— IQ — 
second cutting ; the results are, for the first cutting, 7>w 
per cent.; for the second, 8.05 per cent.; and for the third, 
5.63 percent. The average of the three is 7.09 per cent., from 
which we may judge that the moisture in alfalfa hay, under 
average Colorado conditions, is not far from 6.32 per cent 
and not. above 7.09 per cent. 
ASH OR MINERAL CONSTITUENTS. 
I bis component in alfalfa hay has some importance in 
general feeding - , but very much more for the purpose of 
this bulletin as a measure of the draft made upon the plant 
rood in the soil, both as to kind and quantity. I have not 
considered the physiological function of the constituents of 
the ash to.be of such importance as to require any attempt 
to determine for instance the amount of phosphoric acid 
existing as such in the hay as fed, but have simply deter - 
mined the amount of this acid in the ash, as prepared * 
though.it is almost ceitain, that some of the phosphorus 
determined in the ash as phosphoric acid does not exist as 
such in the plant. The same can be said of sulphur. The 
total amount of this in the plant has been determined in 
several instances ; not, however, with the purpose of deter¬ 
mining the portion present as sulphuric acid and that pres¬ 
ent in other forms, but simply to get the total sulphur in 
the form of sulphuric acid. 
The amount of ash in alfalfa hay varies with different 
plants., different soils, etc. We do not speak here of the 
variation in the amounts of the different constituents, but 
simply of the total ash present. 
> ASH IN ALFALFA HAY. 
Laboratory Samples. 
First cutting : — 
Per cent. 
i. Plants quite young, (cut May 5).10.64 
2 - “ quite young, (cut May 5) .12.16 
3- “ notin bloom.10.21 
4- “ not in bloom. g, 
5* “ in half bloom. g.^o 
6. “ in full bloom.10.46 
7- “ in full bloom. g.24 
8. “ in full bloom. g.g4 
9 - “ in full bloom.10.19 
10. “ in full bloom.10.99 
in “ in full bloom.11.34 
12. just past full bloom. g.q^ 
13- “ in full seed. 6.77 
Average.10.01 
