Inquiries and Replies. 377 



Use of Dried Meat as Poultry Feed. 



Pi'ie.^la. — I am sendinj? you a sample of dried meat. What is 

 its feedino' A-alue for ])oultrv, and are there any metliods of improving 

 it ? 



EUenhurg School of Agriculture replies: The composition and 

 feedino- value of the sample is fairly good. In its present condition, 

 however, it is of no use as a poultry feed._ It would have to be 

 ground to the condition of a meal. The two important i)oiiits to note 

 in making a feed of this kind are (a) thorough sterilization, which 

 you would liave to guarantee; (h) the material would have to be 

 ground to a tine meal in order to compete with other meat meals on 

 tlie market. At present a meat meal for poultiy and pigs is obtain- 

 able in Capetown for t'lO pci' ton. The sam])le (.f meat meals you 

 submitted for examimit i(»ii is d('V('loi)ing a slightly tancid smell, this 

 being dne to imperfecl sli'iil i/,;i1 ion. A nn-it meal must lie efticienlly 

 st eri1iz«^d. 



Use of Carbonate of Lime and Slaked Lime. 



Ceres. — What (|uantitv of caihonate of lime is it usual to api)ly 

 when liming a soil, and if slaked lime is used would one use the same 

 quantity ? 



Elsenhurg School of Agriculture replies: It is usual to apply 

 1000 to 2000 lb. ground limestone per acre, but very much less slaked 

 lime, unless one is w(uking for purely experimental purposes. To 

 a])])ly carbonate of lime or slaked lime in absolutely equal ])roportion, 

 100 Il>. of slaked lime would be equivalent to 135 lb. giound limestone, 

 provided both are of eqmil i)urity. This, however, is not the usual 

 ]uactice. 



Mealies as Feed for Horses and Mules. 



Wellington, Cape Province. — Please advise me regarding the use 

 of mealies for feeding my' horses and mules. I have oats in plenty. 

 Do you advise a mixture of mealies and oats? My horses and mules 

 are about medium size. 



Elsenhurg School of Agriculture replies : The use of mealies in 

 conjunction with oats for feeding both your mules and liorses is 

 recommended. It is not advisable to feed whole mealies, even though 

 you soak them, as horses es])ecially are apt to swallow them wlu.le and 

 suffer from colic. It is a safer and more profitable practice to crush 

 mealies. Only in the case of foals, whose teeth are not fully 

 developed, and old horses, whose teeth are badly worn, should mealie 

 meal be fed, and even then only in small quantities — that is, not more 

 than a couple of lb. per day when mixed with such feeds as bran and 

 crushed oats. Your horses and mules would weigh about 800 lb. A 

 mixture therefore of crushed mealies and whole oats in the proportion 

 of 1-2, when they are doing light work, and in equal parts when at 

 heavy work (e.g. ploughing), and at the rate of 8-10 lb. per head of 

 this lation ])er day, together with a few lb. of oat-hay, will ordinarily 

 meet tlieir requirements. Xaturally, if you have lucerne-hay on 

 hand, it would 1 e preferable to feed it to oat-hay. Kead " Productive 

 Iforse Hnsbandry," l)y G. W. (lay. 



