The Stock-Feeder's Manual Part 13

D.--Nitrogenised Substances.

E.--Ash.

F.--Nitrogenised Matters.

------------------------+-----------------------------+--------------- Per-centage in the Per-centage Fresh Clover. in Dry Clover.

+-------+-------+------+------+-------+------- A. B. C. D. E. F.

------------------------+-------+-------+------+------+-------+------- Red clover-- Trifolium pratense: 1. From English seed 8530 1470 130 231 890 1587 2. From German seed (from the Rhine) 8168 1832 149 281 815 1550 3. From French seed 8351 1649 195 225 1182 1356 4. From American seed 7998 2102 158 287 805 ...

5. From Dutch seed ... ... ... ... 882 1243 Cowgra.s.s-- Trifolium medium:[27] Variety, " Duke of Norfolk 7739 2261 273 225 1209 1019 " common 8176 1824 192 319 1053 1437 Crimson clover, Trifolium incarnatum: From French seed 8256 1744 188 325 1081 1856 Yellow clover-- Medicago lupulina: From English seed 7738 2262 202 350 895 1544 From French seed 7860 2140 175 294 818 1369 ------------------------+-------+-------+------+------+-------+-------

_Clover_ is very rich in flesh-forming and heat-producing substances.

There are several varieties of this plant, of which the Alsike Clover appears to be the most valuable, as it contains a high proportion of organic matter and gives the largest acreable produce. The nature of the soil influences, to a great extent, the composition of this plant: this no doubt accounts for the somewhat discrepant result of the a.n.a.lyses of it made by Way, Voelcker, and Anderson.

The composition of the Vetch, Sainfoin, and Lucerne, resembles very closely that of the Clover: indeed, it appears to me that all these leguminous plants are nearly equally valuable as green forage, but that the best adapted for hay is the Clover. In the following table the composition of these plants is shown:--

a.n.a.lYSES OF CLOVER, BY DR. VOELCKER.

---------------------------+-------+-------+-------+---------+--------- I. II. III. IV. V.

Red White Yellow Alsike. Bokhara Clover. Clover. Clover. Clover. Clover.

+-------+-------+-------+---------+--------- Water 8064 8365 7757 7667 8130 Soluble in Water-- _a._ Organic substances 635 498 826 491 680 _b._ Inorganic substances 155 113 140 133 154 Insoluble in water-- _a._ Impure vegetable fibre 1104 980 1217 1636 1001 _b._ Inorganic matters (ash) 042 044 060 073 035 +-------+-------+-------+---------+--------- 10000 10000 10000 10000 10000 ---------------------------+-------+-------+-------+---------+---------

a.n.a.lYSES OF LUCERNE, SAINFOIN, AND VETCH.

---------------------------------------+----------+-----------+-------- I. II. III.

Lucerne. Sainfoin. Vetch.

+----------+-----------+-------- Water 7341 7732 8216 Soluble in Water _a._ Organic substances 943 800 607 _b._ Inorganic substances 233 120 107 Insoluble in water _a._ Impure vegetable fibre 1408 1295 1023 _b._ Inorganic matters (ash) 075 053 047 +----------+-----------+-------- 10000 10000 10000 ---------------------------------------+----------+-----------+--------

The artificial gra.s.ses are, on the whole, more nutritious than the natural gra.s.ses; but I should explain that the a.n.a.lyses of the natural gra.s.ses which I have quoted refer to those plants in what may be almost termed their wild state: under the influence of good cultivation--when irrigated or top-dressed with abundance of appropriate manure--their a.n.a.lyses would indicate a higher nutritive value. The gra.s.ses, and more especially the so-called artificial gra.s.ses, are more nutritious and digestible when young. In old clover the proportion of insoluble woody fibre is often so considerable as to greatly detract from the alimental value of the plant.

The _Lentils_, the _Birdsfoot_, the _Trefoil_, and the _Melilot_ are leguminous plants which occasionally are found as const.i.tuents of forage crops. Lentils are extensively cultivated on the Continent, and are the only kind of these plants the chemistry of which has been at all studied. The straw contains 7 per cent. of flesh-formers.

_The Yellow Lupine_ is cultivated rather extensively in Germany, France, and Belgium, partly for feeding purposes, partly to furnish a green manure. Its seeds const.i.tute a nutritious article of food for man, and its stems and leaves are given to cattle. An attempt was made a few years ago to introduce its cultivation, as a field crop, into England, and very satisfactory results attended the first trials made with it.

