182 



Feeds and Feeding. 



tion with which it is eaten, the stockman cannot ordinarily afford 

 to bear the heavy expense incident to grinding and mixing these 

 products and placing them on the market. Where ground feed of 

 rather coarse nature is desired, and in special cases, alfalfa meal 

 may be found profitable. (673) 



II. Eed Clover. 



Red clover, Trifolium pratense, is found on every well-conducted 

 farm in the northeastern United States, where with grasses it stands 

 prominent in rotation with corn and the cereals, serving for pasture 

 and hay production and for the maintenance of soil fertility. 



249. Yield. — At the Wisconsin Station^ Woll, cutting clover 3 

 times during the season, secured the results given below: 



Yield of three cuttings of red clover. 



Date of cutting 



Green 

 clover 



Dry 



matter 



Dry 



matter 



First crop, May 29 



Second crop, July 16 



Third crop, September 1 



Lbs. 

 29, 220 

 16, 020 



7,221 



Per cent 



8.2 



22.5 



27.5 



Lbs. 

 2,402 

 .3, 599 

 1,986 



The table shows a total yield per acre of over 26 tons of green 

 forage, equal to 4 tons of hay per acre. From one-half to two- 

 thirds this amount may be relied upon by the stockman as a fair crop 

 under practical conditions. In this case the first crop of clover, 

 carrying but 8.2 per ct. of dry matter, contained more water than is 

 found in skim milk. This crop was cut while lush and green, long 

 before it had reached the proper condition for making hay. The 

 figures are of interest in showing why green clover, when used for 

 soilage, so often proves unsatisfactory. It shows that, cut too early, 

 such forage is mostly water, and the cattle cannot consume enough 

 of it to secure the nourishment they require. 



250. Development of nutrients. — Hunt of the Illinois Station^ has 

 arranged the results of studies of the medium red clover plant, made 

 by himself and Jordan of the Pennsylvania Station, portions of 

 which are given on the next page. 



We learn from these studies that the fiber, or woody matter, which 

 is the least valuable carbohydrate of the plant, increased up to the 

 time the blossom heads were dead. On the other hand, the protein, 

 fat, and ash, as well as the nitrogen-free extract, v.hieh contains the 



Ept. 1889. 



= Bul. 5. 



