ALFALFA 
7 
PAGE 
essentially by the leaves. The fresh stems contain about 60 
per cent, of their weight of water. The mechanical loss in 
making alfalfa hay is from 15 to 20 and even 66 per cent. 
Composition of alfalfa stems is that of a fairly good hay, p. 26. 
The amid nitrogen in the stems is very low. 
Leaves, p. 27 .—Alfalfa leaves affected by a fungus, p. 27. Fresh 
leaves contain 68.72 per cent, of water. The leaves are very 
rich in proteids up to half bloom, but are not so rich when 
past full bloom. 
The amids in the leaves are high, about 15.65 per cent, of the 
total albuminoids. 
The percentage of ash in the leaves is high, about 14.00 per 
cent. 
A large percentage of the leaves is lost in hay making, (p. 26). 
Flowers, p. 28 .— The flowers are important as they indicate the 
turning point in the development of the plant. The fresh 
flowers contain 72.69 per cent, of water. The composition of 
the flowers is similar to that of the leaves. 
Analyses p. 28 .—The amids are more abundant in the flowers 
than in any other portion of the plant. The flowers are not 
sufficiently abundant to account for the large amount of pro¬ 
teids in the hay cut when the plants are in half bloom. The 
ether extract of the flowers is not very high and does not 
foreshadow the large amount of oil in the seed. 
Review of Questions Relating to Alfalfa Hay Mak¬ 
ing . 29-32 
The time of cutting; the influence of irrigation; the influence 
of growing on high and low lands; comparison of results ob¬ 
tained in Texas, New Jersey, and Colorado. The composition 
of the various cuttings shows but little variation. 
Composition is not the only factor in making a good hay. 
Analyses of alfalfa hays, laboratory samples, made from 
plants at different periods of development, grown without irri¬ 
gation, on low land and on high land, p. 31. 
Analyses of parts of the plant grown under same variety of 
conditions, p. 31. 
Analyses of alfalfa hays, farm samples, p. 32. 
Alfalfa and Clover Hay Compared. 32-33 
Analyses of clover and alfalfa hays, p. 32. Green alfalfa 
yields 2.5 per cent, more hay and contains about 7.00 per cent, 
more digestible food than clover. 
Alfalfa, Red Clover and Pea Vine Ensilage Com¬ 
pared .. . . . 33-34 
• The dry matter in alfalfa ensilage is 30.19 per cent. Analyses 
