ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 



71 



" At a uniform price for feeds tlie difference in cost of gains between calves 

 and yearlings was $1.35, between yearlings and 2-year-olds 28 cts. per hundred 

 pounds. 



"The experienced farmer who feeds cattle should handle older cattle in 

 preference to calves ; while the farmer who produces and finishes his own cattle 

 may find calves more preferable." 



Experiments in beef feeding', F. C. Quereau (Tennessee Sta. Rpt. 1908, pp. 

 116-118). — A continuation of work previously noted (E. S. R., 20, p. 665), from 

 which the following conclusions are reached : " Soy beans are the best forage 

 crop that has been tested on the station. The products from the acre of soy 

 beans have fed longer, with greater gains, than either corn or cowpeas. Cow- 

 peas stand next to soy beans and corn comes last. By the return of manure 

 from the feeding of crops there has been a marked increase in the productive- 

 ness of the soil, the feeding capacity for 4 steers per acre having been increased 

 in the case of soy beans from 80 days in 1905-6 to 100 days in 1908-9." 



Slop feeding, H. E. Sawyer (V. S. Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bui. 410, pp. 

 3J,-JiO).—A discussion on the feeding value of distillery slop. Rations proposed 

 by Maercker containing slop are given for young oxen, fattening grown oxen, 

 and dairy cows. The percentage composition of 2 samples of slop calculated to 

 a dry basis are given as follows : Grain slop, protein 25.5 per cent, fat 9.9 per 

 cent, nitrogen-free extract 53.5 per cent, fiber 6.7 per cent, ash 4.4 per cent; 

 potato slop, protein 23.9 per cent, fat 1.5 per cent, nitrogen-free extract 52 per 

 cent, fiber 9.3 per cent, ash 13.3 per cent. 



Report on the improvement of hill pasture as determined by effect on 

 stock, R. B. Greig (Aberdeen and No. Scot. Col. Agr. Bui. 16, pp. 2.'f). — A report 

 of 2 experiments, extending from 1905 to 1909, undertaken to ascertain a cheap 

 method of improving poor pasture by means of artificial manures. The effects 

 were determined by weighing periodically the sheep kept on the different plats. 



The soil of the pasture at Glen Dye, Kincardineshire, is gravel from decom- 

 posed granite. The herbage consisted of inferior grasses, with small patches 

 of rushes and ferns. The commonest plants were sheep fescue, hard fescue, 

 Yorkshire fog, and sweet vernal. Crested dogstail and fine bent were less 

 numerous. White clover plants were not abundant, and this fact together with 

 the relative scarcity of the bent, indicated that basic slag was by no means well 

 suited for this pasture. The growth and decay of the plants had formed a 

 thin layer of humus 2 or 3 in. thick and so closely matted that it was obvious 

 that mineral manures would take some time to reach the roots of the plants. 

 Six blocks containing 3 acres each were treated with basic slag, superphosphate, 

 and kainit. The sheep used were black-faced wethers, the results for the 5 

 years are shown in the following table : 



Results of fertilizer tests for pastures at Glen Dye. 



Treatment per acre. 



10 cwt. basic slag (applied 1905) 



10 cwt. basic slag, 8 cwt. kainit (applied 1905) — 



No treatment ■ 



10 cwt. basic slag, 8 cwt. kainit, clover seed har- 

 rowed in 



10 cwt. superphosphate (applied 1906) 



2 tons lime per acre, mixed with earth (applied 

 1905) 



Cost of 

 manures. 



s. d. 

 30 3 

 48 3 



Total live 

 weight in- 

 crease of 

 sheep per 

 acre. 



Lbs. 



243§ 

 252J 

 152 



242J 

 213 



Net gain (-f-) 

 or loss (— ) 



after deduct- 

 ing cost of 

 treatment. 



s. d. 



- 7 i 

 -23 IJ 



-27 9 

 -26 



Mean live 

 weight of 



stock 



maintained 



per acre 



per year. 



Lbs. 



198 

 195 

 112 



182 

 183 



213 



67374°— No. 



