Crotalaria for Forage


age was nearly tripled. It still had a high content of leaves. By
the time the plants came into bloom the lower leaves had begun
to drop, and the stems became coarse and woody. There was a
substantial increase in yield. Most of the lower leaves had fallen
by the time the pod stage had been reached. The yield was ap-
proximately the same as when harvested in the bloom stage.
 C. intermedia harvested in the bud stage produced a maximum
yield of the quality of forage desired for silage.


 Part II. Value of Crotalaria as Feed
 R. B. BECKER, 1W. M2. NEAL AND P. T. DIx ARNOLD

 INTRODUCTION
 Legume forages usually are considered as a desirable part of
rations for cattle. The search for new legume forage crops that
could be grown on sandy soils prompted a cooperative investi-
gation of the possible feeding values, as pasturage, hay and sil-
age, of several selected crotalarias which had shown their adapt-
ability in the forage crops nursery at Gainesville.

 REVIEW OF LITERATURE
 Scott (27) conducted a single feeding trial with six Jersey
 cows in which alfalfa meal and ground Crotalaria striata hay (nat-
 urally cured) were added to the mixed concentrates. From the
 limited data obtained, it appeared that this crotalaria might pos-
 sess some merit as a feed for cattle. In the East Indies, van Hal-
 ten (17) reported that Crotalaria usaramoensis was eaten by cattle
 and horses.
 McKee and Enlow (19) have described the characteristics,
 culture and adaptability of many species of the genus Crotalaria,
 and suggested that this group of plants might contain some species
 suitable for forage.
 PLAN OF INVESTIGATION
 Several species of crotalaria were selected by the agrono-
 mists, from sub-tropical and tropical species based on forage
 yields and growth characteristics. It was hoped that one or
 more of these might prove of value as a forage on the sandy
 soils of the coastal plains region.
 Tests were made with cattle as to the relative palatability
 of the selected species when offered as green forage in the field,