i9i i.] Summary of Agricultural Experiments. 505 



Effect of Change of Locality. — Seed of Up-to-Date obtained from 

 Boon, in Berwickshire (elevation of 900 ft.), Leadburn, in Midlothian 

 (800 ft.), and Deskford, in the lower district of Banffshire, gave better 

 results than seed from the low district of East Lothian, the seed from 

 these four sources being planted at seven centres in different districts. 

 The North Country seed (Banff) did best, but the results indicate that 

 nearly the same advantage can be obtained by securing seed from a 

 high-lying district. 



Live Stock and Feeding Stuffs. 



Soy-bean Cake as a Food for Cows (Cumberland and Westmorland 

 Farm School, Newton Rigg, Ann. Rept., 1909-10). — Three cows and 

 three heifers after their first calf were used in this trial, which lasted 

 for twelve weeks. They were all at an early stage of their milking 

 period, and, as the milk naturally declined in quantity in the course of 

 the trial, it was decided to feed soy-bean cake during the first and last 

 three weeks, and decorticated cotton cake, with which it was com- 

 pared, during the middle six weeks. The daily ration of each cow 

 was : 49 lb. swedes or 42 lb. mangolds, 14 lb. hay, 7 lb. oat straw, 

 4 lb. crushed oats, and either 4 lb. soy-bean cake or 4 lb. decorticated 

 cotton cake. The results on the milk yield were : — 



Gallons of milk Percentage of 

 produced. butter fat. 



First three weeks (soy-bean cake) ... ... 315 37 



Middie six weeks (decorticated cotton cake) ... 527 3*9 



Last three weeks (soy-bean cake) ... ... 225 4'i 



The total milk yield with soy-bean cake was thus 540 gallons, and 

 with decorticated cotton cake 527 gallons, the average percentage of 

 butter-fat being the same with both kinds. The cows lost weight 

 slightly in the early weeks when giving their largest quantity of milk, 

 but gained towards the end. 



Linseed Cake for Milking Cows (Cumberland and Westmorland Farm 

 School, Newton Rigg, Ann. Rept. 1910-11). — Linseed cakes containing 

 respectively 12 per cent, and 7 per cent, of oil were fed to six cows. 

 As the milk naturally declined in quantity during the trial, which lasted 

 for eight weeks, the rich cake was fed in the first and last periods of 

 two weeks, and the poorer cake in the middle four weeks. The daily 

 ration of each cow was 35 lb. swedes or mangolds, 14 lb. hay, 7 lb. 

 oat straw, 3 lb. crushed oats, and 5 lb. linseed cake. A total yield 

 of 441 gallons was obtained with the 12 per cent, cake and 438 gallons 

 with the 7 per cent. cake. The carcass weight of the cows appears 

 to have been affected by the quality of the cake, as they gained 9 stones 

 6 lb. during the first fortnight, and 9 stones 7 lb. during the last fort- 

 night with the 12 per cent, cake, but lost 5 stones 7 lb. in the four 

 weeks with the 7 per cent. cake. 



Winter Fattening of Mountain Sheep (Cumberland and Westmorland 

 Farm School, Newton Rigg, Ann. Repts., 1909-10 and 1910-11). — In 

 the year 1906 a commencement was made in feeding trials with Herd- 

 wick sheep. These trials have been repeated each year since, and have been 

 extended to Cheviots, Scotch Blackface, and Greyface sheep. The object 

 has been to see if winter fattening of mountain sheep on pasture land 

 , could be successfully and profitably followed, and to what extent these 



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