AS A PASTURE PLANT. 347 
of cattle grazing on rich alfalfa pastures. There is 
little bloat among these cattle, partly because of the 
presence of annual grasses in the alfalfa and partly 
because of the system of management. It is a cus- 
tom with these ranchmen when bringing hungry cat- 
tle to an alfalfa field to mow down a block of about 
40 acres, turning the cattle in as soon as it has wilted 
somewhat. When once the cattle are stuffed full of 
the half-dry alfalfa hay they are permitted to begin 
eating the green stuff, and will, it is said, eat al- 
ternately of the green and the dry. Or sometimes 
they are turned in a field that has been all mown 
down and eat of the dry till the green comes up 
through, when they eat of whichever they choose. 
The losses of Henry Miller, who annually pastures 
many thousands of cattle on alfalfa, are reported 
to be less than 1% from all causes, bloat included. 
The danger of bloat increases according to region. 
There are places where cattle bloat badly, other 
places where there is little if any bloat from feeding 
off green alfalfa. The reason for this is not under- 
stood. It is certain that pastures containing a mix- 
ture of alfalfa and grass are much less dangerous 
than those composed of pure alfalfa. 
