20 EXPERDIEXT STATIOX. [Jan. 



spring of 1908 made clear that from one-third to one-half of 

 the plants had died or had been serionsly weakened. During 

 the season (1908) the growth was cut three times; orchard 

 grass and couch or quick grass took the place of a large propor- 

 tion of the alfalfa, and comprised approximately one-half of 

 the yield, which was not weighed. "Winterkilling of alfalfa was 

 also experienced on other plats on the college farm. In spite 

 of the apparent tendency of alfalfa to kill out at intervals, it 

 is believed to be worthy of careful trial on well-drained farms 

 in Massachusetts, because of its heavy yields and value both as 

 a green fodder and as hay. (For method of seeding, fertilizing 

 and harvesting, see Bulletin Xo. 120, p. 37, and Circular Xo. 

 18, published by this station.) 



Dried Blood and Tankage for Dairy Stock. 



Tankage for animal feeding is prepared ^' from scraps of 

 meat of cattle and hogs (lungs, tendons, bones, etc.), cooked for 

 four hours in large steel tanks under 25 to 40 pounds' jires- 

 sure. . . . The tankage is then pressed, to remove the excess 

 of water and fat, after which the feed is dried and ground." 

 The highest grade contains from 50 to GO per cent, protein, 10 

 to 15 per cent, fat and 6 to 10 per cent, bone ash, and has a 

 noticeable odor. It is recommended chiefly as a supplement to 

 corn for feeding i)igs, in the proportion, by weight, of 1 part 

 tankage to 5 to 10 parts corn, and has been shown to be pro- 

 ductive of very satisfactory results. It seems probable that 1 

 part tankage to 5 parts corn could be fed to young pigs, and the 

 proportion of corn increased as the process of fattening took 

 place. This station fed Swift's digester tankage to cows in 

 place of twice the amount of high-grade distillers' grains, the 

 ration consisting of 4 pounds wheat middlings, 1 pound distil- 

 lers' grains and l^/o pounds tankage. The animals made no 

 objection to eating the tankage, in spite of its noticeable odor. 

 Frequent samples of milk Avere examined, both cold and at a 

 lukewarm temperature, but it was not possible to detect any 

 flavor or odor that could be attributed to the meat product. It 

 is not considered advisable, however, to feed such material to 

 dairy stock. 



Di'iecl blood for feeding purposes is prepared by heating the 

 fresli l)lood (,r cattle and swine in large tanks at 212° F. The 



