230 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
and natural grasses; but, unfortunately, he did not give to 
his investigations much practical value, nor throw any light on 
hay-making. We have, however, gleaned one significant fact 
from his analysis—a fact which goes far to prove that all gras¬ 
ses do not yield the maximum amount per acre by being cut 
when flowering. He found that the stems of cock’s-foot con¬ 
tained in 100 parts as follows:— 
When coming 
into flower. 
Water,. 70.00 
Flesh-forming constituents,. 4.06 
Fatty matter,. 0.94 
Heat-producing principles,. 18.30 
Woody fibre,. 10.11 
Mineral matter,. 1.59 
When Seeds 
were ripe. 
52.57 
10.93! 
0.74 
12.61 
20.54 
2.61 
Now, when it is considered that the flesh-forming constitu¬ 
ents are by far the most valuable portions of the food, this 
table acquires great importance. We see that the fatty mat¬ 
ters and heat-forming principles (such as sugar, starch, &c.,) 
arc slightly diminished, while the albuminous compounds are 
increased 250 per cent.!! The acreable yield of the grass in 
the two stages is as 279 at the time of flowering, to 265 when 
the seed is ripe; so that the amount of muscle-forming nutri¬ 
ment obtained from an acre of this grass is considerably more 
at the latter period, and it is highly probable that subsequent 
research will prove the same of other grasses. Thus w T e see 
the inaccuracy of the statements which occur in many of our 
agricultural handbooks, that “ cock’s-foot is in its prime when 
coming into flower.’' But, taking into account the value of 
the aftermath of cock’s-foot, which, in quantity, is to the first 
crop as 279 to 119, it is not judicious to permit this grass to 
become dead ripe before being mown. The time-honored 
practice of ages may in this particular instance be safely fol¬ 
lowed. In all periods of the historic age, the haymaker has 
heen advised to mow when the grasses are in flower. The in¬ 
structions of the rustic Roman authors on this point are 
exceedingly clear. Pliny’s words are—“ The time of cutting 
is "when the stalks begin to lose the flowers and to harden; it 
ought to be cut before it withers”—an advice to which, after 
