DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 



1G5 



as farmer's ordinarily compute their crop. This is not nearly as good a yield 

 as the crop in the field surrounding the experimental plats. The corn in the 

 field was drilled in and thinned to 14 inches in the drills, and yielded 5G 

 bushels, of 70 lbs. each, i)er acre on 18.1 acres. 



This experiment mil be continued one year more, and the results of the three 

 years compared. 



EXPERIMENTAL GRASSES. 



In field No. 10, 4 plats of grasses were sown in the spring of 1878. These 

 plats were two rods by 20 rods in lengtii. They were sowed to Timotliy in the 

 fall of 1877. The soil varies from sandy loam on the west to muck in the cen- 

 tral part, and then rises on a clay knoll on the east part of each plat. Thus 

 we have all gradations between sand-loam, muck and clay. 



These plats were sown as follows : 



No. 1 to Fowl Meadow grass. 



No. 2 to Kentucky blue grass. 



No. 3 to Orchard grass. 



No. 4 to Red Top. 



The Blue grass and lied Top were looking the best in September, and again 

 in October, when I examined them. The fall has been rather dry, and next 

 spring these conditions may be reversed. 



Observations will be made as regards their growth during the next year. 



East. 



North. 



jr South. 



AVest. 



FEEDING EXPERIMENT. 



A feeding experiment was planned with a view to seeing about the ordinary 

 keep of Devons and Short Horns. The animals were not to be fattened for 

 beef; hence the feed was not made heavy, for that reason. 



They were fed with a ration vtirying from 24- to 4 lbs. of dry feed (cut corn- 

 stalks and oat straw) at each feed. 20 lbs. of sliced turnips (Swedes), and 2 

 quarts feed, morning and evening, consisting of one part each of wheat bran, 

 oat and corn meal. Each animal was fed the same amount at each feed. 



The following table shows the result of the experiment for 18 days. The 

 animals were weighed 3 days before the experiment began, and the average of 

 these daily weights taken for tlie weight when the experiment was begun. They 

 were weighed each day after the morning feed and before watering. The feed 

 that was not consumed was carefully weighed and the total taken from the 

 amount fed in making up the final result: 



