XIV. 



724 MAIZE 



CHAP, wear out much sooner ". The horses fattened by the maize 

 feeding, but the muscular system was not kept strong, and the 

 nervous force of the animals decreased, as a result of which the 

 veterinarian was oftener consulted than before the extensive 

 use of maize began. Similar experiences were reported in the 

 case of the street-car horses of Berlin (Jahrb. Agrl. Ch., 

 1890, p. 641, quoted by Henry, 1). 



In Germany, Dr. Kloepfer draws the following conclusions 

 {Biederm. Centralbl., 1895, p. 275) from investigations con- 

 ducted by himself and others concerning the value of Indian 

 corn as a food for horses : " Maize is well adapted to replace 

 oats, since the chemical composition of both cereals, especially 

 as regards protein and fat, are nearly the same. The whole of 

 the grain feed may be made up of maize in winter time, and 

 three-fourths of it in summer time. Five pounds of maize 

 are equivalent to 6 lbs. of oats. The heaviest feed should 

 be given at night. The change from oats to maize feed 

 should occur very gradually, the transition period lasting 

 from two to four weeks according to the extent to which the 

 oats are to be fed in connection with the maize. New maize 

 should not be fed to horses. The American dent varieties are 

 the best adapted to horse feeding" (Henry, 1). 



Settegast (Thierzucht, II. 1 10) concludes that, while among 

 all cereals oats are the best adapted ior horses, and can hardly 

 be replaced for colt-raising, maize may be considered as ap- 

 proximating oats in value for work-horses. " Experiments 

 have shown that a ration of 187 lbs. maize and 1 1 lbs. of straw 

 is profitable for omnibus horses. Maize is best suited to 

 animals at plain steady work. Its supply should be limited 

 with colts and growing horses because of its lack of ash and 

 protein" (Henry, 1). 



687. Maize for Sheep. — During the last twenty-five years 

 a new industry has sprung up in the Western United States — 

 that of fattening "plains" sheep in the Corn-belt. In the 

 winter of 1889-90, 625,000 head of plains sheep were fattened 

 in the State of Nebraska alone, the great maize crop of that 

 year forming the basis of operations (U.S.D.A., 8). The 

 system is described briefly as follows : — 



During the summer, plains sheep purchased in New Mexico, 

 Colorado, or other western ranges, are gradually moved east- 



