22 
ALFALFA—ITS GROWTH, DIGESTIBILITY, ETC. 
richer the food, the better the manure.” Some have 
thought that the fat, fiber and nitrogen free extract, act as 
the fuel acts to the steam engine ; that the albuminoids) 
acting as the materials of construction and repair, can be 
easily made over by the animal into its own substance. 
The fiber, from its very composition, cannot restore the 
waste of the animal It has been found that there is a 
certain relation between the albuminoids, fat, fiber and ni¬ 
trogen free extract, which is the best and most economi¬ 
cal ; this is known as the nutrient ratio. 
It is found that only a certain per cent, of the fat, 
crude fiber, albuminoids, etc., is assimilated by the ani¬ 
mals, the rest passing off as dung. The per cOnt. assimi¬ 
lated is called the digestion coefficient. I have selected 
from various sources the digestibility of some grasses, etc., 
by way of comparison with the alfalfa. 
DIGESTIBILITY OF FEEDING STUFFS. (DIGESTION COEFFICIENT). 
Albumin¬ 
oids. 
Crude Fat. 
Fiber. 
Nitrogen 
Free 
Extract. 
Alfalfa (experiment),. 
.77. 
.54. 
.49. 
.64. 
Wheat Bran,. 
.78. 
.69. 
.33. 
. 77 . 
.70. 
Clover hay (good),. 
.62. 
.60. 
.47. 
Clover hay (medium),. 
55. 
_51. 
.45. 
.65. 
Pasture clover (very young). 
. .78. 
.64. 
.67. 
.78. 
Alfalfa, before blossoming, and in 
flower,. 
.74. 
.89. 
.43. 
.67. 
.93. 
Potatoes,. 
_ 65. 
.55. 
Oats,. 
... .77. 
.82. 
.17. 
.74. 
Corn,. 
79 
.... 85 .... 
.62. 
.91. 
The table can be best illustrated by means of an ex¬ 
ample. Suppose you wish to know how much digestible 
food is contained in a ton of wheat bran. By referring to 
the table (No. 10), wheat bran contains: 
