The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-06-19

'NSN''
"Haying time is close at hand, and
will bring with it an opportunity to put
in practice some principles brought out
in previous chapters And while we
need Experiment Stations of our own
to add to our knowledge Of these prln-
ciples, vet the recent Investigations at
the European Stations have yielded
results worthy of careful attention.
THE PROPER TINE to cut hay and
clover, depends LIST, upon the FEEDING
VALUE of the crop gathered I'D, upon
the value of the after-growth Sd,
upon the value of the roots and stubble
left to enrich the soil for another crop.
The FEEDING VALUE depends: First,
upon the quantity gathered, and Second,
upon the greater or less proportion OF
nutritive material it contains. To obtain
some definite knowledge concerning
these points, Dr. Wagner, director OF
the Experiment Station at Darmstadt,
selected a portion of field of red clover,
where the growth was uniform, and
measured three plots, each containing
about $500 square feet, 6 - square
rods,) numbering them |, Ii, III. On
Nav 22nd, just before the clover began
to blossom, plot was moved, yielding
So lbs. of cured hay June 18th, when
in full blossom, plot III was moved,
with a yield of ia lbs. Of dry hay
July lst, near the end of blossoming,
plot III was cut, and 12S lbs. of dry
hay obtained. The gain in 40 days,
May % to July l, on 8 10 square rods,
was 43 lbs, or about 500 lbs. per acre.
But did the increase of feeding value
correspond to the gain in weight! 10
answer this, DR.. Wagner carefully
that, as is always the case, the young
succulent clover was rich in albumin
oids, and contained but little crude
fiber. But as it grew older, the per
centage of albuminoids (nitrogen) de-
creased, while the crude fiber as con-
stantly increased.
We have previously learned that the
albuminoids are the most valuable, and
the crude fiber the least valuable part
of the food Ia 10 days the amount OF
organic substance increased from Ga to
100 lbs.-just 80 lbs. But in this there
was gain of only ID. of albuminoids,
while the crude fiber increased about
u lbs, or nearly doubled And during
the last 10 days (June Is to July y
there was hardly any gain of albumin
oids, although the crude fiber increased
ID lbs, and other carbohydrates )
lbs. These figures show most clearly
that the older growth was far less val
liable as compared with the younger,
than the increased weight Of 43 lbs
would imply DR.. Wagner calculated
the money value of these crops, as
based upon the nutrtive values of the
albuminoids and carbohydrates which
each contained. Here are his figures:
CLOVER HAY Value
I-Cut just before blossoming. ....sj lbs u cents
I-Cut in full blossoms HI lbs. LOS cents
IlI-CUt end Of blossom ......l2S lbs. 81 cents
However theoretical these calcula.
tons NAV seem, they are doubtless not
far out Of the way as an expression OF
the relative values of the crop at the
different cuttings We may illustrate
this very clearly by another considera-
different crops. How much of the
material of these different crops would
animals which consume them actually
digest, and make over in flesh, fat, milk,
etc, or utilize in other ways in their
bodies Some experiments by DR.
Wolf, of the Station at Hohenheim
will aid us in answering this question.
Four different portions of clover
field were moved at as many different
times, and the hay fed to sheep -Four
experiments with hay of different de-
grees of maturity, were thus made Dur.
ing each the hay consumed by the ami
mails, and the excrement voided, were
carefully weighed and analysed Thus
the proportions of each crop which the
animals digested, were learned.
From every 100 lbs. of organic sub.
stance in the young clover, the animals
digested "A lbs, or nearly three-fourths
As the clover grew older, it became less
and less digestible, until in the most
mature crop only SO l-3 lbs, or little
over one-half, was digested. Taking
the several ingredients of the organic
SuJStdilIC ultlN We lilIu Sillliidl
decrease in digestibility as the plant
natures From every 100 lbs. of albu.
minoids the animals digested in the
youngest clover "A, and in the Oldest
only 50 1-3 lbs The amount of crude
fiber digested falls in like manner from
SO to 80 per cent. Remember that all
which was not digested was passed of
as excremcnt. 1t was worthless for
nutrition, and was useful only as ma
nure. The Youngest clover was nearly
as digcsti5le as meal or potatoes, while
the Oldest was but little more digestib!e
than straw.
Now apply these results to those OBJ
tanned by DR.. Wagner The So lbs. of
hay of Plot | cut just before the begin.
ing Of blossom, contained q 10 lbs OF
organic substance. "A per cent of this
or a ID lbs, would be digestble.-
Comparing the other items, we have
the following results of Dr. Wagner's
crops of clover:
TO every one having grass or clover
to harvest, such facts as these are very
important. From May 22d CD to June
18th 1I,) there was an increase of %
lbs. Of hay, including 26 lbs of organic
substance. The digestibility, however
decreased from a to 6S per cent dur
ing this time, so that the actual gain of
nutritive material was (Gl 1-2-47 l-2)
II lbs. But from June 18th CID to
July lst 0II,) while there was gain
of IA lbs. of hay and | 1-2 lbs. Of
organic substance, the digestibility de.
creased 10 per cent, so that there was
not a gain, but an actual loss of (61 .
SO la , IA lbs. of nutritve material
This makes bad showing for the Older
crops, but the case is, in fact, still worse
The earlier crops contain the largest
proportions of the albuminoids, and a
larger per centage of these is digestible
in the younger clover 1t is clear ther
that the digestible material is richer in