The QuKSTiox Box. 431 



same time, when tliey once get into the soil it will be found very 

 hard work to get rid of them. You don't want to believe all the 

 stories the seedmen tell. 



Would it be advisable to trj' cow peas as a soil renovator? If so, what 

 variety is the best? 



Mr. Smith. — The cow peas are a soil renovator; that is, they are 



a nitrogen gatherer. There are several varieties; one known as 



"Whippoorwill,'' another as "Little Black" are best. It might be 



well enough to try a few by way of experiment. 



Are we now receiving benefits under the pure cattle food act; and upon 

 whom devolves the responsibility of enforcing the law? 



Mr. Ward. — I have a copy of the law and will bring it to the 



next session. The farmers are protected by it, provided they will 



help enforce it. They must demand an analysis of the prepared 



ground stuffs they buy. The law makes it obligatory on the part 



of the dealers to furnish such analysis, and the matter of analysis 



and enforcement of the law is left to the State experiment station. 



If the law is enforced and the farmer will find out what feeding 



values are, they will save hundreds of thousand of dollars every 



year. There is a firm in Kentucky that is grinding pure corn cob 



so finely that it cannot be detected except by analysis. This stuff 



is perfectly worthless as a food, but it is mixed and sold in wheat 



brans, and there are other mixtures fully as fraudulent. 



Explain the difference between in-breeding and line-breeding? 



Mr. Cook. — In-breeding is the breeding of sire to daughter; line 

 breeding is the keeping of families of certain breeds together, 

 without in-breeding. 



How may I treat a clay soil that heaves very badly, to make permanent 

 pasture or meadow, without underdraining it. Cannot afford to buy tiles? 



Mr. Cook. — That is a problem. I don't know as I can answer 

 fully. Possibly surface drains may be opened, so that the water 

 will run off. But if water stands in the subsoil I do not believe 

 that anything can be done with it till that water is out. 



A Farmer. — I would suggest putting one blind ditch through 

 that land as an experiment. Possibly such ditches will help it. 



