During the past few years it has been evident that Iowa is fast becoming a blue grass state.

Many of our prominent agriculturists hold blue grass to be the most reliable pasture grass now grown within the state, and by many it is highly prized as a crop for hay. Considering its value to the practical farmers of Iowa I have made a study of its composition by means of a series of chemical analyses on samples collected at different stages of growth.

In making a chemical analysis, with a view to determine the nutritive value of any grass or other feed-stuff, it is customary to determine the amount of water, crude ash, fat, crude fiber, and nitrogen. The crude protein is obtained by multiplying the total nitrogen by 6.25, as protein contains about sixteen per cent o f nitrogen.