— 1 6 — 
It is observ'abie throughout the series that the samples 
in full bloom have a slightly higher co-efficient than the 
other cuttings with only one exception, which is in favor of 
a very early cutting. The third cutting hay (No. 12) is not 
an exception, as the plants were nearer at full bloom when 
cut. 
We have already given the average co-efficient of al- 
falfa hay of all kinds, determined by animal digestion, as 
78.4. The highest and lowest individual results in the ex- 
periments which we have accepted as most representative 
are far apart, ranging from 70 to 83, a maximum difference 
of 13 per cent, of the proteids. The maximum difference in 
our series, debarring No. 7, because it was too ripe for hay, 
is five per cent, of the proteids, or, including all samples, it 
is approximately ten per cent, of the proteids. The co-etfi- 
cients given by cuttings are as follows: For 1894, first cut- 
ting, 79.43 ; second cutting, 80.62; third cutting, 82.69; for 
1895, ^i^st cutting, 80.64; foi* 1896, first cutting, 80.14; second 
cutting, 78.81 ; third cutting, 78.85. The average for all the 
cuttings, made in the three years, is 79.79, which is in excel- 
lent agreement with the results obtained by animal diges- 
tion. 
The results taken by years are as follows: For 1894, 
hay two years old, 80.91 ; for 1895, one year old, 80.64; 
for 1896, new hay, 79.27, from which it is clearly apparent 
that the proteids have not lost any of their digestibilit}', 
and from this standpoint hay which is one or even two 
years old, is quite as good as new hay. The nitrogen de- 
terminations given on page ii show a relative increase of 
nitrogen, so that whatever changes take place in hay in the 
mow, during the course of one or two years, they do not 
cause any deterioration in either the amount or digestibility 
of the proteids. The importance of this will be more ap- 
parent to the average feeder when he considers that the 
proteids make up between 1-7 and 1-6 of the total weight of 
the hay, and that in value it is equal to over one-third of the 
hay. This is based upon two and three-tenths cents per 
pound for proteids, one and fourteen-hundreths cents per 
pound for fats, and ninety-four hundreths cent per pound 
for crude fiber and nitrogen-free extract. ( Conn. IWp. Sta., 
1893.) 
I'KX'I'OSAXS. 
It has been customary until very recently, and is still 
the general practice, to divide the food elements of plants 
into the four groups, fats, crude fiber, nitrogen-free extract, 