Mr. Kimber, who has cultivated this crop, states that it is likely to prove valuable on light sandy soils, where the ordinary green fodder crops are not easily cultivated. The produce per acre obtained in Mr. Kimber's trial was about nineteen tons. Cattle and sheep relish the Yellow Lupine, but according to Mr. Kimber, pigs reject it.

Professor Voelcker examined this plant, and found that it resembled in composition the ordinary artificial gra.s.ses, except in one respect, namely, a remarkable deficiency in sugar. Altogether, it is not so rich in nutriment as any of the commonly cultivated leguminous plants; but as it can be cultivated on a very poor soil, and gives a good return, it is probable that the Yellow Lupine will yet become a common crop in Britain. The following table exhibits the results of Dr. Voelcker's a.n.a.lysis.

COMPOSITION OF YELLOW LUPINES (CUT DOWN IN A GREEN STATE).

In natural state. Dried at 212F.

Water 8920 Oil 37 342 [*] Soluble alb.u.minous compounds 137 1268 Soluble mineral (saline) substances 61 564 [+] Insoluble alb.u.minous compounds 101 935 Sugar, gum, bitter extractive matter, and digestible fibre 396 3668 Indigestible woody fibre (cellulose) 329 3048 Insoluble mineral matters 19 175 ------ ------ 10000 10000 [* Containing nitrogen 22 203]

[+ Containing nitrogen 16 148]

_Rib gra.s.s plantain_ (_Plantago lanceolata_) is one of those plants, the value of which for forage purposes is questionable. Many persons believe it to be a useful food. Its composition, which looks favorable, is as follows:--

Water 8478 Alb.u.minous matters 218 Fatty matters 056 Starch, gum, &c. 608 Woody fibre 510 Mineral matter 130

The gra.s.ses, natural and artificial, are occasionally affected by a formidable and well-known fungus, the _ergot_. Italian rye-gra.s.s is the most liable to the ravages of this pest, and there are on record several cases in which ergotted rye-gra.s.s proved fatal to the animal fed upon it. Clover and the various leguminous plants appear more liable to the ergot disease than the natural gra.s.ses (except rye-gra.s.s), but I have on several occasions noticed this fungus on the spikelets of _Hordeum pratense_, _Festuca pratense_, and _Bromus erectus_. It has also been noticed that rye-gra.s.s rapidly developed under the influence of liquid manure is so rank that young animals fed upon it are poisonously affected. Alderman Mechi states that in July, 1864, ten out of his thirty Shorthorn calves died in consequence of eating the heads of Italian rye-gra.s.s, and that the survivors' health was seriously injured.

He was also unfortunate with his lambs, which, during the same month, were folded on Italian rye-gra.s.s. "Four days ago," writes the Alderman, "it was sewaged, having been prior to the former growth also guanoed.

In four days it had grown from four to five inches, was of an intense green, and p.r.o.nounced to be, by sharp practical men, just the food for lambs. Well, we put on our lambs, taking care to do so in the evenings after they had been well fed. My bailiff accompanied them, and, within five minutes, turning accidentally round, he saw two of the lambs with their heads in the air staggering (stomach staggers it is called) and frothing at the mouth. He immediately saw the mischief, removed the lambs, and on their way back to a bare fold some of them vomited the Italian rye-gra.s.s that they had just eaten, accompanied by frothy slime; others brought it up during the night. Some of them trembled, gaped, and showed all the same symptoms that my calves had done, such as rapid pulse, &c. Two or three of them are rather queer to-day. I hope that Professor Simmonds or some capable person will tell us how this is? If we mow this gra.s.s, bring it home, and cut it into chaff, all which tends to heat or dry it, it becomes wholesome food. The same remarks apply in degree to very succulent tares. If the Italian gra.s.s is brought home and given long and quite fresh to the calves, it will kill them. It does not appear to injure old ewes as it does lambs or shearlings. The dry weather has something to do with it. In wet weather the evil is much diminished, or disappears."

It is probable that the juice of this poisonous herbage was extremely rich in matters only semi-organised, and perhaps abounded in the crude substances from which the vegetable tissues are elaborated. Such rank gra.s.s as this was should not be used until it has attained to a tolerably developed state: in mature plants the juices contain more highly organised matters than are found in young vegetables.

The _Sorghuo_, _or Holcus Saccharatus_.--This plant, introduced to the notice of the British farmer but a few years ago, is only grown in these countries in small quant.i.ties. It is very rich in sugar, and cattle relish it greatly. Its composition, according to Dr. Voelcker, is as follows:--

Water 8180 Alb.u.minous matters 153 Insoluble ditto 066 Sugar 585 Wax and fatty matter 255 Mucilage, pectin, and digestible matters 259 Indigestible woody fibre 403 Mineral matter 099 ------ 10000

The plants referred to in the above a.n.a.lysis were cut in September.

