1913.] PUBLIC DOCmiENT — No. 31. 9 



a large number of plants being infected by the bands of the 

 jdanter. 



An exact record of the cost of food nsed in milk production, 

 lins been kept for years at the experiment station. Since 1908 

 the average annual cost for food has been $99.52 per cow, and 

 practically 4 cents per quart for milk. To this amount must 

 be added the cost of care and housing. In a comparison of oats 

 with corn as a cattle food it has been foundthat the oats in- 

 creased the food cost of milk about 3.5 per cent, over the cost 

 where corn was used. It is believed that oats are not an 

 economical food for milk production in this State. 



At times potatoes "are plentiful and cheap, and farmers have 

 used them as food for stock. Complaints have been received at 

 the experiment station that when potatoes have been fed they 

 haA'e caused a shrinkage in milk flow and other undesirable 

 results. Experiments were tried which showed that potatoes 

 may be used advantageously up to an amount of 25 pounds 

 daily per cow. 



Experiments with molasses as a food for live stock have 

 sho^vn that it does not improve the digestibility of the other 

 foods which must be fed with it. Xevertheless, it is a cheap 

 food, useful in fattening animals and in making rough fodder 

 more palatable ; but in comparison with corn meal, molasses 

 possesses no advantages in price or efficiency. Molasses feeds 

 should be carefully considered with regard to guarantees and 

 cost in comparison with other concentrates before they are pur- 

 chased. 



Experiments with beet pulp have shown it to be an economi- 

 cal and efficient food for milk production when it can be pur- 

 chased for a lower price than corn meal. Milk producers who 

 purchase all their grain will find dried beet pulp a satisfactory 

 component of the grain ration, up to one-half of the total mix- 

 ture. 



Several instances of failure of greenhouse crops, particularly 

 cucumbers, have been brought to the attention of the experiment 

 station. Analyses of the soil have shown it to be overloaded 

 with soluble fertilizer, in comparison with soil in which the 

 crops have made a normal growth. This overloading may have 

 been due to too heavy dressing with manure and chemicals, or 



