HAGI AS A FORAGE CROP. 
33 
of the total yield of dry matter, but find that this surplus 
almost entirely consists of crude fibre (78.5 kilogrms.) and 
nitrogen-free extract (67.2 kilogrms.), the crude protein, fat 
and mineral matters showing hardly any alteration. This 
observation has some practical bearing ; it indicates that 
whenever an easily digestible fodder rich in protein is desired 
from hagi, it must be cut at a far earlier period of growth 
than the common leguminous forage crops, otherwise the 
formation of fibre proceeds so far as to interfere with the 1 
digestibility. The best time for the first cutting seems to ( 
us to be the middle of May, in southern parts of Japan, 
of course, still earlier ; the second harvest may be taken 
about the middle of July, and the third cut about the middle 
of October. In no case should the plants be allowed to 
stand till they are in full flower. 
The percentage composition of the whole crops of the two 
seasons is illustrated by the following figures : 
Hay Dry Matter. 
1889 
1890 
cn 
CO 
CO 
t—t 
1890 
Moisture. 
..14.89 
16.05 
— 
— 
Crude protein. 
..16.05 
12.61 
18.86 
15.02 
„ fat . 
.. 3.67 
2.22 
4-31 
2.64 
,, fibre .. 
..29.70 
32.66 
34 - 9 ° 
38.90 
Nitrogen-free extract 
..3X.66 
33-04 
37.20 
39-35 
Ash. 
.. 4.03 
3-43 
4-73 
4.09 
In order to ascertain 
to what extent the 
soil is 
exhausted 
•by the cultivation of hagi, we 
analyzed the 
ash of the crop 
of 1889 and obtained the following results: 4 
4 The analysis of the first 
cut was 
made by Mr. S. Shinjo 
and that of 
the 3rd cut by Mr. H. Sakano. 
