7(J EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



are among the subjects treated, the material presented being in part a summary of 

 the poultry work carried on at the Utah Station. 



The dry feeding of chickens, E. Brown (Jour. Bd. Ayr. [London], 11 (1905), 

 No. 11, pp. 683, 684).— The author states that experiments and observations extend- 

 ing over several seasons have led to the conclusion that the high mortality of artifi- 

 cially reared chickens during the first 10 or 20 days was due to want of exercise. 

 Substituting dry feeds for wet feeds insured exercise and reduced the mortality to a 

 minimum. The dry grains were scattered on the floor of the breeder or brooder 

 house among chaff, where the chickens had to scratch to find them. Different grain 

 mixtures which have been used with success at the Reading University College 

 Poultry Farm are given. 



The modifications of the respiratory quotient due to age, especially with 

 reference to chickens and ducks, L. Mayer (Trav. Lab. Physiol. Inst. Solvay, 6 

 (1904), No. 3; abs. in Zentbl. Physiol., IS (1904), No. 21, p. 079).— When expressed 

 in the form of a curve the excretion of carbon dioxid by chickens and ducks in the 

 first month after hatching is very similar to that which the author has reported for 

 mammals. The excretion of carbon dioxid is very large in the first days after 

 hatching, but diminishes rapidly in the first week, and then gradually, reaching its 

 normal value when the birds are fully developed. 



DAIRY FARMING— DAIRYING. 



Investigations on the influence of irritating substances on the consump- 

 tion and digestibility of food, and the secretion of milk with rations deprived 

 of these substances and with normal rations, G. Fingerling ( Landw. Vers. Stat, 



62 (1905), No. 1-3, pp. 11-180). — In studying the influence of irritating, stimulating, 

 or condimental substances upon the consumption and digestibility of food and the 

 secretion of milk, 2 series of experiments were conducted, one in which the food was 

 nearly or entirely deprived of irritating substances, and one in which such materials 

 were added to a normal ration. The experiments were made with rabbits, goats, 

 and sheep. Among the substances under investigation were fenugreek, fennel, sugar, 

 anise, hay extract, malt sprouts, and several proprietary preparations. 



The addition of irritating substances was found to increase the consumption of 

 food and the secretion of milk, but only when the ration was extremely poor in or 

 entirely free from such substances, which would rarely be the case in practice. With 

 normal rations the addition of condimental substances was entirely without effect. 

 Under certain conditions it is believed that the addition of such substances to normal 

 food may be injurious by causing a chronic catarrhal inflammation of the digestive 

 tract. Contrary to views generally held, the irritating substances tested did not 

 increase the digestibility of the food. This was true whether the food was originally 

 poor or rich in these substances. 



As regards the practical application of these results, it is considered clear that only 

 in such cases where the food is deprived of its normal constituents, as, for example, 

 hay which has been subjected to the effects of rain, can these substances be used to 

 advantage. With normal feeding stuffs their addition is not only unprofitable but 

 sometimes injurious. Cases where their use would be profitable are believed to be 

 very rare, and then it is believed to be better to use seeds like fennel, anise, fenu- 

 greek, and caraway than proprietary mixtures consisting for the most part of such 

 seeds and neutral substances. The author believes that good aromatic hay with salt 

 is the best stimulating material. 



Scant v. ample rations for dairy cows, H. Isaachsen (Ber. Norges Landbr. 

 Hoiskoles Virks., 1903-4, pp. 249-259) .—This is a report of an experiment conducted 

 during a full year with 19 cows, 4 of which were fed a scant ration of 2 \ kg. cut 

 straw, 8 to 9 kg. hay, and 1 kg. ground corn per head daily, while the other cows 



