368 ALFALFA FARMING IN AMERICA. 
equal degree of digestibility for the protein present is possessed 
by all cuttings, so that their relative feeding value is prac- 
tically indicated by their composition. Nearly three-fourths of 
the protein of alfalfa and about sixty per cent. of the carbohy- 
drates are digestible. ‘ 
Composition of the Different Parts—The statements made thus 
far apply to hay from the entire plant. It is, however, well 
known that there are great differences between the stems and 
the leaves. The most detailed analyses in this connection have 
been made at the Utah station. From a mass of data concern- 
ing cuttings made at different dates and upon different crops, 
those concerning the first crop, cut in the early bloom, have 
been selected and placed in the tables shown below. The first 
one shows the yield of dry matter in pounds per acre, and also 
the weight of the stalks, leaves and flowers separately. It also 
shows the composition of each of these parts and of the whole 
plant: 
Yield, Nitrogen- 
PART OF PLANT. per acre, Ash. Protein.) Fiber. free Fat. 
pounds. extract. 
28.38 9.01 10.74 42.17 37.14 0.9: 
18.56 14.33 24.05 13.81 41.82 5.99 
1.36 10.56 26.18 15.58 46.00 1.68 
48.31 11.10 16.30 30.53 89.23 
From the above table we see that the leaves and flowers are 
far richer in protein than are the stalks, while the reverse is 
true in respect to fiber. Nitrogen-free extract does not show 
so great a difference but the stalks are notably inferior. In the 
next table the data are presented in a different form. It shows 
percentages of ash, protein and fiber in each of the different 
parts of the alfalfa plant, to total amount of that constituent 
in entire plant: 
Yield : Nitrogen- 
PART OF PLANT. per cent Ash. | Protein.| Fiber. free Fat. 
: extract. 
68.75 47.09 38.73 81.17 55.68 19.03 
aig 38.43 49.62 56.74 17.39 41.01 79.34 
PIOWEPS wes cmeaee sancrener’ 2,82 2.69 4.53 1.44 3.31 1.63 
The above table shows that of the total yield 58.75 per cent. 
is in stalks, but that of the total protein only 38.73 per cent. is 
in them, while they contain over 81 per cent of the total fiber. 
On the other hand the leaves, constituting but 38.43 per cent. 
of the yield, contain 56.74 per cent. of the protein of the entire 
