Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-04-12
Is Hungarian Hay Injurious 10
Stock E .-......... .. -.-

In answer to a question Of this sort, the
Valtfy Farmer replies as follows: 4.7
"It is well known to those who have fed
the Hungarian grass that it is remarkably
nutritious, and horses and other stock thrive
more rapidly when fed on it than when fed
on any other kind Of coarse forage. Hence
it shonld be fed more sparingly. If any
| injury has resulted from feeding it as stated,
| it can only be accounted for in the action of
! the seed upon the animal organism. The
| seeds being small, remarkably hard, and
covered with glossy shell or covering which
renders it entirely indigestible, as much so
as so many minute pieces of lint, except
the few grains that chance to be crushed by
the animal in the process of mastlcating the
straw, and only proves the importance OF
following our oft-repeated advice that no
grain should be fed as q general thing to
any kind Of farm stock without first being
ground and tl.en mixed With wet straw or
hav, after being cut Farmers to be sue
cessful, must improve in their practices and
keep pace with the progress OF the age.
Some of the uncivilizad races Of mankind
eat their food unprepared end uncooked,
but where q small degree OF intelligence IS
given they are readily convinced that cook
ing is essential. Hs
"a microscopic examination of the interior
structure OF the cereals reveals the fact that
the -four or meal composing the kernel is
made up of numerous very minute, lnde-
pendent globues, and in order that these
NAV fully answer the purpose Of digestion or
assimilation the grains must only be crushed
or broken down, but an additional prepara-
ton is essential When grain is fed whole,
that poroon which is crushed by the animal
in the process Of masticatiOn is acted upon
by the heat and fluids OF the stomach aud
part will be digested, but the largest portion
passes through the animal in minute partl-
cles undigested. Hence tha loss In ieedIng
grain unground is infinitely greater than
most farmers suppose. And even grinding
o, one will not suffice to crush Gil these
minute giobules, but heat is necessary to Il
greater degree than that afforded by the
animals stomach This in part will suffice,
and the better when fed to young, healthy
animals than when fed to older ones
'.Ihe seeds Of Hungarian grass are not
only small but extremely hard, ano, as We
have said, coated with an extremely hard
shell or cutcle, and the snaliness OF the
seeds renders them the more diEisult to grind
between tie teeth Of the animal. We would
suggest. then, that the seeds be mostly
threshed off, and it would improve the
straw for feeding, by running it through the
and thus separating the
seed and breaking the straw. The seed
should then be ground, and ted by inizingit
with the cut wet straw or hay. The advan-
tages thus gained would doubly pay for the
labor, and we will warrant no loss will be
sustained from injury in feeding it to the
animals. Without this prccaution, the grass
should be more sparingly fed; and what
would render it less liable to inJure the
stock would be to cut it before it is fully
matu,ea. Then, it is true, the grain would
be less valuable, but the straw would be
better. But the most profitable and safest
method is to cut it while the seeds are IN the
milk, and then thre>h and grind the seed.
ave esteem the hungarian grass as
great acquisition to those prairie States
where hay is not SO readily grown. This new
grass is peculiarly adapted to the Light soils
and dry climate of this portion OF our
and all that is wanting is a correct
of its management.