It is found that the composition of the plant is very different at different seasons.

_Green Rye_ is employed as a forage crop, for which purpose it is well adapted. It is about equal in nutritive power to clover. According to Dr. Voelcker its composition is as follows:--

Water 75423 Flesh-formers 2705 Fatty matter 0892 Gum, pectin, sugar, &c. 9134 Woody-fibre 10488 Mineral matter 1358 ------- 100000

_Buckwheat_ is occasionally cut in a green state and used as food for stock. Its composition, according to Einhof and Crome, is as follows:--

Water 825 Nitrogenous compounds 02 Extractive matters 26 Starch, &c. 47 Cellulose 100 ----- 1000

Rape is one of our most valuable plants for stock feeding. Two varieties are cultivated in these countries--the summer rape (_Bra.s.sica Campestris oleifera_) and winter rape (_Bra.s.sica rapus_). The great utility of rape arises from the circ.u.mstance of its being generally obtained as a _stolen_ crop; for otherwise it is not quite equal to other plants that might be subst.i.tuted for it--cabbages, &c. This plant is very rich in oily matters, and has been found well adapted both for the feeding of cattle and the fattening of sheep. Its composition, according to Voelcker, is shown in this table:--

COMPOSITION OF GREEN RAPE.

Water 87050 Flesh-formers 3133 Fatty matters 0649 Other respiratory substances 4000 Woody fibre 3560 Mineral matter (ash) 1608 ------- 100000

With respect to the value of rape for the feeding of stock in spring, Mr. Rham makes the following remarks:--

If the crop is very forward it may be slightly fed off, but in general it is best to let it remain untouched till spring. In the end of March and the beginning of April it will be a great help to the ewes and lambs. It will produce excellent food till it begins to be in flower, when it should immediately be ploughed up.

The ground will be found greatly recruited by this crop, which has taken nothing from it, and has added much by the dung and urine of the sheep. Whatever be the succeeding crop, it cannot fail to be productive; and if the land is not clean, the farmer must have neglected the double opportunity of destroying weeds in the preceding summer, and in the early part of spring. If the rape is fed off in time, it may be succeeded by barley or oats, with clover or gra.s.s seeds, or potatoes, if the soil is not too wet. Thus no crop will be lost, and the rape will have been a clear addition to the produce of the land. Any crop which is taken off the land in a green state, especially if it be fed off with sheep, may be repeated without risk of failure, provided the land be properly tilled; but where cole or rape have produced seed, they cannot be profitably sown in less than five or six years after on the same land. The cultivation of rape or cole for spring food cannot be too strongly recommended to the farmers of heavy clay soils.

_The Mustard Plant_ is occasionally used as food for sheep, for which purpose its composition shows it to be well adapted. Voelcker's a.n.a.lysis proves it to be very rich, relatively, in muscle-forming elements and in mineral matters; it might, therefore be with advantage combined with food relatively deficient in these principles.

COMPOSITION OF FRESH MUSTARD.

Water 8630 Alb.u.minous matters 287 Non-nitrogenous matters (gum, sugar, oil, &c.) 440 Woody fibre 439 Ash 204 ------ 10000

_The p.r.i.c.kly Comfrey_ has been recommended as a good forage plant.

It yields an abundant crop--or rather crops, for it may be cut several times in the year. The plant is a handsome one, and it might combine the useful with the ornamental if it were cultivated on demesne or villa farms. Dr. Voelcker states its composition to be as follows:--

Water 88400 Flesh-forming substances 2712 Heat and fat-producing matters 6898 Ash 1990 ------- 100000

_Chicory_ is used as a forage crop on the Continent, and Professor John Wilson surmises that it may yet be generally cultivated for this purpose in Great Britain. At present it is rarely grown except for the sake of its roots, which are used as partial subst.i.tutes for, or adulterants of, coffee.

COMPOSITION OF CHICORY, ACCORDING TO ANDERSON.

Fresh roots. Fresh leaves.

Water 8058 9094 Nitrogenous matters 172 101 Non-nitrogenous substances 1639 663 Ash 131 142 ------ ------ 10000 10000

_Yarrow_ (_Achillaea millefolium_) is usually regarded as a weed, but sheep are very fond of it, and when they can get it, never fail to eat it greedily. It possesses astringent properties. Some writers have recommended it as a good crop for warrens and sands. Its composition, according to Way, is as follows:--

DRIED YARROW.