REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURIST 295 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



2. Pigs, outside in roomy lots, as contrasted with pigs in cramped quarters, under 

 cover, fed similar rations. 



3. Preparation of feed, as feeding similar lots similar feed, dry, soaked, or cooked, 

 ground in each case. 



4. Supply of feed, a limited, as contrasted with an unlimited supply of similar 

 feed fed in a similar manner. 



5. Feeding one kind of feed from beginning to end of experiment, as contrasted 

 with feeding similar feed during first period, or up to 100 pounds live weight, then 

 changing to a different feed, and the reverse of this. 



6. Different feeds, oats, pease, barley, Indian corn, shorts, beans, skim milk, rape, 

 clover pasture, steamed clover, mangels, turnips, sugar beets, pumpkins, artichokes. 



These were fed separately or in mixtures of different proportions prepared as in- 

 dicated above. 



To neglect individual and group results (a full report of which may be found in 

 Bulletin No. 3S), I may say that the experiments seem to point to the following con- 

 clusions : — 



1. Locality whence pigs come has apparently no influence on firmness. 



2. Opportunity of exercise as afforded by a large run does not appear to materi- 

 ally affect firmness. 



3. Neither cooked nor soaked feed has any superiority over dry feed as a pro- 

 ducer of firm bacon. 



4. Feeding a large rather than a limited or small ration is not likely to affect 

 firmness. 



5. Kind of feed determines the kind of bacon, health being good. 



(a) Indian corn produces soft pork, unless fed in small quantities or with skim 

 milk (or whey). 



(b) The greater the proportion of Indian corn in the ration, the softer is the 

 pork likely to be. 



(c) Oats, pease and barley in equal parts make up an excellent ration for the 

 production of firm pork. 



(d) Skim milk is without a peer as part of any ration for the production of firm 

 pork. 



(e) Rape, pumpkins, artichokes, sugar beets, turnips, and mangels may be ex- 

 pected to have no injurious effects upon the firmness of the pork product when fed 

 with an otherwise good ration. 



6. General good health and thrift are important for the production of firm bacon. 

 Skim milk added to any grain or succulent ration will add to the thrift of the animals. 

 A fairly roomy yard, pen or run is conducive to good health and thrift. 



SOIL CULTIVATION. 



That our arable soils have undergone a great change since the first settlers stirred 

 their fertile depths, I am sure the most conservative will admit ; that the change has 

 been for the better only too few have any ground for asserting ; on the contrary, 

 almost every farmer whose memory goes back twenty, or even ten years will agree that 

 our crops to-day in any of the eastern provinces are not, as a rule, what they used to 

 be, and the question naturally comes, why this falling off in returns, even from the 

 fields of many of our best farmers ? It may be answered that the causes are various. 

 Yet they seem to be included in the lack of one marked peculiarity of fertile lands — 

 good physical condition. No matter how rich the area in the essentials of plant 

 life, though every foot of the land be saturated with phosphates and potash and ni- 

 trates, yet, being in poor physical condition, the returns are sure to be low. 



