778 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Poultry division {New Zealand Jkjd. Agr. Rpt. 1901, pp. 178-1S5, ph. 7).— Statis- 

 tics of tlie jioultry exported are given, and poultry raising under local conditions 

 and similar topics are discussed. 



A Queensland duck farm (Qnccndand Agr. Jour., 9 {1901), No. 4, pp. 398-400, 

 pis. 3). — A descriptive article. 



Renewed studies in oyster culture, J. Nelson {Nev) Jersey Stas. Rpt. 1900, j)p- 

 315-359, pds. 4). — Experiments on the artificial propagation of oysters are reported, 

 and the general principles of oyster culture discussed. The author believes that the 

 methods of the artificial propagation of oysters are not sufficiently developed so that 

 they can be successfully applied commercially. 



"Meanwhile the method of shell planting with intermixed spawners has been 

 shown to be eminently successful and to meet the wants of the oyster planters. The 

 only thing that stands in the way of its immediate develoj^ment in our State is the 

 unsatisfactory legal status of the business." 



DAIRY FARMING— DAIRYING. 



Report of the assistant in dairy husbandry, C. B. Lane {New Jersey Stas. 

 Rpt. 1900, pp. 257-264, 266-311, pis. S). — The principal lines of dairy work during 

 the year are reported upon in detail. 



Soiling crops (pp. 2<i0-264). — Fourteen forage crops were grown for soiling purposes, 

 tabulated data for which are given showing the dates of seeding and cutting, amount 

 of seed used, cost of labor, seed, and fertilizers, and the yield, together with notes on 

 the different crops. 



Experiment with wide vs. balanced rations (pp. 266-273). — A ration composed of 

 silage, timothy and clover hay, wheat bran, and corn-and-cob meal, and having a 

 nutritive rate of 1 : 8.9, was compared with a ration composed of silage, timothy and 

 clover hay, wheat bran, dried brewers' grains, and cotton-seed meal, and having a 

 nutritive ratio of 1:5.4. The two rations were fed to 2 lots of 2 cows each for 30 

 days and were then reversed, and after a transition period of 7 days were fed for 30 

 days longer. The yield of milk was 12.8 per cent greater and the yield of fat 14.6 

 per cent greater on the ' ' balanced ' ' than on the wide ration. The fat content of the 

 milk averaged 4.24 per cent on the wide ration and 4.32 per cent on the balanced 

 ration. When the wide ration was fed the cost of food for 100 lbs. of milk and 1 lb. 

 of butter was, respectively, 69.1 and 13.9 cts., and when the balanced ration w'as fed 

 66.3 and 13.2 cts., respectively. The animals also made a greater gain in live weight 

 on the balanced ration. 



Feeding twice vs. three times daily (pp. 273-276). — Four cows w'ere divided into 2 lots 

 and fed the same ration, composed of silage, dried brewers' grains, wheat l^ran, and 

 cotton-seed meal, morning and evening during 2 periods of 15 days each. In addi- 

 tion, lot 1 during the first period and lot 2 during the second period were fed corn- 

 stalks at noon. When fed 3 times a day the cows produced 2.4 per cent more milk 

 and 2.7 per cent more butter and made a greater gain in live ■weight than when fed 

 twice a day. The gain in milk is estimated as paying for the cornstalks actually 

 eaten at the rate of $4.35 per ton. 



Number oftesU required in testing cows for quantity and quality of milk (pp. 277-289). — 

 Tables are given showing the yield and fat content of the milk of 2 cows tested daily 

 and at intervals of 7, 14, 21, and 30 days for 5 months. Tests made once a week gave 

 100.3 per cent of the actual yield of milk and fat as shown by the daily record; tests 

 made once in 2 weeks, 99.7 per cent of the milk and 99.3 per cent of the fat; testa 

 made once in 3 weeks, 99.5 per cent of the milk and 102.2 per t;ent of the fat; and 

 monthly tests 99.6 per cent of the milk and 98.3 per cent of the fat. The conclusion 

 is drawn that quite satisfactory records may be obtained by tests at intervals of 7, 14, 



