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GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



September, 1917 



GOATS AND GOATS' MILK. 



From the number of letters that are com- 

 ing continually in regard to goats, especial- 

 ly goats' milk, for the babies, it would seem 

 I have seldom struck upon anything of 

 such general interest; and while we have 

 quite a lot of letters, I have been feeling 

 for some time that I wanted something in 

 regard to the matter from good authority, 

 and, if the good friends will excuse me, 

 something from some source where there can 

 be no suspicion that the party or parties are 

 interested in making sales ; and it occurred 

 to me that our various exiDerimcnt stations 

 of the different states should give us some- 

 thing definite and up to date; therefore I 

 wrote to the director of our Ohio Exi3eri- 

 ment Station as follows : 



Friend Thome : — If you have had time to look 

 over our journal you may have noticed the many 

 articles and inquiries in regard toi goats for milk. 

 Now, I don't suppose you have made any tests 

 of goats at your station ; but can you tell us if 

 the stations of any other state have made similar 

 experiments ? We have several letters from parties 

 who say they get two quarts and sometimes three 

 quarts a day of goats' milk. I believe they are 

 kept more for babies, or babies in poor health, than 

 for any other purpose. The testimonies in regard 

 to saving babies' lives by the use of goats' milk seem 

 to indicate that it certainly has remarkab'e virtues 

 in that way. I know there are several gor.t periodi- 

 cals ; but some evidence from an experiment station 

 would be worth more to me than anything else. 

 Would it be outside of your province to get a goat 

 or two to be kept on the station farm 1 



Medina, O., May 22, 1917. A. I. Root. 



In response to the above I received the 

 following : 



Mr. A. I. Root: — Director Thome has handed to 

 me your letter regarding milch goats, not because 

 I have charge of dairy work here, for Professor 

 C. C. Hayden has charge of that, but because I own 

 some milch goats. I have found them to be rather 

 generous producers. One gave about 3 quarts per 

 day for awhile after kidding last year, and a two- 

 year-old 2V2 quarts now I should judge. I have 

 sometimes noticed an undesirable flavor ; but aside 

 from these times the milk is of exceptionally fine 

 quality, altho ours seems not to be so high in fat as 

 some report. One of my does milked 10% months, 

 and would have milked longer had I not dried her 

 up. Mr. C. P. Funk, of Wooster, who bred my 

 foundation does, has eleven does of different ages. 

 We have at the head of our flocks the buck Balmat 

 336, whose dam, imported Loretta, is said to have 

 yielded 7 quarts of milk per day when owned by Mr. 

 David Zook, who lives near Smithville, a few miles 

 from here. Mr. Zook has a rare fund of goat lore, 

 and I would suggest that you see or write him if 

 you are interested in goats. 



Your letter is referred to Professor Hayden, who 

 is far better able than I to give data regarding 

 technical studies relative to the milch goat and her 

 products. 



Assuring you that we .shall gladly serve you 

 whenever possible, I am 



Yours very truly, 



Wooster, 0., May 24, 1917. B. E. Carmichael. 



Please notice, friends, the ■t'oncliuling 

 sentence. If 1 am coiiect, (lie experiment 



stations of the different states are always 

 ready, not only to give us the information 

 they can give, but also to hunt up facts, 

 and, furthermore, make experimental tests 

 of anything concerning the public welfare — - 

 especially anything pertaining to milk, but- 

 ter, and cheese, and the health of our babies. 

 Do not be backward about applying to your 

 own station when you want unbiased and 

 reliable information. 



SWEET CLOVER IN CALIFORNIA, AND SOME- 

 THING ABOUT GOATS. 



Mr. Root : — I enclose an article on milch goats. 



You asked to hear from growers of sweet clover, 

 in regard to its blooming the first year. I think it 

 always blooms the first year in California; at any 

 rate, it does in the valleys. Last year I purchased 

 my seed of the Dadants, and it is just the same 

 as we have always had here and up north where 

 we lived. It bloomed profusely after cutting twice. 

 I have been pasturing the field this year, and now 

 it is in full bloom. Of course, it is not very tall 

 now, as stock keep it down. 



Manteca, Cal. Ernest E. Warren. 



The above reminds me that for two sea- 

 sons I have had yellow sweet clover in Flor- 

 ida that grew very rapidly to a height oi 

 three or four feet, and blossomed only three 

 or four months after sowing. This would 

 indicate that it behaves there very much as 

 in California. These plants, however, have 

 yellow bloom. I have never yet succeeded 

 in getting the white sweet clover to grow 

 and blossom at our Florida home. 



Below is the clipping on goats. 



TYPES or ARISTOCRATIC GOATS. 



And thou shalt have goat's milk enough for thy 

 food, for the food of thy household, and for the 

 maintenance of thy maidens. — Proverbs 28:25. 



But there are goats and goats, each having its 

 emphatic advocates, and each ils peculiar merits, no 

 doubt. In Switzerland the goat is the family cow, 

 and her product a considerable item of revenue be- 

 sides. The supp'y of pure-bred Toggenburg and 

 Saanen goats in this country is derived principally 

 from a stock brought over from Switzerland in 1904, 

 together with a few that were imported prior there- , 

 to, all importations since 1905 having been pro- 

 hibited by the United States Government. The 

 Toggenburg has a delicately formed head, upright 

 ears, and a graceful, deerlike appearance. It is of 

 medium size, with a slender neck and of a drab 

 color with white or grayish markings. The milk 

 production is greater in quantity, but less rich than 

 that of the Anglo-Nubian and some other breeds. 



The Saanen, also a pure-bred Swiss goat, is con- 

 siderably larger than the Toggenburg, usually horn- 

 less, and of a creamy-white color. An expert judge 

 of these creatures, Mr. F. S. Peer, who made the 

 large importation of Swiss goats in 1904, says: 



'"Taking a given number of each breed as they 

 come, I would expect the Toggenbiirgs to show the 

 largest total yield; but among Ihe be,st of each bree 1 

 I would expect the Saanen to win." 



The Anglo-Ntibian is an English cross of the 

 Nubian with a pure English doe, made half a cen- 

 tury ago, and has become a distinct breed. It is of 

 various colors, preferably black and tan or reddish 

 brown, frequently with black or black ' and white 

 markings. It has a marked Roman nose, heavy 



