FOODS ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 773 



ration. Molasses may be advantageously employed for rendering 

 interior hay or fodder more palatable. 



Bullock-feeding experiment, T. B. Wood (Cambridge and Counties 

 Agr. Education Scheme, Field and Feeding Experiments, Rpt. 1897, pp. 

 44-52). — Brief reference is made to feeding experiments with sheep 

 and steers carried on in previous years at Whitlingham, Norfolk. In 

 the winter of 1896-97 a test was made with 4 lots of 5 steers each, to 

 compare linseed cake and the following grain mixtures: Linseed cake 

 and common cotton-seed cake; decorticated cotton-seed cake and maize 

 meal; and decorticated cotton-seed cake, common cotton-seed cake, 

 maize meal, and dried grains. In addition to the grain the steers were 

 given 10 lbs. of mixed chaff and 112 lbs. of roots per head daily. The 

 average weekly gains per head of the 1 lots was 1G.7 lbs., 13.9 lbs., 14.0 

 lbs., and 15.2 lbs. The net profits were from $3.60 to $4.86 per head. 

 Making allowance for the mauurial value of the food, linseed cake gave 

 slightly the best results. Few details of this test are given. 



In 1897-98 a similar test was made with 4 lots of 5 steers each. Lot 

 1 was fed linseed cake ; lot 2, linseed cake and common cotton-seed cake, 

 1:1; lot 3, decorticated cotton-seed cake and dried brewers' grains, 1:1; 

 and lot 4, linseed cake, common cotton- seed cake, and maize meal, 

 1:1:1. At the beginning of the test the steers were fed per head daily 

 6 lbs. of the grain ration. After about a month the ration was increased 

 to 8 lbs. and later to 10 lbs. In addition the steers were fed 10 lbs. cut 

 (chaffed) hay and straw mixed and 112 lbs. of roots per head daily. 

 The test began December 13 and continued until the steers were judged 

 ready for slaughtering. One steer from each lot was sold and slaugh- 

 tered March 15, March 16, April 18, April 25, and May 3. The average 

 weekly gain per head of the 4 lots was 11.9 lbs., 10.6 lbs., 9.3 lbs., and 

 10.5 lbs., respectively. The gains of the steers of the different lots and 

 the cost of gains are discussed in detail, the results being compared 

 with the test made in the previous year. 



"Summarizing the 2 years' results, the 2 experiments have agreed very well, and 

 it appears clear that linseed cake alone is the most profitable food to purchase for 

 fattening steers, though it has been very closely followed in each experiment by the 

 mixture of linseed cake, common cotton cake, and dried grains, with or without 

 maize meal. Linseed cake and common cotton cake mixed have always paid the 

 least, but it is worthy of notice that the steers eating this mixture have always 

 started well, and have only lost ground Jater in the period of feeding. This suggests 

 that in future experiments one lot should be started on linseed cake and common 

 cotton cake, half and half, for the first month, after which the proportion of linseed 

 cake should be raised, until the steers finished up the last month on linseed cake 

 only. This ration would probably compare favorably from an economical point of 

 view with cake alone all the time." 



Rape for lambs, J. A. Craig {Wisconsin Sta. Rpt. 1897, pp. 72-79, 

 fig. 1). — The author quotes at some length experiments on the value of 

 rape for fattening lambs, which were previously reported (E. S. R., 8, 

 p. 327). The value of rape for lambs previous to fattening was tested 

 in 1896 with 2 lots of 48 lambs. The lambs were dipped and tagged, 

 and after a preliminary period of 2 weeks the test proper began Octo- 

 ber 12. It was divided into 2 periods of 4 and 12 weeks. Lot 1 was 



