DAIRY FARMING DAIRYING AGROTECHNY. 273 



Feeding trials with cows, J. L. Hii.ls {Vermont ,Sta. h'pl. J 'JOG, pp. 302-336, 

 3.16-38 i). — The feeding trials conducted during the year were made with 44 

 cows, lasted 25 weelcs, and inchided tests of silage made from frosted and from 

 frozen corn, tests of alfalfa hay meal, and a further study of the experimental 

 error involved in fee<ling trials hy the alternation method. 



Tlie work is sunuiiarized as follows : 



" Silages made from mature frosted and from mature frozen corn, compared 

 with tliose made from innnature unfrosted and frosted corns, contained from 

 (! to 1.") per cent more dry matter. The effect of frost was slightly to depress 

 the total solid and fat yields of milk, not to exceed 3 per cent, however, in any 

 case. The milk yields were but slightly changed, with a tendency to depression. 

 Tliis minor loss is a negligible quantity as compared with the increased growth 

 of digestible dry matter arising from the greater maturation of the crop. No 

 ill effei't was observed on the butter, although no special trial of the matter 

 was made. .Silage from frozen corn is said to keep well in a silo: The testi- 

 mony of these considerable and varied trials would seem to warrant one in 

 advising that frost risks be run in order to gain a greater maturation, when the 

 corn lias not reached a desired stage of ripening at the normal time of harvest, 

 provided the crop is to be ensiled. 



•'.Vn alfalfa meal ration made less milk and butter, carried less fertilizing 

 value, and was fed at a loss, as compared with a wheat bran ration, the meal 

 costing $27 and the wheat bran $18.50. Had each cost alike the former would 

 still have been outclassed. An alfalfa meal ration made one-seventh less milk, 

 one-sixth less butter, and the ration containing it carried one-sixth less plant 

 food value than did one containing distillers' dried grains. It is utterly out- 

 classed at equal prices. 



" I'rotena, a proprietary article, the basis and principal constituent of which 

 is alfalfa meal, made as much milk as did a mixture of wheat bran, cotton-seed 

 and linseed meals, but 7 per cent less butter. The Prot«na ration carried but 

 four-fifths tha plant food content of its competitor, and was outclassed when 

 tiuancially compared. 



" It does not seem that alfalfa products can be considered economic feeds at 

 I>resent, unless sold at .$18 or less. 



" Experimental error, when the alternation system is properly employed, is a 

 negligible quantity." 



Prickly pear and sotol as wintef forage {Estac. Agr. Expt. Ciudad Juarez, 

 Vhihituhua, Boh 6, pp. 18). — The results of feeding experiments with 15 cows 

 indicated that under Mexican conditions satisfactory u.se may be made of species 

 of Opuntia and of Dasiilirion icheeleri for feeding cows during the winter 

 months. 



Cotton-seed meal and corn silage as a ration for dairy cows, J. MicheLs and 

 .7. M. liuROESs iSoiitli ('uroU)Hi ,<!ta. Bid. 131, pp. 11). — Ten cows were fed a 

 ration consisting e.\<*lusively of cotton-seed meal and a good quality of corn 

 silage for a period of over 5 months with very satisfactory results. The cows 

 yielded more milk and butter fat than during any corresponding period in pre- 

 vious years. No bad effects were observed even when tlie meal and silage were 

 fe<l separately. It is, therefore, believed that cotton-seed meal to the extent of 

 5 to (i lbs. per cow daily and well-matured corn silage constitute an excellent 

 ration for milch cows. The good results obtained V)y the authors in feeding 

 cotton-seed meal and silage are attributed in a large measure to the fact that 

 the silage was made from well-matiu"ed. well-eared corn. 



Milking machines. II. H. Dean and S. F. Edwards (())itario Drpt. Afir. Bui. 

 loi), pp. J.J).— The lirst part of this bulletin, by I'rofesaor Dean, gives the results 



