HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN MENHADEN. 



261 



" Tbis 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 he 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 proveuder 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 statement 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- 

 tive value of corn and fish chum when fed to sheep. Ten lambs, dropped 

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

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

 copper 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 15, 

 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. 



Hi 



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, lej pounds 

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



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



" 2 " 811 " 41 " 



" 3 " 73 " 6 " 



4 " 59 " 4 " 



5 " 77 " 9 " 



Weight, February 13 340i 



27i 



During four weeks ending March 12, 20 pounds of 

 corn and 335 pound.s of hay were fed flock No. 1. 

 At this date — 



Sheep No. 1 weighed 50i lbs., a cain of J lbs. 



2 " 75i Iba., aloss of 6 " 



3 " 69 " 4 " 



4 " 56J " 21 " 



5 " 70 " 7 " 



19 " 



Flock No. 2 weighed as follows: 



Sheep No. 6 weighed 49 lbs. 



7 " 74 " 



8 " 68i " 



9 " 67 " 



" 10 " 58 " 



Weight of flock, Jan. 15 316J " 



During four weeks ending February 13, 18J pounds 



of flsh 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 " 641 f 6^ " 



Weight, February 13 338 " 211 " 



During fonr weeks ending March 12. 20 pounds of 

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

 this date — 



Sheep No. 6 weighed 55^ lbs., a gain of 3Hbs. 



" 7 " 79 lbs., a loss of 2 '' 



8 " 71i " 1 " 



9 " 67-1 " J " 



" 10 " 63 " li " 



U " 



Weightofflock 321^ " 19 " We ight of flock 336J 



During the above four weeks the corn-fed flock, weighing 340J pounds, 

 ate 335 pounds of hay and lost 19 pounds in weight. The flock eating 

 fish, weighing 338 pounds, ate 338 pounds hay and lost Ih pounds. 



During four weeks ending April 9, 19 pounds corn 



were fed flock No. 1. At this date — 

 Sheep No. 1 weighed 51 lbs., a gain of Jibs. 



2 " 76i " 1 " 



3 " 75* " 6J " 



4 " 64| " 8 " 



5 " 78i " e-i " 



Weightofflock 346 



24i 



During four weeks ending April 9, 19 pounds of 



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



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



7 " 64 " 5 " 



8 " 75 " 31 " 



9 " 71 " 3i " 



" 10 " 65 " 2 " 



Weightofflock 357 



20J 



