1917] AN"IMAL PRODUCTION-. 767 



flocks 14.3 per cent were Lincolns. I^incoln rams are being used by 44.2 per 

 cent of the breeders reporting, Shropsliire rams by 32.6 per cent, Hampshire 

 rams by 23.09 per cent, and Rambouillet rams by 7.6 per cent. 



The lambing percentage varied from 70 to 130, the average being 92.32. The 

 weight of the lambs when they reached market varied from 60 to 85 lbs., the 

 average being 73.5 lbs. The weight of fleece of the ewes varied from 7 to 11 lbs., 

 the average being 9.5 lbs. In reference to the annual cost of keeping a ewe, one 

 man who has a band of 2,000 ewes estimated that it co.st 75 cts. per ewe. This 

 was the lowest estimate given. The highest was $5, and the average $2.59. 



Other topics summarized are number of ewes per ram, time of weaning lambs, 

 time and place of marketing lambs, the wool market, causes of death in range 

 sheep, and kind of feed used. 



Experiments in the disposal of irrigated crops through the use of hogs, 

 J. A. HoLDEN (U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 488 (1917), pp. 25, figs. 3).— This bulletin 

 reports in detail experiments conducted from 1912 to 1915, inclusive, at the 

 Scottsbluff experiment farm in western Nebraska, for the purpose of obtaining 

 information on the practicability of using alfalfa as hog pasture, the value of 

 different quantities of grain when fed to hogs on alfalfa pasture, the compara- 

 tive values of corn and ground barley when fed to hogs on alfalfa pasture, and 

 the practicability of hogging down corn. Progress reports of these tests have 

 been noted (E. S. R., 36, p. 170). 



Summarizing the whole series of experiments, it is stated that " in three 

 years' experiments, including eight lots of hogs, in which alfalfa pasture was 

 supplemented with a 2 per cent ration of corn, an average gain of 3,181 lbs. 

 per season was made from an acre of alfalfa pasture and 7,844 lbs. of corn. 

 It required an average of 2.47 lbs. of corn in addition to alfalfa pasture to pro- 

 duce 1 lb. of pork. If the gains are valued at 7 cts. a pound and corn at 60 

 cts. a bushel, or $1.07 a hundredweight, the average annual return was $138.75 

 per acre of alfalfa pasture. If the corn fed is valued at 60 cts. a bushel and 

 the alfalfa pasture at $15 an acre the average cost of 100 lbs. of gain was $3.11. 

 If the average yield of the alfalfa plats in the same field is assvmied to repre- 

 sent the yield of the pastured plats the begs paid an equivalent of $25.13 per 

 ton of hay. 



" In two years' experiments with alfalfa pasture, with and without supple- 

 mental feed, an average annual return of $45.08 per acre was secured where 

 no supplement was used, as compared with .$70.20 where a 1 per cent ration of 

 corn was used, $128.49 from a 2 per cent ration of corn, $121.96 from a 2 per 

 cent ration of barley, and $168.25 from a 3 per cent ration of corn. The rate of 

 gain and the carrying capacity of the pasture increased with the quantity of 

 grain fed. Ground barley appeared to be as good, pound for pound, as shelled 

 corn as a feed for hogs on alfalfa pasture. 



" Sows and pigs on alfalfa pasture, with a 2 per cent ration of grain, made 

 an average gain of 1,574 lbs. per acre of alfalfa pasture from May 1 to July 1, 

 or a net return of $66.84 per acre. When corn was used the return varied from 

 $54.11 to $69.97 per acre, and when barley was used the return was $77.76 per 

 acre. 



" In three years' experiments, hogging corn without supplementary feed pro- 

 duced an average of 896 lbs. of gain, worth $65.72 per acre, or $1.50 per hundred- 

 weight of the estimated yield of corn. 



" In two years' experiments, hogging corn without supplementary feed pro- 

 duced an average of 744 lbs. of gain, worth $52.08 per acre, as compared with 

 930 lbs. of gain, worth $65.10, where the hogs had access to alfalfa pasture, and 

 1,029 lbs. of gain, worth $72.03, where the hogs were fed tankage in addition to 

 the corn. Where no supplementary feed was used the hogs paid $1.34 per hun- 



