288 MAKIN(} HAY. 



Effect of Drijimj. — "All tin- nutrients of dry, course fodder 

 lire digested and resorbed to the siinie extent us when it is fed 

 green. This is only true when the fodder and the luiy are other- 

 wise of exu(!tly the same quality, when hoth are eut at the same 

 time and from tlie same field, und when none of the leuves or 

 other tender und especiully nutritious i)urt8 are lost during the 

 l)repurutiou of hay. These considerutions ure never completely 

 reuched in pructice. 



" The iliijcsfihUUy of the organic constituents of a fodder is in 

 no way altered by simply drying in the air, i)rovided it is exe- 

 cuted without loss of parts of the plants. The ordinary method 

 of making hay involves a considerable loss of leaves, aiid the 

 product sutlers not only iu its quality but in its digestibility as 

 well. 



" Eff'cd of Storiuf). — The storing of fodder for a long time, 

 even when all necessary preventions, such as a dry and airy loca- 

 tion, etc., are observed, may decrease both its digestibility and 

 jjulatubility. 



" Period of Growth. — Early cut forage is not only superior, 

 other tilings being equal, to late cut, as regards its chemical 

 composition, but it excels it also in digestibility. This fact is / 

 established bj- abundance of experimental evidence. 



" Digestibility is not sensibly increased by steaming or ensi- 

 lage. In practice, however, the palatability of a fodder may 

 often be very considerably increased by suitable preparation, and 

 the animals thus induced to eat larger quantities of fodder not 

 jierhaps agreeable to them in its natural state. 



" TJie Fertility of the Soil affects the Quality of Plant. — 

 The natural quality and fertility of a soil have a very consider- 

 able influence on the chemical composition of the crop. Still 

 greater differences often show themselves when dark green 

 * rank ' plants are compared with pale yellowish-green ones of 

 the same kind, occurring in the same field, and of the same age. 



