——s 
BULLETIN OF THE BUSSEY INSTITUTION. 307 
from the small number of analyses here reported, the quality of the 
last-named hay seems to be inferior to that of ordinary bog hay. The’ 
remarks of Sprengel* upon the nutritive value of black grass show | 
that, in respect to that particular grass, European experience agrees 
with that of this country. The sea spear-grass is classed among 
meadow grasses of the first quality by European writers. The analy- 
sis of Lehmann, cited on page 344, seems to show that, under favorable 
circumstances, the value of the hay from brackish marshes may be 
fully equal to that of an equal weight of the best upland hay. 
It will be noticed that several of the analyses, particularly those of 
the bog hays, enforce the lesson, well known before, that even the 
coarsest kinds of fodder may be injured very appreciably by bad treat- 
ment, in respect to the time of mowing. 
I have found it difficult to base any just estimate of the foddering 
value of bog hay upon the recorded experience of our farmers, although 
a good deal of that kind of evidence has been published. As early as 
the beginning of this century, the Trustees of the Massachusetts Soci- 
ety for Promoting Agriculture, “ with a view to collect the most accu- 
rate information on the principal branches of agriculture as now 
practised,” propounded certain “inquiries,” among which were the 
following : — 
No. XIX. ‘ What is the proportion of value which Fresh-Meadow 
hay bears to Upland hay, each being of a medium quality?’’ And 
No. VII. ‘* What is the quantity and value of the Straw on an acre 
of barley, rye, oats, and wheat, respectively? And to how much Upland 
hay are they respectively equivalent for Fodder? ”’ 
The answers to these questions, that were gradually returned from 
different parts of the State, varied very much, as will be seen from the 
following citations : — 
In a ‘* Summary of [many] Replies hitherto received by the Society,”’ 
that was published in 1807,+ it is stated that, ‘‘In general, the com- 
parative value of meadow to that of upland hay is said to be one-half ; 
by the Western Middlesex Husbandmen, the former is thought to be 
one-third part as good as the latter; and Colonel P., of New Gloucester, 
thinks it is near two-thirds, especially if it is salted when first stowed 
in the barn, and where salt hay is not to be had.” 
* Erdmann’s “Journal tech. und ek. Chemie,” 1829, 5. pp. 60, 295. 
tT Papers published by the Trustees of the Society, 1807, pp. 10, 30. 
