670 EXPEEIMENT STATION" RECORD. 



sheep are much more easily herded than either the medium-wool ed or coarse- 

 vvooled breeds. By the use of a cross between the llambouillet, or one of the 

 members of the fine-wooled breeds, with the Hampshire, Shropshire, Lincoln, or 

 Cotswold, the weight and fineness of the fleece can be increased, the size of the 

 carcass maintained, and the herding qualities improved. The blanket system is 

 especially adapted to the production of an early maturing lamb. 



Possibility of producing more and better sheep by improvement in methods 

 of handling on the range, J. T. Jardine (Nat. Wool Grower, 5 {1915), No 4. 

 pp. 15-18, figs. 2). — Another description and account of "bedding out" or 

 " blanketing " experiments with sheep on the range, as reported above. 



The " bedding out " system of handling sheep on Big Horn Forest, Wyo- 

 ming, L. H. Douglas {Nat. Wool Grotver, 5 {1915), No. 6, pp. 13-16, figs. 2).— 

 The results of the experiments here reported confirms those noted above. 



Handling sheep on timber and brush ranges of Idaho, B. S. Martineatt 

 {Nat. V/ool Grower, 5 {1915), No. 7, pp. 7-11, figs. 2).— The "bedding out" 

 method of handling sheep on the timber and brush ranges of Idaho proved to be 

 satisfactory and in line with the results secured on other ranges (see above). 



The properties of wool, W. Davis {Trans. Highland and Agr. Soc. Scot., 5. 

 ser., 27 {1915), pp. 168-191, figs. 9). — The subjects discussed in this article are 

 requirements of " liandle," wool varieties in a fleece, classing of fleeces, structure 

 of the fiber, color, disposition of fiber, the Cheviot fleece, the Southdown fleece, 

 the Blackface fleece, felting property, influence of crossing on the wool struc- 

 ture, abnormal fibers, moisture in wool, and utility of the hygroscopic quality. 



Dried chicory roots as horse feed, A. W. Donegan (f7. /S. Dept. Com., Com. 

 Rpts., No. 156 {1915), pp. 74, 75). — It is reported that chicory roots make an 

 excellent substitute for oats, containing moisture 13.79, protein 4.85, fat 0.85, 

 and nitrogen-free extract 69.73 per cent, with 4.85 per cent of sugar. There are 

 estimated to be about 87 feed units as compared with 82 feed units in dried 

 sugar beets. 



No digestive troubles have been noticed in feeding the chicory ; in fact it is 

 thought to have a favorable influence on the digestion. The material is readily 

 consumed by horses in quantities up to 10 lbs. daily per horse. It is thought 

 that if the material could be ground up and sugar or molasses mixed in, an 

 ideal feed could be made. 



Alfalfa hay for hogs, L. Foster and H. H. Simpson {New Mexico Sta. Bui. 

 96 {1915), pp. 32, figs. 3). — Supplementing previous work (E. S. R., 31, p. 470), 

 two lots of three 125-lb. Tamworth barrows each were fed 63 days in winter 

 as follows: Lot 1, 4.7 lbs. of grain (shelled corn and Kafir corn) per head daily, 

 and lot 2, 6.9 lbs. of grain, both lots receiving what alfalfa hay they would 

 consume. The respective lots made average daily gains of 1.13 and 1.61 lbs. 

 per head, consuming 4.14 lbs. of grain and 0.92 lb. of alfalfa and 4.28 lbs. of 

 grain and 0.554 lb. alfalfa per pound of gain, and costing 6.83 and 6.85 cts. per 

 pound of gain. 



The results of this experiment indicate that about 15 per cent more profit 

 can be 'made by feeding a heavy grain ration, at least 2 lbs. per 100 lbs. live 

 weight, with alfalfa hay than by feeding a medium grain ration. The largest 

 returns per ton for the alfalfa, after paying for the grain consumed, were made 

 by lot 2. However, the small amount of roughage that the hog will economically 

 use when being fattened makes this a secondary consideration. The desirability 

 of the bacon breeds of hogs for New Mexico conditions is noted. 



Four lots of three or four 8-months-old Duroc-Jersey and Tamworth pigs 

 each were fed 135 days as follows : Lot 1, skim milk and alfalfa hay ; lot 2, skim 

 milk, a grain mixture of shorts and bran, and alfalfa hay ; lot 3, shelled corn 

 and alfalfa hay ; and lot 4, skim milk, ground corn, and alfalfa hay. 



