938 Helianthi as a Food for Stock. [fee., 



cattle, pigs, or sheep. They are also said to be superior to 

 Jerusalem artichokes for culinary purposes. Up to the 

 present no report of trials of the plant as a field crop in this 

 country is available, but an article in the Mitteilungen der 

 Deutschen Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft (October 28th, 191 1) 

 calls attention to the value of the Helianthi as forage plants. 



According to analyses made by Professor Dr. Kiister of 

 Miincheberg, the composition of the green fodder is as 

 follows : — Water, 68'o per cent., protein 3*5 per cent., 

 fat ro per cent., carbohydrates 175 per cent., while the 

 dried leaves contain protein 13 per cent., fat 2 per cent., and 

 carbohydrates 48 per cent. These figures sliow greater 

 feeding values than either clover or lucerne, assuming that 

 all are similar as regards digestibility and suitability for 

 stock, the composition of the latter being as follows : — 



Clover Clover Lucerne 



(green). (hay). (hay). 



Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. 



Protein 3-3 12*3 14-4 



Fat 07 2*2 2-5 



Carbohydrates ... 7 - o 33-2 280 



The tubers of the plant contain a substance (inulin) akin to 

 starch, which is of value for feeding purposes, and they are 

 also quite palatable and suitable for use as a vegetable. 



No special soil or situation is apparently needed for the 

 cultivation of the plant, but it is preferable that land which 

 can be permanently assigned to the crop should be selected, 

 owing to the difficulty of eradicating the plants. As a rule, 

 the plant is not propagated by seeds but by tubers, as in the 

 case of potatoes. If left to grow undisturbed, a thick bush 

 is in time formed. 



