The Question Box. 105 



land in it as in any other, and the markets are as good. It would 

 all depend on the man and where he was located. I should not 

 care to advise such a man. He might succeed or fail, and I 

 should not want to be responsible in any way, either for his success 

 or failure. 



Question. — How badly does a good crop of corn exhaust the 

 soil, as compared with other crops? 



-Mr. Van Wagenen. — There is no crop that will give us as much 

 for the cost as will corn, for a starch food. But it is an enormous 

 feeder and must have plant food, light and heat; but it does not 

 take as much plant food from the soil as do some other grain 

 crops, such as wheat, which requires more protein. 



Question. — Is a lactometer test a fair one for milk; that is, can- 

 not milk be treated so as to te-t pure, and still not be pure? 



Mr. Smith. — If a person were practiced in it, knew how and 

 had a lactometer, he could secure a test that appeared all right, and 

 yet it would not be. The lactometer is an instrument with which 

 to determine the specific gravity of milk. Skim-milk is heavier 

 than whole milk, because the fat is the lighter. So that, if milk has 

 been tampered with by watering or skimming, any one knowing 

 anything about it, would discover it as soon as the instrument is 

 removed. When the instrument is lifted from pure milk, that 

 remaining on it runs off evenly and smoothly; if the milk has been 

 tampered with in any way, the milk will run off unevenly and 

 irregularly. We use the, Babcock test and lactometer together. 

 With them both it is easy to tell what the milk is. The Babcock 

 test shows the per cent, of fat in the milk; the lactometer its 

 specific gravity. If any fat has been removed, the lactometer 

 will show that the milk has been tampered with, because its per- 

 centage or ratio of solids has been disturbed, while the Babcock 

 test will show just how much fat there is in the milk. 



Question. — What is best for corn, fall or spring plowing? 



A vote being taken, resulted in favor of fall plowing. 



Mr. Van Wagenen. — I am decidedly in favor of it. The action 

 of the winter frosts breaks up the soil and better fits it for the 

 crop. But, if the soil is too clayey, it may run together. My 

 advice would be to experiment with the two methods, then decide 

 for yourselves. 



Question. — What variety of peas should you mix with oats for 

 soiling, Champion or common white? 



Mr. Chapman. — The small white Canada pea is the best for the 

 purpose. 



