BEET PULP AND PEAS 223 



oats. If bran, ground oats and alfalfa are to be included, their 

 combined total should not exceed twenty-five per cent of the 

 ration. 



Short-cut clover and clover meal are very similar to the alfalfa 

 products, and are used in about the same way. If anything, the 

 clover is richer in ash, protein and carbohydrates, with a trifle 

 less fiber; but it is not so attractive looking as alfalfa in a dry 

 state. Alfalfa is a bright green and has the true alfalfa smell, 

 whereas the clover is brown and not so volatile. 



Cut clover or finely shredded alfalfa soaked in boiling water 

 or steamed over night, and fed separately or with a little mash, 

 makes a good substitute for green food in the winter months. 

 They could hardly be termed succulent food, however, any more 

 than they contain considerable moisture. 



Dried beet pulp, shredded, a by-product of the sugar-beet in- 

 dustry, and dried green cracked peas are two other substitutes 

 for green food. Either one may be fed to advantage, and a com- 

 bination of the two makes an ideal ration. It is appetizing in 

 appearance, highly nutritious, a bulky food, comparatively in- 

 expensive, and one that has given satisfactory results for a num- 

 ber of years. Most feed dealers carry these products in stock, 

 or they will order them for a customer. The best pulp is used 

 extensively as a dairy food, and is rich in carbohydrates. It 

 contains considerable fiber. 



To prepare this mixture, put equal parts of the pulp and peas 

 into a tub or other receptacle, and add about three times their 

 volume of water. Allow them to soak over night, and they will 

 absorb all the water and swell to three or four times their original 

 bulk. Before feeding next morning, loosen the mass from its 

 compact state by turning it over a couple of times with a fork, 

 and then place it before the fowls in troughs or hoppers. 



If the fowls do not eat freely of the mixture at first, it is be- 

 cause they are not accustomed to it. To overcome this hesitancy 

 mix some middlings or the regular dry mash with the pulp. This 

 will give it a more familiar smell and appearance, and in a short 

 time the birds will take to it readily. 



