1010 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Three experimental groups of 3 cows each and two similar control groups were 

 used in experiments in which the effects of the following salts in the daily doses indi- 

 cated were studied: Lactate of iron, 12 gin.; calcium sulphate, 100 gm. ; disodium 

 phosphate, 100 gm. ; dicalcium phosphate, L50 gm. ; dimagnesium phosphate, 125 gm. ; 

 potassium chlorid, 80 gin.; sodium chlorid, LOO gm. (in addition to 50 gm. allowed 

 all animals); and potassium nitrate, 75 gm. With the exception of potassium nitrate 

 no influence was exerted by these salts on the health of the animals, the yield and 

 composition of the milk, nor on the coagulability of the milk with rennet. Potas- 

 sium nitrate was detected in the milk 6 hours after ingestion but not after 18 hours. 



The influence of mineral elements in organic combination was studied in one experi- 

 ment. By replacing 10 kg. of hay with 40 kg. < if 1 teets the lime content of the original 

 ration was reduced one-half. Chlorids and alkalis were increased and phosphoric 

 acid and alkaline earths were diminished. Analyses showed only slight variations 

 in the ash constituents of the milk from cows fed the two rations, and these differ- 

 ences, which were believed to lie within the limits of experimental error, bore no 

 relation to the feeding. Neither did the mineral constituents in the food exert any 

 appreciable influence on the proteids. The experiment is believed to show very 

 clearly that the composition of milk is scarcely modified by feeding. 



Incidentally, a comparison was made of the digestible protein and fat in the food 

 and the protein and fat in the milk. When a portion of the hay was replaced by 

 beets the protein in the milk exceeded that in the food, and as the animals were not 

 losing weight at the time the source of the additional protein was apparently the 

 amids usually classed with the carbohydrates. The fat in the milk through the 

 entire experiment exceeded by 5 times the digestible fat in the food and evidently 

 came in part from the carbohydrates. 



The Reichert-Meissl number of the milk fat was increased by feeding beets. 



The experiments are believed to show that if modifications in the food of cows can 

 affect the quality of Emmenthal cheese this influence must be due to modifications 

 in the milk fat, which it is the author's intention to study later. 



The effect of silage on the acidity of milk, B. B. Turner and 0. L. Beach 

 (Connecticut Storrs Sta. Ii/it. 1904, pp. 150, 151). — When a silage ration was discon- 

 tinued there was a slight increase in the acidity of the milk of 2 cows; the difference, 

 however, was much less than variations found among individual animals. 



Demonstration experiments on the feeding of dairy cows, conducted at 

 the expense and under the supervision of the government during the win- 

 ter of 1903-4 (Bui. Ayr. [Brussels], 20 (1904), No. 6, pp. 1077-1211).— This is a 

 detailed report of experiments carried out in the different provinces of Belgium in 

 the same manner as in previous years ( E. S. R., 15, p. S09). The results of the indi- 

 vidual experiments are summarized, hut no general conclusions are drawn from the 

 work as a whole. 



The method of feeding according to the use made of the milk, O. Johan- 

 Olsex (Tidsskr. Norske Landbr., 11 (1904), No. 9, />/>. 369-407). — The paper discusses 

 the influence of different foods on the quality of the milk, especially for the manu- 

 facture of cheese and condensed milk. Care in feeding roots, distillery and brewery 

 refuse, and silage is urged. — f. w. woll. 



The Fjord group system of experimentation with milch cows, F. Friis 

 (Ber. K. Yet. Landbohbjskoles Lab. Landokon. Forsog. [Copenhagen], 55 [1904], pp. 

 105-123). — A reply to criticisms on the system of group experiments with dairy 

 cows, originating with the late N.J. Fjord, of the Copenhagen Experiment Station, 

 and adopted in the Danish cooperative cow-feeding experiments. — f. w. woll. 



Use of oil cakes in the feeding of dairy cows, R. Gouin (Indus. Lait. [Paris], 

 30 (1905), No. o, pp. 02-64). — This is a brief discussion of the value and relative cost 

 of different oil cakes. 



