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animals for work being very mucli improved." The molasses was 

 sometimes fed clear from a trough and in other cases mixed with cut 

 hay, or with crushed corn including cob and shuck, as well as with 

 rice bran and cottonseed meal. Dalrymple failed to note any inju- 

 rious effects from feeding such large quantities of cane molasses, his 

 observations being contrary to those of German and French investi- 

 gators with beet molasses.''* 



F. G. Helyar-^ notes an improved appearance and an increase in 

 spirit from feeding about one pound daily of cane molasses to both 

 draught and driving horses. Lack of energy and a rough coat fol- 

 lowed a discontinuance of its use. Helyar does not consider it 

 advisable to feed molasses to horses which are in normal condition. 



Our Own Experiment with Molasses for Horses. 



Our experience with molasses was confined to a single observation 

 with four horses belonging to the agricultural department of this 

 station and was carried out during the months of November, Decem- 

 ber and January, 1904-1905. The horses were doing light work at 

 the time, and were receiving 15 to 18 pounds of hay and 7 pounds 

 of a mixture of corn and oats daily, (no pounds cracked corn and 

 45 pounds oats mixed). In the first period of four weeks, four 

 pounds of molasses were substituted for four pounds of the grain 

 mixture with two of the horses, and in the second period the condi- 

 tions were reversed. The periods proper were preceded by a pre- 

 liminary period of 12 days. 



DATES OF EXPERIMENTS, 



Method of Feedmg. The horses were fed three times daily, the 

 molasses being given undiluted in two portions — morning and evening 

 — mixed with the corn and oats. 



2^ Beet molasses contains more mineral matter (potash and soda salts) and likewise 

 noticeably more non-protein bodies ^amids, betaine, choline, etc.) than does cane molasses, 

 to which its injurious effect may be attributed. 



29 Superintendent of Mt. Hermon (Mass.) Farm. Verbal communication. 

 2 



