568 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOKD. 



and the cattle of Tunis has been practiced since 1865, with the result that the 

 native has been rendered more resistant to disease, increased in size and 

 weight, and improved in quality of flesh and in working capacity. 



Utilization of feed in the zebu, C. Pucci (Mod. Zooiatro, Parte 8ci., No. 2 

 {1913), pp. 41-50, figs. 2). — Complete digestive trials were made with the zebu 

 and the cattle of Todi, Italy. The digestibility of meadow hay was shown to 

 be dry substance 53.56 per cent, protein 53.03, fat 44.83, nitrogen-free extract 

 55.86, fiber 57.38, and ash 24.61. The feeding of linseed meal with the hay 

 increased the digestibility. 



Plants used for food by sheep on the Mica Mountain summer range, R. K. 

 Beattie (Washington Sta. Bui. 113 (1913), pp. 3-21, pis. 8).— This bulletin 

 reports a study made of the sheep food plants and other range conditions on 

 the Mica Mountain Range of Washington and Idaho. 



It was found that "In the region studied, shrubby plants and brush are 

 much more important as sheep feed than are grasses and herbs. The princi- 

 pal feed plant of the yellow pine forest is the buckbrush. Its 2 species are by 

 far the most fattening plants on the range. The principal feed plant of the 

 white pine forest is the huckleberry. Under the conditions observed, the sheep 

 never eat ferns and conifers. Well managed sheep grazing is having no dele- 

 terious effect on the reproduction of the forest or of its grazing plants. The 

 presence of the sheepmen in the forest during the fire season is an assistance 

 in fire protection. The leasing system for grazing lands tends to eliminate 

 injurious competition, overgrazing, and grazing feuds, and is by far the most 

 satisfactory method of handling these lands. Well managed sheep grazing, 

 such as is here reported, is a valuable and important factor in the sheep busi- 

 ness of the Northwest. Such grazing should be encouraged and extended till 

 every square mile of available summer and winter range is in use and the 

 wool and mutton used in the Northwest Is produced In the Northwest." 



A bibliography is appended. 



[Sheep feeding experiments], C. I. Beat (Oklalioma Sta. Rpt. 1913, pp. 

 33-36). — In comparing an alfalfa and corn ration with silage and cotton-seed 

 meal for breeding ewes it was found that while somewhat greater gains were 

 made on the former ration, reasonable gains were made on the latter at a con- 

 siderably lower cost. The lambs dropped by the ewes fed silage were as 

 healthy and strong as from those fed alfalfa and corn. 



In an experiment with fattening sheep, silage was compared with alfalfa as 

 a roughage, using the same meal mixture in each case. The gains per head per 

 day of the silage lot were 0.42 lb., of the alfalfa lot 0.545 lb. ; the cost per 

 pound of gain 6.6 and 7.5 cts. 



Five lots of 4 pigs each were fed the following rations : Corn alone ; com and 

 meat meal, 10 : 1 ; corn and cotton-seed meal, 8:1; corn and skim milk, equal 

 parts by weight ; and Kafir corn and meat meal, 10 : 1. The respective gains 

 per head per day were : 0.375, 0.614, 0.71, 1.1, and 0.77 lbs. ; the cost per pound 

 of gain 7, 5.5, 4.6, 4.3, and 4.1 cts. ; and the return from 1 bu. corn $0.78, $1.04, 

 $1.18, $1.57, and $1.25. 



A summary is given of the results of wool investigation work for the years 

 1910-11 and 1912-13. This relates to the average number of fibers per square 

 Inch, the average breaking strength, percentage of elasticity, weight of fleece, 

 value of fleece, and percentage of yolk in the Dorset, Merino, Shropshire, 

 Shropshire-Dorset, and Dorset-Merino breeds and cross breeds. 



Investigations on the digestibility of Sphagnum moss, peat molasses, etc., 

 S. GoY (Landiv. Vers. Stat., 82 (1913), No. 1-2, pp. i-S2).— Experiments were 

 conducted with sheep to determine the relative digestibility and food value of 



