250 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[June. 
albuminoid form, an assumption now known 
to be false. At no time during growth, even 
at ripeness, does it hold true that quite a 
quantity of non-albuminoid Nitrogen com¬ 
pounds may not be present. Now the signifi¬ 
cance of this fact is this :—We know that 
true albuminoids play a very important part 
in animal nutrition. From them alone can 
be formed muscular tissue, and the nitroge¬ 
nous compounds in milk. Rapid production 
of any animal product requires a liberal sup¬ 
ply of albuminoids in the food. No matter 
how much Nitrogen there may be in a plant, 
if it be not albuminoid nitrogen we can speak 
with much less certainty of its food value. 
The investigations of later years have shown 
that, in hay especially, quite a percentage of 
nitrogen is in a non-albuminoid or amide 
form, sometimes to the extent of nearly one- 
third of the whole amount. These amides 
are in part organic combinations of Ammonia, 
and in all probability cannot take the place 
of albuminoids in forming flesh and milk. 
The important question for the farmer is :— 
Does the age of grass have anything to do 
with the percentage of the total Nitrogen 
that will exist in this less valuable amide 
form ? The first investigations on this point 
which became widely discussed indicated 
that a much larger share of the Nitrogen is, 
in the albuminoid form in old, than in young, 
grass plants. Kellner found this to be espe¬ 
cially so with Timothy. With clover there 
was little difference between the young and 
old plant, indicating that the change would 
be greatest in the true grasses. The opinion 
has been expressed somewhat, of late, that 
farmers have been going to wasteful ex¬ 
tremes in cutting grass early, and this change 
of the Nitrogen into a more valuable nutri¬ 
tive form (supposed to take place during the 
later stages of growth), has been used as an 
argument in favor of letting grass become 
more mature before cutting it. 
But more extended investigation does not 
seem to substantiate the earlier ideas. Work 
done at the laboratory of the Department of 
Agriculture, at the Conn. Experiment Sta¬ 
tion, and by the writer, indicates that the 
percentage of total Nitrogen in the amide 
form, may increase after the period of bloom. 
Percentage of total Nitrogen in 
Amide form. 
Before 
Early 
Full 
Early 
bloom. 
bloom. 
bloom. 
Seed. 
1. Timothy*. 
21.8 
18.4 
24. 
26. 
2. Timothyt. 
28 
23.8 
26. it 
3. Timothyt. 
22 
18.4 
23. 4i 
Average. 
24. 
20.2 
25.3 
Flower 
in full 
After 
In 
formed. 
bloom. 
bloom. 
seed. 
1. Clover*. 
29.7 
37.1 
7.7 
1 25.0 
2. Clover*. 
30.5 
34.2 
13.9 
1 27.7 
Average. 
30 1 
35.7 
10.8 
26.3 
* Department of Agriculture Report, 
t Report of Pennsylvania State College, 1881. 
t But little past blossom. 
Certainly the figures in the above table are 
not favorable to the idea that we can expect 
the minimum percentage of non-albuminoid 
Nitrogen after the seeds have appeared. 
Evidently the subject needs further study, 
yet it is doubtful if the change in the Nitro¬ 
gen compounds of grass as the period of ripe¬ 
ness approaches is of the extent or value at 
first suggested; and as the question at present 
stands, we cannot assert that the proportion 
of amide Nitrogen may not be as small at the 
period of bloom as at any other period at 
which grass would be likely to be cut. 
We have not looked at all sides of the ques¬ 
tion until we have considered what is the 
effect, upon its use by the animal, of those 
changes in composition which grass under¬ 
goes as it grows older. 
Now there are two statements that can be 
made with all assurance of their correctness : 
—(1) No part of any food that is not digested 
is of any nutritive value. (2). Hay from early 
cut grass is more digestible than hay from 
late cut grass. As substantiating the latter 
statement, I give the results of an experi¬ 
ment with sheep, using hay from grass cut 
at three periods of growth. Out of 100 parts 
of the various ingredients fed, the table 
shows the number of parts digested. 
Time of Cutting. 
Organic 
Substance. 
Nitrogen¬ 
ous Mate¬ 
rial. 
Crude 
Fiber. 
Other 
Carbo¬ 
hydrates. 
Fat. 
May 14th. 
76 
73 
80 
76 
65 
June 6th. 
64 
72 
66 
62 
52 
June 26th . 
58 
56 
61 
56 
43 
The mere fact of superior digestibility is 
no evidence of superior food value, only so 
far as it shows that whatever may be the 
differences in the composition of the three 
kinds of hay, the ingredients of the early cut 
can be more completely used than is the case 
with that cut at either period later. We 
have as a compensation for this decreased 
digestibility as grass matures, the production 
of a greater amount of material and a pos¬ 
sible change of certain compounds of Nitro¬ 
gen into the albuminoid form. Undoubtedly 
this compensation, especially from the former 
source, more than balances the decrease in 
digestibility where grass stands no later than 
the period of bloom, but beyond that time it 
does not seem as if such can possibly be the 
case. The matter of palatabilitv is one not 
to be ignored. In an experiment on feeding 
early and late cut hay, now being carried on 
at this College, it is found possible to get 20 
lbs. of the early cut hay eaten where only 12 
lbs. of the late cut are consumed. The former 
was cut in bloom, the latter two weeks later. 
