DESCRIPTION OF FEEDING-STUFFS 165 



of protein amongst those fodder plants that will be 

 mentioned here. It lignifies slowly, and like serra- 

 della is remarkable for growing well on sandy soil. 

 Owing to its astringent taste, it is not readily eaten 

 in the green state by horses. The different varieties 

 of vetches when cut young yield a fodder very rich 

 in protein, but which, however, quickly become 

 woody. The above-mentioned plants can be placed 

 alongside red clover as regards their palatableness 

 and suitability for animals, but they all, with the ex- 

 ception of incarnate clover, sainfoin, and serradella, 

 have a heating action, the vetches particularly. 



Lupines are often not cut until their side branches 

 are in flower and the main stem has formed seeds, 

 but sometimes they are cut before flowering in order 

 to get two crops. Fodder from lupines has always 

 a heating effect, and in some years all parts of the 

 plant — seeds, straw, chaff — contain a deadly poison. 

 This is a protein-like substance probably due to 

 the action of some fungus which, favoured by the 

 conditions of weather, emigrates to the plant. As 

 the poisoning is generally fatal, it is very advisable 

 to make a feeding test for a few weeks on some 

 valueless animal (a rabbit), in order to judge if the 

 material is safe to use as food. If the lupine fodder 

 is shown to be poisonous, there is nothing to be 

 done but to steam it for 4-5 hours, at a pressure of 

 60-80 lbs. to the square inch, in order to destroy its 

 poisonous properties. Simple scalding, or the 



