17() EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



In concliiHion, s^kiiii milk or whey arc almost iiilailihlc guarantees of linn iK)rk. The 

 cereals and peas jiroperly fed constitute an almost faultless ration. Corn maybe fed, 

 but nuist liave some counteractinji; food along with it, or it will give ))ad results." 



Horses, J. II. Gkiso.vi-k, R. Roijiohtson', and A. Mackay {Canada. Expt. Farms 

 liptx. 190J, jtji. 61-63, 25.^, 355. ) — I^>rief statements are made regarding the horses 

 kept at the Canada experimental farms. On an average the cost of feed per horse per 

 day was at the Central Experimental Farm 27.33 cts. and the cost of care 8 cts. addi- 

 tional. In a test made at the same place of the relative value of mixed grains fed 

 with hay chopped into pieces about half an inch long, 7 horses, weighing about 1,400 

 lbs. each, gained, on an average 83 lbs. per head in 91 days on a daily grain ration of 

 17.33 lbs. ground oats. Three similar horses fed 18 lbs. per head daily of a mixture 

 of e(jual parts of ground oats and barley nuule an average daily gain of 70 lbs. per 

 head in the same time, and 3 horses fed 17 U)S. per head of ground oats and ])arley, 

 2: 1, gained 52 lbs. each. " All the horses continued in good health during the experi- 

 ment and so far as could l)e judged any one of the grain or meal rations was as good 

 as another." 



Experiments in chicken fattening, F. T. Shitt {Canada Expt. Farms Repts. 

 1902, pj). 218-230, pi. 1). — The food requirements of poultry are briefly discussed 

 and a number of feeding tests reported. The relative gains made by different breeds 

 on a ration of ground oats, ground barley, and meat meal (4 : 3 : 1) with sufficient 

 skim milk to make. a mash, and supplemented by whole wheat in the evening was 

 studied with Barred and White Plymouth Rocks, Faverolles, Silver Gray Dorkings, 

 Buff Orpington, Rhode Island Reds, White Indian Game, White Wyandottes, and 

 Plymouth Rock X Light Brahma crosses. The number of chickens ranged from 4 

 to 6 per lot. In the 6 weeks of the test the average gains in weight ranged from 1 

 lb. 8 oz. with the White Indian Games to 3 lbs. and 2 oz. with the Plymouth Rock 

 X Light Brahma crosses, the cost of a pound of gain ranging from 3.7 cts. with the 

 cross-breed chickens to 4.7 cts. with Rhode Island Reds. 



Unground and finely ground grain were tested with 2 lots of 6 Barred Plymouth 

 Rock chickens 12 weeks old, weighing about 3.25 lbs. each at the beginning of the 

 test, the feeding stuffs used being the same as mentioned above. The chickens fed 

 the grain whole made an average gain of 1 lb. 10.5 oz. per head in the 6 weeks of the 

 test, the cost of a pound of gain being 7.1 cts. Similar values for the chickens fed the 

 grain finely ground were 2.12 lbs. and 5.6 cts. In this and the experiments described 

 below the chickens were killed and dressed at the close of the trial and the propor- 

 tion of edible and nonedible parts was ascertained and the flesh was cooked and its 

 quality judged. As regards the effects of whole and ground grain, the birds fed the 

 latter when dressed were plumper, slightly yellower, of better appearance "and 

 were also considered to furnish on cooking the juicier or richer meat, due evidently 

 to a marked (though not excessive) deposition of fat in the tissues." 



The comparative merits of skim milk and water for wetting feed were studied with 

 2 lots each containing 3 Rhode Island Reds and 3 Orpingtons, weighing not far from 

 2 lbs. each, and 2 lots each containing 6 Barred Plymouth Rocks, averaging not far 

 from 3.5 lbs. each. The ration was made up of ground oats, barley, and meat meal, 

 4:3:1. In the 6 weeks of the test the Rhode Island Reds and Orpingtons fed 

 the ration wet with skim milk made an average gain of 2 lbs 2 oz. per chicken, 

 while those fed the ration wet with water gained 1 lb. 13 oz., the cost of the 

 pound of gain in the 2 cases being 4.7 cts. and 5 cts. The gains made by the Ply- 

 mouth Rocks on the skim milk ration averaged 2 lbs. 10 oz. per head, the cost of 

 a pound of gain being 5.7 cts. Similar values for the chickens fed the ration mixed 

 with water were 1 lb. 15 oz. and 6.7 cts. It is stated that the chickens fed the 

 ration wet with milk were decidedly better in appearance, being plumper and 

 yellower when dressed, and more juicy and better flavored when cooked. 



