46 



^tiring the growing season grasses change in their digestibi^' 

 lity as well as in compositiio^, and their nutritive value is at 

 its maximum about the' flowering season. After that the' 

 digestibility of the grass decreases considerably and this is 

 hot compensated for by SLtiy increase in weight whidh the 

 crop may make. 



It is impossible to say to what extent Indian fodder- 



frasses are digested by the animals coiisuming them. To 

 lake such determinations, lengthy and detailed experiments 

 ^re necessary and up to the present time such e'xperimetits 

 iiave not been carried out in this country. 



It is not possible at present by chemical analysis fb 

 show the finer distinctions between fodder's ; as, for example, 

 the difference in two adjacent grazing areas, similar in most 

 respects, but upon one of which animals g'row much better 

 than upon the other. When it is realised, however, that the 

 iihportant constituents of a grdss are the protein and soluble 

 carbohydrates, while crude fibre represents material from 

 which the animal derives practically no nourishment, it is 

 possible, by a consideration of the proportions of these con- 

 stituents in fodders, to make a broad classification between 

 those rich and poor in nutritive matter. Oil or fat in many 

 cattle-foods is of great importance, but in grasses the proper- 

 tion is too low and the material itself too uncertain in nature 

 to be of much value. The ash constituents, excluding sand^ 

 go to build up bone and supply the mineral matter of the 

 animal's body, and if deficient in quantity the animal will 

 suffer. Below will be found, in tabulated form, the composi-^ 

 tion of a number of common grasses from the Central Prov- 

 inces and Berar. Nos. i and 2 are good fodder-grasses from 

 the Melghat, the former being considered the best in the 

 whole of that wide grazing area. I^os. 3 to 8 were grown on 

 black cotton soil at Akola in Berar, and of these No. 3 is 

 considered to make the best hay. No. 9 is the common 

 spear grass found on many poor soilsy this particular sample 

 coming from Raipur. 



For the purposes of comparison the corriposition of 

 a common leguminous plant Alisicarpus rugosus (Sehora) has 

 been inserted, from which it will be seen that plants of this 

 nature, which obtain nitrogen in a rrianner peculia;r to them- 

 Iselves, have a composition and feeding value very different- 

 lo that of the grasses. 



All the samples were taken of material as cut for hay^ 



