DAIRY FARMING DAIRYING. 275 



per ceut, and iu slipe wools to about 2 per cent, is very hygroscopic, and can 

 absorb from 60 to 67 per cent of its weight of moisture when exposed to the 

 atmosphere. Fatty matter other than natural wool fat, present in slipe wools 

 to an amount of from 2 to 6 times that found in greasy wools, and picked up 

 by the wool from the greasy underside of the sliins during the washing process, 

 has a retarding effect on the amount of moisture absorbed." 



Measurements of swine, Junghanns (JaJirl). Deut. Laiidw. GesclJ., 24 

 (1909), Xo. S, PI). 825-853). — Body measurements are reported of 59 Berkshires, 

 and 222 Improved German white and mixed German breeds of swine. 



Fowls and eggs in China, W. R. Dorsey {Daily Cons, and Trade Rpts. 

 [U. /S.], 1909, No. 3637, pp. 1-3). — ^An account of the poultry industry in China. 



China has, perhaps, more fowls than any other country, yet there are few 

 farms where chickens are reared in large numbers. The present price of eggs 

 is from 5 to 7 cts. per dozen in United States money. Ducks are reared in 

 immense numbers about the lowlands of Hankow and are herded lilve sheep. 

 Factories in Hankow prepare a large amount of albumen and egg yolks for 

 export to Europe. 



Live stock and hides, J. J. Slechta, E. Betts, and E. D. Winslow {Daily 

 Cons, and Trade Rpts. [U. S.], 1909, No. 3688, pp. i-3).— These reports include 

 data from Brazil, Colombia, and Sweden. 



The number of cattle in Brazil is about 25,000,000, but the statistics for other 

 kinds of live stock are not adequate for an estimation of the number. The total 

 exports of hides from Brazil in 190S were as follows, in metric tons: Salted 

 hides, 23,314; dry hides, 7,095; goat skins, 2,.579; sheep skins, 760; lamb skins, 

 94 ; miscellaneous, 130. 



In Colombia there are about 4,000,000 cattle. The number of cattle slaughtered 

 in 1907 was 341,528, and the weight of hides exported was 3,447,562 kg. The 

 figures for the live stock in Sweden in 1906 are as follows: 178,931 oxen, 

 1,792,075 cows, 579,079 calves, 1,051,119 sheep, 65,285 goats, and 563,634 horses. 



Live stock statistics for the years 1907 and 1908 {Riqueza Pecuaria 

 ExistcHcia. Iinportancion y Consinno de Ganado, Anos 1901 y 1908. Habana: 

 Govt., 1909, pp. 73, pi. 1).—In 1908 on the Island of Cuba there were 2,892,457 

 cattle, 491,830 horses, 55,184 mules, and 3,102 asses, an increase in all cases over 

 the figures of 1907. Since 1904 the number of importations has steadily 

 descreased. 



DAIRY FARMING— DAIEYING. 



Alfalfa meal v. wheat bran for milk production, J. B. Lindsey {Massa- 

 chusetts 8ta. Rpt. 1908, pt. 2, pp. 158-166).— The object of this experiment was 

 to compare the effect of alfalfa meal with wheat bran upon the general health 

 and condition of the animal, upon the yield of milk, milk solids and milk fat, 

 and to note th,e economy of alfalfa meal as compared with bran as a feed for 

 dairy stock. 



In the first half of the trial 3 of the 6 new milch cows received the alfalfa 

 meal ration for 6 consecutive weeks, the other 3 receiving the wheat bran 

 ration. In the second half of the trial the conditions were reversed. The 

 basal ration consisted of hay, rowen, gluten feed, and corn meal, to which 

 was added 4.8 lbs. of either alfalfa meal or wheat bran. 



The herd gain in live weight was 119 lbs. with the alfalfa meal, and 165 lbs. 

 with the wheat bran. During the bran ration the average daily yield of milk 

 was 19.36 lbs. at a cost of 1.21 cts. per pound, and during the alfalfa meal ration 

 19.06 lbs. at a cost of 1.32 cts. per pound. The cost of butter with the 2 rations 

 was 19.5 and 21.S cts. per pound, respectively. The bran was estimated at $22 

 and the alfalfa meal at $30 per ton. 



