THIRTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL CONVENTION 153 



roughage crops for our dairy farms. It can be grown in all parts 

 of the state, but not to the best advantage on all soils. It is de- 

 sirable because it contains a fairly high percentage of protein 

 which will help to balance the ration and it also collects nitrogen 

 from the air. Red clover is not quite as sure as some other crops 

 but a failure is evident early enough in the spring to permit the 

 sowing of a substitute crop, such as cowpeas or peas and oats. 

 Clover is always relished by cows if it is cut early enough and 

 properly cured. For the best results clover should be cut before 

 too ripe, or when in full bloom. It contains a high percentage of 

 crude fiber which is the least digestible part and which increases 

 very rapidly as the clover ripens. Clover yields well and is not 

 very difficult to cure. The second crop, if clean and well cured, 

 is as good as the first. Clover can be made into silage but is 

 difficult to handle in the field and generally it is better to use as 

 hay with corn silage. 



Alsike clover contains a higher percentage of protein and 

 for this reason is possibly of more value per ton, but, as a rule, 

 it does not yield as well as the medium and mammoth reel clovers. 



Alfalfa.— -Where alfalfa can be successfully grown, it. is 

 probably the best roughage or hay crop. It yields well, even 

 rivaling corn in the amount of digestible nutrients produced per 

 acre. Besides this fact, it contains a high percentage of protein, 

 for which reason it is especially adapted to feeding with corn, 

 which is lacking in protein. With good well-cured alfalfa hay 

 it is possible to supply the protein needed for fairly heavy 

 production of milk. For the past six years, alfalfa at the Station 

 has yielded an average of four tons of hay per acre. Out of 

 seven sowings on the dairy farm, only once has there been a 

 complete failure to get a stand and once on a part of the piece 

 sown. There are very few parts of the state in which alfalfa 

 is not grown. This shows that it can be successfully grown in 

 Illinois and on a variety of soils. For two years the Station has 

 been feeding a small herd of dairy cows, on corn silage and al- 

 falfa hay with a very little corn meal to the heaviest milkers. 

 These cows produced an average of 8500 pounds of milk per 



