EXPERIMENT STATION REPORTS Q'S 



It was found that when the same number of pounds of sihige and roots 

 were fed there was a marked tendency for the ewes fed on sHage to gain 

 in weight, while those fed on roots about held their own. The ewes in 

 both pens were large Shropshire ewes averaging from one hundred fifty 

 to one hundred seventy-five pounds each. 



The ewes were all in good thrift at lambing time and were singularly 

 free from the difficulties of lambing not infrequently causing much 

 trouble and serious losses. 



We concluded that there need be no bad results following either the 

 use of silage or sugar beets in the winter ration of breeding ewes, but 

 that there is a decided advantage. 



Such feeding should not be excessive. We much prefer restricting the 

 amount of sugar beets or silage in the ration to about three pounds per 

 head per day. 



In the trial of feeding skim milk to pigs it was found that where fed 

 to a mixed lot of fifty hogs varying in weight from fifty to two hundred 

 pounds, and when in conjunction with corn meal^, that the skim milk was 

 worth about fifteen cents per hundred pounds, with hogs at |3.60 per 

 hundred weight. 



For the benefit of those who may be watching with interest the experi- 

 ment in soiling sheep in No. 14, I may say that thus far we have found 

 rye^ oats and peas, rape and sorghum the most useful plants for this pur- 

 pose, and of these rape unquestionably stands at the head. 



It has been shown that good mixed grass pasture will keep the sheep' 

 up in better condition than will vje pasture. 



We believe the experiment has been carried far enough and long 

 enough to show that it is not practical except where a failure of pasture 

 makes some such provision necessary. 



We are now preparing a bulletin on wool which will be forth-coming 

 in a few months. 



Eespectfullv submitted, 



HERBERT W. MUMFORD. 



Assistant in Agriculture. 

 Agricultural College, Mich., 

 June 30, 1899. 



RErORT OF THE flORTICULTURIST. 



To the Director: 



I have the honor to present the following report of the work of the 

 Horticultural Department of the Experiment Station for the eight months 

 that have elapsed since the last report was made. Owing to the fact that 

 the report made in November, 1S98, covered the experiments made dur- 

 ing the year of 1898, I can only outline those that have been undertaken 

 for the present season. 



EXPERIMENTS AND PROGRESS. 



In addition to a large number of new varieties of vegetables that are 

 being tested, we have at the request of the United States Department of 

 Agriculture undertaken a comparative test of the different varieties of 

 lettuce. Seed of nearly two hundred fifty varieties w^re furnished, 



