HAHUAL OF CATTLE-FEEDIKG. 



295 



cause tlie loss of practically all tlie nutrients contained 

 in the seeds. The grasses belong to the same order of 

 plants as the grains, and hay made from fully ripe grass is 

 essentially straw. ]S^o farmer would expect to obtain nu- 

 tritious fodder from afield of ripe oats, if he neglected the 

 seeds and collected only the leaves and stems of the plants ; 

 yet this is exactly what is done of necessity when grass is 

 allowed to ripen before cutting. The straw is collected, 

 while the seeds, which contain most of the valuable mate- 

 ria], unavoidably escape. 



If only one crop is to be obtained, probably the best 

 time for cutting is usually when the plants are just begin- 

 ning to blossom. At this time a larger crop is obtained 

 than if cut earlier, while the digestibility is not seriously 

 impaired. It is during the ripening of the seed that the 

 most extensive changes in this respect go on. If a high 

 nutritive value is desired rather than quantity, of course a 

 still earlier harvest w^ould be in place. 



In the case of grass, it is a further advantage of season- 

 able cutting that a second crop may be obtained, and often 

 by frequent successive cuttings a very considei*able amount 

 of highly nutritious fodder may be obtahxed. For example, 

 the crop of a meadow in Ilohenheim w^as obtained fi^om 

 one-half at a single cut, from the other in two. The fol- 

 lowing were the results ; 



One cut. , 

 Two cuts. 



Percentage 

 of protein. 



Total 

 protein. 

 Pounds. 



16.3 



314 



434 

 6G8 



Total dry 

 matttr. 

 Pounda 



2,663 

 3,274 



These numbers speak most decidedly in favor of early 

 cutting. Where the fodder was cut twice, not only was 



