QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 187 



on the leaf stalks, difFer from the cut or divided leaves of the pepo fam- 

 ily, as the leaves of this last are much more harsli and bear upon the foot 

 stalks quite stiff and spiny thorns. Another difference is that the maxima 

 or squash family, as a rule, develop thick, swollen, vpoody fruit stalks, 

 and their blossoms generally are lemon colored, while those of the cut- 

 leaf sorts produce small fruit stalks and the blossoms are generally orange 

 in color. This classification, made according to form of leaves, character 

 of spines and fruit stalks, mixes up familiar pumpkins and squashes to a 

 puzzling extent, as under it Early White Bush squash becomes classed as 

 a pumpkin and Cashaw pumpkin becomes classed as a squash. For 

 practical purposes the farmer's test is the best, and that is, when he can 

 stick his thumb nail into the rind after reaching full development it is a 

 pumpkin, when he cannot it is a squash, as its rind becomes hard as 

 wood. A close physiological relationship is indicated and determined by 

 the crossing of sorts, which will occur freely if they belong to the same 

 family, and seldom in cases where they are of distinct families. 



1021. Q. Down here in Louisiana, large quantities of crude molasses iviolasses a 

 are allowed to goto waste, and I write to inquire the value of molasses as Cattle 



a food for cattle and pigs ? ^*'**'*' 



A. Forty years ago Dr. Lawes, of Rothamstead, conducted experi- 

 ments to determine the value of sugar as a food for pigs, and arrived at 

 the conclusion that sugar had tlie same high value as pure starch. Since 

 then Letimen, of Gottingen, has tried feeding sugar to sheep, and found 

 it of the same value as the non-nitrogenous ingredients of other cattle 

 foods. His experiments were satisfactory but developed nothing remark- 

 able with respect to the nutrition of sheep. Subsequently he tried sugar 

 on several lots of pigs, and found in all cases that its addition to the regu- 

 lar ration increased the amount of total food consumed and increased cor- 

 respondingly the weight of pork. The estimate of increase being three- 

 tenths of a pound of live weight for each pound of sugar consumed, or 

 stated in anotlier way, one pound of gain in meat was produced by three 

 and one-third pounds of sugar. By the results of these experiments it 

 would seem well worth while to utilize a portion, if not the whole, of 

 the molasses wasted. It might be used with some absorbent and kept in 

 silos. It should not, however, be used without caution, as it contains 

 various salts which might make it strongly purgative. In no case could 

 it be depended on as a complete and only food. 



1022. Q. Is there more than one kind of mint? Mint. 

 A. There are three plants to which this name is applied : 



1. Spearmint, a native of Europe, botanically known as Mentha viri- 

 dia. This is used for seasoning. It flourishes in a cool, moist soil and a 

 bed of it will last for several years. 



2. Peppermint. This is cultivated largely for its oil, the census reports 

 showing about 6000 acres are cultivated in the United States. 



3. Catmint or catnip is a plant distinct from the two preceding. It also 

 furnishes an essential oil, aromatic, stimulative and anti-spasmodic. It 



