928 Jerusalem Artichokes as a Food for Stock. [Feb., 



consumed per i lb. gain in live-weight, the artichokes saved 

 nearly 2 lb. of grain for each pound of gain. According to 

 the Farmers' Cyclopaedia of Agriculture (1904), some trouble 

 is occasionally experienced in getting pigs to eat the raw 

 tubers. 



Coburn remarks that the tops are seldom, if ever, eaten 

 by pigs, but are considered excellent fodder for horses and 

 cattle. He further says that the better health of pigs result- 

 ing from the addition to the ration of this fresh and succulent 

 food is a matter of great importance, especially in animals 

 which are kept for breeding. Throughout the experiment 

 at the Oregon station the animals were noticed to be healthy 

 and vigorous. Shaw suggests that the harvesting of the 

 tubers is especially useful for brood sows, owing to the exer- 

 cise necessarily obtained in the labour of rooting them out. 



Value as a Food for Sheep. — For sheep, Shaw says that 

 "store sheep and breeding flocks will be much benefited from 

 supplementing the other dry food fed with 2 or 3 lb. of arti- 

 chokes per day." Ordinary roots, however, are less costly to 

 handle for sheep-feeding. In Australia the stalks are frequently 

 used for feeding sheep or conversion into silage (Potts). 



Value as a Food for Horses. — In regard to horses, Shaw 

 says that tests have shown that artichokes are an excellent 

 food, and have been given to the extent of making a reduction 

 of 50 per cent, in the hay required, with results that were 

 satisfactory. Magen found that the peasants in Southern 

 France give artichokes to work-horses, and himself obtained 

 satisfactory results with draft animals.* His opinion was 

 that not over 12 litres (J bushel) of chopped tubers should be 

 given daily, and he mixed them with crushed grain and 10 to 

 15 litres (say J to \ bushel) of chopped hay. He found that I 

 when thus substituted for barley or oats for a hundred days 

 no unfavourable results were noted. This ration is recom- 

 mended as being very economical, both on account of the 

 small value of the land on which the artichokes are cultivated 

 and the ease with which the plant may be grown. 



Artichokes may be given whole to all four classes of stock, 

 but may usefully be sliced or pulped for cattle, sheep, and 

 horses. They may be given raw or boiled. Stock do not 



Exp. Sla. Record, xviii. 1906-7, p. 764. 



