AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



45 



The digestibility of the hays is also compared in the next table, 

 the figures given being the percentages of digestibility. 



Timothy, cut .July 9th . . 

 " cut July 24th. 













1 





u 









(D -^ 



o 



a 











0) <o 















.Q 



o 





(U 





<» <S 















>. 



t' 





eu 



X3 u 



Q 



O 



< 





fe 



"^B 



60.40 



61.06 



48.18 



58.88 



58.69 



63.70 



58.32 



59.37 



32.20 



49.96 



53.31 



63.91 



fa 



56.90 

 58.32 



The following figures show the weights of hay from the two 

 cuttings. 



Weight when put in barn. 

 " on Nov. 28th 



Loss by drying in barn. 

 Per cent, loss in barn . . . 

 Yield dry hay per acre. 



Lot cut July 9th. 

 2815 lbs. 

 2470 '' 



345 lbs. 



12.2% 



3233 lbs. 



Lot cut July 24th. 

 2790 lbs. 

 2420 " 



370 lbs. 



13.3% 

 3168 lbs. 



The especial uniformity of the grass on this experimental field 

 warrants the belief that the above figures represent very fairly the 

 relative yield of hay from early-cut and late-cut grass under the 

 existing conditions. The grass as this field had been attacked for 

 several years by an insect, the larva of which feeds on the inner 

 portion of the culm (stalk) and causes the death of the upper por- 

 tion of the plant. 



Probably one-fifth of the grass plants on this field was thus 

 affected in 1888, and the above results indicate that longer stand. 

 ing gave a decreased rather than the usual increased yield. On 

 the other hand, the season was such as to promote an undergrowth 

 of short grass, so that the hay harvested late in July does not 

 seem to differ much in composition, digestibility or yield from the 

 former catting, although in all respects there is a small balance in 

 favor of the early cut hay. 



2-B 



