1084 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



In this and the preceding article, a large number of investigations 

 by other observers are cited, often in considerable detail. 



The relative values of different fibrous foods for sheep, J. A. 

 VOELCKEB {Jour. Roy. Agr. Soc. England, 3. ser., 9 (1898), 2ft J, ]>p. 77-1- 

 786). — A test was made at Woburn Farms to ascertain the most satis- 

 factory coarse fodder for sheep in addition to roots. Sixty Hampshire 

 Down lambs, showing a little Oxford blood, were divided into 4 lots of 

 1.") each. Lot 1 was fed cut (or chaffed) oat straw, lot 2 cut meadow 

 hay, lot 3 cut meadow hay and cut oat straw 1 : 1, and lot 4 dried brew- 

 ers' grains. In addition the sheep were given Swedish turnips. These 

 feeding stuffs were supplied ad libitum. All the lots were also given 

 the same amount of linseed cake. The test began ^November 29, 1897. 

 The financial statement is based on linseed cake at $42.63, dried brew- 

 ers' grains at $21.50 r oat straw at $7.86, meadow hay at $15.83, and 

 Swedish turnips at $1.75 per long ton (2,240 lbs.). These values 

 include cutting or chaffing and transportation. March 7, 6 sheep from 

 each pen were sold and slaughtered; March 28, 5 sheep from lots 1, 3, 

 and 4, and 4 from lot 2 (one sheep in this lot had died) were sold and 

 slaughtered. The remainder of the sheep were disposed of April 20. 

 Considering the test as a whole, the average daily gain per head of lot 

 1 was 0.405 lb.; of lot 2, 0.425 lb. ; of lot 3, 0.433 lb., and of lot 4, 0.409 

 lb. The percentage of live weight to carcass in the 4 lots was 51.84, 

 51.68, 52.49, and 52.56, respectively. The greatest profit was realized 

 with lot 3. The tests are reported and discussed in detail: 



"In making these comparisons it has to he borne in mind that the money values put 

 upon the roots, the oat-straw chaff, and the hay chaff are only estimates, and these 

 may well be reduced in particular cases, seeing that the foods are home-produced, 

 whereas in the case of the dried grains the actual prices put down had to be paid. 



"It was abundantly clear, however, that the sheep did exceedingly well on the dried 

 grains and liked the food greatly ; also that hay could be entirely replaced by dried 

 grains, a result different from that obtained in a similar experiment on bullocks (see 

 p. 1078). But it cau not be said that the feeding with dried grains was more profit- 

 able than with hay chaff, while a mixture of hay chaff and oat-straw chafi', half and 

 half, proved to be the most economical feeding. 



"The question of the profitable employment of dried grains for fattening sheep 

 must clearly depend upon whether the price of the grains greatly exceeds that of hay 

 or not.'' 



The influence of manures on the production of mutton, W. Som- 

 ERVILLE (Jour. Bd. Agr. [London], 5 (1898), No. 3, pp. 300-314). — A 

 test was made to compare different methods of fertilizing poor pasture 

 land as shown by the gains made by sheep pastured on the different 

 plats fertilized, the results being compared with the yield of hay on the 

 different plats. The tests were begun in 1897 and covered 2 years. 

 The fertilizers were applied in 1897 only. There were 10 plats of 3 

 acres each and in each plat a subplat of one-twentieth of an acre was 

 fenced off. Sheep were pastured on the large plats and the hay on the 

 subplats was harvested. The fertilizers were so regulated that 200 lbs. 

 per acre of phosphoric acid was applied to plat 3 ; 100 lbs. per acre to 



