all its carbo-hydrates ; but 

 there is a loss in letting it ripen, because a much larger per- 



