42 New Hampshire Experiment Station [Bulletin 22S 



Electric Fan in the Dairy Room. An ordinary cooling fan has been used to 

 advantage on one farm to keep away flies in the process of bottling and also to 

 insure an abundance of fresh air. The fan is located so that the air draft is 

 directed into the reservoir which holds the milk. 



Hay Hoisting. Two tests of hay hoist equipment were made during the 

 summer. The equipment used in both cases was identical, being a double-drum 

 hoist, operating a lift and return rope, respectively. A 5 h. p. portable motor 

 was used as power. The results obtained on Farm No. 1 were not satisfactory, 

 due to the fact that the equipment was not adapted to the local conditions. 



On Farm No. 6 it was found that the motor, hoist, fork and carrier were all 

 within easy sight of the operator, making it possible to operate the hoist from 

 the load by means of ropes. This arrangement reduced the man labor and 

 power to a minimum, and quite successful operation was obtained. 



Fifty tons (estimated) of hay, oats and millet were unloaded by this method 

 during the 1926 season. No other method was used. The time required to 

 unload varied from 20 to 35 minutes. Three men and a 2-horse team were 

 used. 



A test made on Japanese millet, to obtain a high demand and current con- 

 sumption, showed that 1 kwh. was required per load, or .66 kwh. per ton, 

 (estimated). This millet, having been frosted, could not be thoroughly cured 

 and was, therefore, very rank and heavy. The maximum demand indicated that 

 3 h. p. should be sufficient for these conditions. 



The type of hoist used should be modified and altered somewhat in design 

 to be entirely satisfactory 



Silo Filling. A considerable number of attempts have been made in New 

 England during the past few j'ears to operate ensilage cutters with electric 

 motors, and the interest in this power for the work continues. 



A test made on one of the dairy farms in the fall of 1926, using a 7 x k H. P. 

 motor, 11-inch cutter and elevating 36 M> ft., failed to give results satisfactory 

 to the farmer. The equipment was overhauled before the test, but no attempt 

 was made to make local circumstances better than fair average field conditions. 



A survey was made of ten practical applications in five states where motors 

 from 5 to 20 H. P. were used for this work. Most of the operators were inter- 

 viewed personally. Where conditions were representative of the average farm. 

 10 H. P. was the minimum that could be depended on to give satisfaction. 



This does not mean that this is the final conclusion for ensilage cutting with 

 motors; for a method developed at the University of Wisconsin holds promise 

 of permitting the use of considerably less power, but until this method is 

 known and accepted as practical and better than the present practice, it seems 

 best to recommend, in a general way, not less than 10 H. P. in cases where 

 this type of power is considered. A test of the new method is planned in the 

 coming season. 



POULTRY EQUIPMENT 



Electric Incubators. Two tests were conducted at the University poultry 

 plant during April and May, 1926. A 360-egg incubator, 8 years old but in 

 fairly good condition, was used. This was converted from hot air to electric 

 heat by installing a heating unit and thermostat. Only one of the two trays in 

 the machine was used. 



In one test, out of 160 eggs set, a 79.3% hatch or 127 chicks was obtained. 

 Sixty-one kilowatt hours of current were used. The current was cut off several 

 times, 3% hours being the longest interruption. 



In the other test from 146 eggs set, 132 chicks, or a 90.4% hatch, was secured. 

 Fifty-eight kilowatt hours of current were used. No current interruptions oc- 

 curred. 



The quality and vitality of chicks appeared to be excellent and above the 

 average for chicks from the same hens hatched by other means, according to 

 experienced observers. 



Successful operation of electric incubators is reported by many users, and 

 several different types of equipment are now available which have not been 

 tested. 



In well insulated machines the current may be cut off for several hours with- 

 out material damage. 



