1920.] 



Substitutes for Hat. 



515 



been harvested, the seeds should be rolled, to effect consolidation 

 and to promote tillering. Before being depastured the plant 

 should be allowed to establish a firm and fairly deep root-hold 

 as a protection against winter frosts, spring drought and the 

 risk of being uprooted by stock. Grazing is useful in the cases 

 of such short-lived plants as Red Clover which, if allowed to 

 reach or even approach maturity in its first autumn, will perish 

 to a large extent before spring. Grazing will check this, and 

 also reduce the risk of " clover sickness " and encourage the 

 branching of such grasses as may have been included in the 

 seeds' mixture. 



For winter feeding, hay may be wholly or partially replaced 

 by the straw of oats, barley and wheat. The riper the straw 

 becomes the tougher it is to chew. While barley should not 

 be cut until it is dead ripe, oats and wheat may, with 

 advantage, be harvested a little before that stage is reached. 

 In general, spring-sown cereals are less fibrous than winter- 

 sown, and are consequently more nutritious. For fodder, oat- 

 straw is preferred, but barley-straw containing a proportion of 

 grass and clover is also useful. Cereal straw is relatively rich in 

 carbohydrates and uniformly poor in albuminoids ; consequently 

 the proportion of albuminoids must be increased in the ration. 

 This can be done by the addition of cakes or meals. Straw for 

 fodder is best chaffed and mixed with slices or pulped roots, 

 crushed cake or meal and treacle water, and allowed to stand 

 overnight. A slight fermentation ensues, softening the straw 

 and further adding to the palatability of the mixture. In order 

 to save straw for fodder, more bracken and peat moss should be 

 used as litter. 



Bare pastures may be supplemented by vetches, maize, 

 cabbages, early turnips and mangold roots, but where these are 

 scarce, potato tops may be found useful. These should be cut 

 just after they begin to turn vellow, and should be fed on grass- 

 land, but not on grass which is to be broken up for potatoes next 

 year, as this might cause disease to be transmitted. Green tops 

 should be sparingly used, those dried in the sun and wind 

 being preferred. Tops bearing many blossoms or unripe fruits 

 should be avoided. They should be as free from earth as possible 

 and be fed in small quantities. White mustard, provided that it 

 can be sown by the end of August, is another substitute which 

 may be broadcasted among stubbles. If not required for sheep- 

 feeding the crop may with advantage be ploughed in as green 

 manure. 



