674 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.41 



Cattle loans and their value to investors, C. S. Cole ( U. S. Dept. Agr. Year- 

 book 1918, pp. 101-108). — The activities of cattle loan companies, tlie procedure 

 In making a loan, the factors influencing the size of the loan, the interest and 

 rediscount rates, and the advantages of the system to buyers of cattle paper, 

 to borrowers on cattle security, and to the cattle industry as a whole are briefly 

 explained. 



[Swine feeding investigations] L. A. Weaver (Missouri Sta. Bui. 163 (1919), 

 pp. 21, 22, 27-31, figs. 4). — The methods used in three swine feeding projects are 

 outlined, and brief accounts are presented of the experimental results. 



The influence of different systems of management upon the cost of producing 

 pork (pp. 21, 22). — ^A lot of 73 34-lb. weanling pigs were fed a full ration of 

 shelled corn, shorts, and tankage (9:2:1) while on pasture for 119 days be- 

 ginning June 16, 1917. They were then fed in dry lot until an average weight 

 of 202.6 lbs. was attained, which required 42 more days. A second lot was kept 

 on pasture throughout the grazing season (155 days) and during this time 

 received a ration of concentrated feed equal to half of that consumed by lot 1. 

 They were then full fed until they had reached an average weight of 204.8 lbs. 

 per head, i. e., for 53 more days. The average daily gain of the full feed lot 

 was 1.05 lbs. and that of the half feed lot 0.82 lb. per head. The amounts of 

 concentrated feed required for a pound of grain averaged 3.95 and 4.09 lbs., 

 respectively. 



Maintenance of brood sows (pp. 27-29). — In an experiment begun in December, 

 1916, with 6 lots of 7 Poland China gilts each, farrowed in March and April, the 

 following rations were compared with respect to the number, size, and health 

 of the young produced: (1) corn, tankage, alfalfa hay, 10:1:6; (2) corn, 

 tankage, clover hay, 10:1:5; (3) corn, tankage, 10:1; (4) corn, linseed mfeal, 

 5:1; (5) corn, shorts, tankage, 8:2:1; and (6) corn, shorts, bran, tankage, 

 8:4:1:1. An attempt was made to keep the lots uniform in weight. The lot 

 fed ration 6 produced in the spring of 1917 7.85 pigs per sow, the largest num- 

 ber of any lot, but the average birth weight was the lowest, being 2.48 lbs. per 

 pig. The highest average birth weight (2.79 lbs.) occurred in lot 4. Lot 1 had 

 the largest percentage of weak and dead pigs (41.9), and lot 4 the lowest, 

 (12.2). 



Lot 5 was discontinued In 1917 and the number of sows in each of the other 

 lots was reduced to 6. During 1917 and 1918 blue grass was added to rations 

 3, 4, and 6, while rye forage and rape forage replaced clover hay in ration 2. 

 The second litters in each lot were larger than the first, and again lot 6 produced 

 the most, pigs per sow. Lot 1 produced the heaviest pigs (2.78 lbs.) and lot 4 

 the lighest (2.09 lbs.). Lot 3 had the smallest proportion of weak and dead 

 pigs (5.26 per cent) and lot 6 the largest (24 per cent). 



Relation of better preparation of feed stuffs and different methods of feeding 

 upon the rate and economy of gain put on by fattening swine (pp. 29-31). — A 

 98-day feeding trial was begun December 21, 1917, with 72 Poland China shotes 

 divided into 5 lots. Four lots were fed corn, shorts, and tankage (9:2:1), while 

 the fifth had free choice of these feeds in a self-feeder and selected them 

 In the proportions of 16.25 : 1.58 : 1. Corn for one of the hand fed lots was shelled, 

 whereas that for the other lots was ground. The hand-fed lots got corn twice 

 daily and the balance of the ration was fed as a slop either once or twice daily. 

 Grinding the corn and feeding the slop both morning and evening improved 

 the gains. In addition to the regular hand-feeding twice a day, one lot had 

 constant access to the mixed feeds In a self-feeder ; they became fatter than the 

 other lots but the gain was the most expensive. 



