FORTY-SECOND ANNUAL CONVENTION 281 



LEGUMES FOR THE DAIRY. 



By Prof. C. W. Burkett, Editor of American Agriculturalist. (From 

 The DeLaval Separator Co. Dairy Hand Book). 



The basis of the profitable dairy ration is undoubtedly hay 

 and silage. To get the best returns from these and the greatest 

 efficiency from the cow, grain feeds rich in protein must be sup- 

 plied in addition. The cow must have a reasonable amount -vf 

 protein in her ration if she is to do her full duty at the milk 

 pail. Naturally, the less protein there is in the roughage feed 

 the more that will need to be supplied in the grains. That mean^ 

 ordinarily that more grain will need to be fed. By lessening the 

 quantity of grain fed, the greater will be the net profit; but the 

 only way known of lessening the quantity of purchased grain is 

 through the feeding of home grown roughage materials that are 

 heavy carriers of protein. 



Fortunately we have a class of farm crops that are rela- 

 tively high in protein. These must be sought in the future to the 

 fullest extent if the greatest profit is to be had from the pro- 

 duction of milk, butter and cheese. I refer to the legume crops. 

 The list includes alfalfa, the clovers, cowpeas, soy beans, the 

 vetches and Canadian field peas. Alfalfa is onty mentioned here 

 since it has been treated elsewhere. 



Tii(5 Clovers Standard Everywhere. 



In the clover class we have the common red clover, white 

 clover, crimson clover or scarlet clover, Alsike clover, mammoth 

 clover and Japan clover. In a general way Japan clover is limit- 

 ed to the southern section of the country. It is subject to injury 

 from frost and is therefore a summer crop only. As a southern, 

 pasture grass it is unsurpassed. It grows on the poorest and 

 barest red clay knobs, and on exhausted, gravelly or worn-out 



