HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN MENHADEN. 



261 



" This scrap was placed in the hands of Mr. J. R. Farrington, the in- 

 structor in agriculture at the State College, Orono, with the request 

 that ho would feed it to sheep in connection with Indian corn in such 

 way as would best serve the purpose of ascertaining its comparative 

 value as a provender or feed. Few instructions were given him, and he 

 being left to carry out the experiment in his own way — and public ac- 

 knowledgment should here be made for his interest in undertaking the 

 matter, and for the care and faithfulness with which the experiment 

 was conducted. The report of Mr. Farrington follows : 



'"The statcmcut made by a prominent agriculturist that for feeding 

 sheep fish chum was equal to corn, pound for pound, furnished the 

 basis for the experiment which we conducted to ascertain the compara- 

 ti%^e vakie of corn and fish chum when led to sheep. Ten lambs, dropped 

 the previous spring, were selected; each one was designated by a num- 

 ber, the number being stamped on a metallic tag and attached by a 

 coppeB wire to the ear of the lamb ; Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 constituted 

 flock 1 ; Nos. 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, flock 2. We began feeding January 16, 

 1875. Flock No. 1 was fed with corn ; flock No. 2 was fed with fish. 

 Each flock was given what good hay it would eat. The hay fed to each 

 flock during the month (four weeks) beginning February 13 was weighed. 

 Flock No. 1 ate, in four weeks, 335 pounds ; flock No. 2 ate 338 pounds. 



"'At commencement of feeding, January 15, 1875: 



Flock No. 1 weighed as follows : 



Sheep No. 1 weighed 46 lbs. 



2 " 77 " 



3 " 67 " 



4 " 55 " 



5 " 68 " 



Weight of flock, Jan. 15 313 " 



During four weeks ending February 13, 18J pounds 

 of corn were fed to flock No. 1. At this date — 



Sheep No. 1 weighed 50 lbs., a gain of 4 lbs. 



•' 2 " 81J " 4i " 



3 " 73 " 6 '■ 



4 " 59 " 4 " 



5 " 77 " 9 " 



Weight, February 13 340J 



2-i 



Flock No. 2 weighed as follows: 



No. 6 weighed 49 Iba. 



7 " 74 " 



8 " 68i " 



9 " 67 " 



" 10 " 58 " 



Weight of flock, Jan. 15 316^ " 



During four weeks ending February 13, 18J poonds 



of fish were fed to flock No. 2. At this date — 

 Sheep No. 6 weighed 52 lbs., a gain of 3 lbs. 



7 " 81 " 7 " 



8 " 72^ " 4 " 



9 " 68 " 1 " 



" 10 " 64i *' 6i " 



Weight, February 13 338 



21J 



During four weeks ending March 12, 20 pounds of 

 corn and 335 pounds of hay were fed flock No. 1. 

 At this date — 



Sheep No. 1 weighed 50J lbs., a gain of ^ lbs. 



" 2 " 75J lbs. , a loss of 6 " 



3 " 69 " 4 " 



4 " 56i " 2^ " 



5 " 70 " 7 " 



Weight of flock 321* 



19 



During four weeks ending March 12, 20 pounds of 

 fish and 338 lbs. of hay were fed flock No. 2. At 

 this date — 



Weight of flock 336* 



H 



During the above four weeks the 

 ate 335 pounds of hay and lost 19 

 fish, weighing 338 pounds, ate 338 



During four weeks ending April 9, 19 pounds corn 



were fed flock No. 1. At this date — 

 Sheep No. 1 weighed 

 " 2 " 

 "3 " '. 

 "4 " 

 5 



51 lbs., a gain of J lbs. 

 76J " 1 " 



75i " 6^ " 



64^ " 8 " 



78i " 8^ " 



corn-fed flock, weighing 340 J pounds, 

 pounds in weight. The flock eating 

 pounds hay and lost 1^ pounds. 



During four weeks ending April 9, 19 pounds of 



fish were fed flock No. 2. At this date — 



Sheep No. 6 weighed 62 lbs., a gain of 6J lbs. 



7 " 84 " 5 " 



8 " 75 " 3J " 



9 " 71 " 3i " 



" 10 " 65 " 2 " 



Weight of flock 346 



24^ 



Weight of flock 357 



20i 



