REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURIST. 



77 



The sunflower (Helianthus annuus) grows luxuriantly over the whole of the tem- 

 perate zone on this continent, and the seeds contain a large percentage of fat. The 

 variety known as Mammoth Russian has been grown in rows 3 feet apart, and it 

 appears to do best when the plants are from 12 to 18 inches apart in the rows. 

 The following table shows the constituents of the horse beans and bunflower 

 heads, as analysed by Mr. Frank T. Shutt, Chemist, Dominion Experimental 

 Farms : — 



Analyses in 1892. 



Horse beans 



do 



Sunflower heads with seeds 



Horse beans 



do , 



Sunflower heads with seeds 



Dry 



matter. 



p. e. 



10-76 

 13-85 

 24-38 



Lbs. 

 per ton. 

 215-2 

 277-0 

 487-6 



A brief test of the feeding of a group of cows, for 70 days during the early part 

 of the year, was made on a ration composed of: — 



Pounds. 



Corn ensilage 40 



Eoots 50 



Straw 8 



Mixed meal 4 



A similar group of cows was fed on the following ration, wherein the ensilage 

 contained Indian corn at the rate of 12 parts to 1 part of sunflower heads : — 



Pounds. 



Corn ensilage and sunflower heads 40 



Eoots 50 



Straw 8 



Meal 2 



No appreciable difference in the quantity or quality of the milk, as to its per- 

 centage of solids from the different groups of cows, could be traced or attributed to 

 the different rations upon which they were fed. After both groups of cows had been 

 fed for two weeks on the different mixtures, tests were made to discover if any 

 difference appeared in the quality of the milk from the different groups, in regard 

 to the readiness with which the cream could be separated by the setting method, or 

 in the quality of the butter which was obtained from it. 



The following table shows the average of the tests of nine days' milk from the 

 two groups of cows. The test was commenced on 20th February. The milk from 

 both groups was treated exactly alike. The setting was in deep pails in ice water 

 for 22 hours. 