We have not stated that it is better to 
mow our fields of grass while in blossom in 
preference to an earlier or a later time. I 
believe the weight of evidence to be in favor 
of such a practice, but at the same time it 
would be foolish to make dogmatic assertions. 
Certainly there are other considerations 
than the ones I have discussed, but if it 
were merely a question of quantity, quality, 
and so of nutritive value, it does not appear 
that with our present knowledge it would be 
wise for farmers to change what is now the 
average period of harvesting hay, viz. : To 
cut it while in bloom. 
Value o4' Farms—Weiulerful Iis- 
crease in 20 Years.— The following sum¬ 
mary shows the extraordinary growth in the 
valuation of the Farms of the United States, 
in so brief a period as only twenty years: 
I860—Census total valuation.$3,271,575,426 
1810—Census total valuation. 9,202,803,861 
1880—Census total valuation.10,197,161,905 
It is to be noted, that 1870 was a time of 
great inflation in the estimated valuation of 
all landed property, under a depreciated 
paper currency, and at an era of high specu¬ 
lation ; while in 1880, after a long period of 
great depression, real estate had hardly 
begun to feel the large improvement in the 
money value of almost everything. Proba¬ 
bly a fairer estimate of the gold valua¬ 
tion of the Farms would be like this : 
I860.$3,271,576,426 I 1880.$10,197,161,905 
1870 . 6,000,000,000 | 1882. over 12,000,000,000' 
Indeed, if we allow for the very large 
breadth of wild land changed into farms 
during two years past, and the rapid increase 
in value per acre in the leading agricultural 
States like Illinois, Iowa, etc., the present 
valuation will hardly fall short of Fifteen 
Billion Dollars, and the increase in round 
billions of dollars in 22 years would range 
something like this: 1860, Three; in 1870, 
Six to Seven; in 1880, Ten; in 1882, Fourteen. 
Grooming Horses. 
Every horse owner ought to know that 
good grooming is a great saving of feed. This 
is demonstrably true, if not in actual economy 
of oats and hay, at least in the horse’s feel¬ 
ing, spirit, action, and ability to travel or 
labor. It is real economy if we can get more 
go and labor by the use of a certain quantity 
of food with good grooming than without, 
for then with the same grooming the feed 
can be reduced. This is understood among 
horse-men the world over. I seldom groom 
my own horses, though I like to do it, as does 
every man who loves a horse, but it involves 
so much changing of clothes, and bathing, 
and disguising of odors by scented soap, etc., 
that I prefer to clean horses and stables by 
proxy. Lately, however, my good man-of- 
all-work was down with pneumonia, and I 
took hold. Of course I meet with new ex¬ 
periences. One is, the knowledge of the 
value of an old stub-broom. One of the 
horses was very nervous about having the 
hind legs cleaned, and the stub-broom seemed- 
almost as efficacious as a curry comb and 
brush; indeed, the horses liked it. Within 
two days I could use brush or comb, or any¬ 
thing else I presume, without their flinching 
unless actually hurt. The broom was pre¬ 
pared by cutting off the corn about four 
inches beyond where it was corded. 
Some months ago I picked up a wire 
“ mane brush,” made of steel wires about an 
inch long, set in a rubber plate in some way. 
They are quite stiff, but mobile in their set¬ 
ting. The men have not used it, or very lit¬ 
tle, if at all. They prefer a “ root ” brush for 
the mane and tail, and it is certainly very 
good. I notice that' most men, in grooming 
a horse, draw the brush across the curry 
comb to remove the dust, with a little more 
vigor than they draw it over the horse. The 
result is, that the brush is soon worn out 
down to the back. I substituted the wire 
brush above noted for the curry comb, and 
the result is very satisfactory. The dandruff 
and dust are removed more thoroughly, and 
the brush hardly worn at all. 
A horse which has been badly treated may 
be inclined -to lift his foot viciouslv.against 
the groom when working about his legs. 
When a cow kicks, we put a strap around 
her just in front of her hips. If she lifts her 
foot, the action of the stifle-joint is to cause 
a tightening of the skin in the flank, which 
is quite painful, and so she does not do it. 
Now if a man takes a horse’s tail (provided it 
is long enough), and draws it through between 
the hind legs, and holds the end firmly in one 
hand just over the stifle, a horse can be con¬ 
trolled on the same principle. It makes a 
horse a little nervous and restless, however, 
and should be done so as not to give the ani¬ 
mal any needless pain. W 
