Oct. 1, 1-894.] Supplement to the " Tropical Agriculturist." 
281 
from eyes and nose follow in due time.) But 
long before this a skilled Veterinarian will 
have taken every known precaution to stamp 
out this disease ere it has reached the stage 
of giving off the emanations which render it 
so highly contagious, be the vera causa what 
it may. 
The later symptoms of the disease, discharge 
from eyes and nose, with purging, are all so 
well-known and self-evident, as to require no 
comment. The characteristic foetor of Rinder- 
pest is so marked that no experienced person 
coming within its pervading area requires other 
means of forming a true diagnosis. 
Had Great Britain not stamped the plague 
out, it would have remained permanent as other 
introduced diseases have done. 
I am of opinion that no animal which has 
been in any way near others suffering from the 
disease (although not attacked) should be allowed 
near healthy stock. I have known several fresh 
outbreaks to arise from animals, to all appear- 
ance healthy, being taken from an infected 
district, and there setting up a centre of disease 
among others and still retaining their own immu- 
nity from attack. Thirty days is, in my experi- 
ence, the shortest period after which to safely 
allow su3h animals to come in contact with 
herds of healthy animals, and that should be 
only after severe disinfection, the bodies being 
several times well washed with the best known 
disinfectants. 
Heretofore, animals carried from one district 
to another (often cart cattle fleeing fiom the 
dreaded disease so much feared by the owners) 
have carried the disease along high roads even 
from province to province. This has been one 
of the most prolific means of dissemination in 
Ceylon. 
(To be continued.) 
— ♦ 
RAINFALL AT THE SCHOOL OP AGRICUL- 
TURE DURING AUGUST. 
1 
. Nil 
14 . 
. Nil 
25 
. . Nil 
2 
. -02 
15 . 
. Nil 
26 
. . Nil 
3 
. -20 
16 . 
. Nil 
27 
.. Nil 
4 
. '43 
13 . 
. Nil 
28 
. . Nil 
5 
. -oi 
17 . 
. Nil 
29 
. . Nil 
6 
. -19 
18 . 
. Nil 
30 
.. Nil 
7 
. -01 
19 . 
. Nil 
31 
. . Nil 
8 
. Nil 
20 . 
. -05 
9 
. -30 
21 . 
. Nil 
Total . 
. 1-37 
10 
. '01 
22 . 
. Nil 
11 
. -11 
23 . 
. -03 
Mean 
. . -044 
12 
. -oi 
24 . 
. Nil 
Greatest amount of rainfal in any 24 hours on 
the 4th instant, *43 inches. 
Recorded by P. Van De Bona. 

THE EFFECT OF FOOD ON MILCH COWS. 
We referred a short time ago to the fact that 
experiments conducted in America and Europe 
pointed to the result that milk is but little affected 
by the richness or other quality of food. 
The result of the American investigations were 
received in Great Britain with scepticism, and 
several mon of eminence in dairy matters do- 
j clared that if the American experiments were 
correct, their whole experience on the subject 
had been at fault. Numerous experiments were 
at once undertaken in England and Scotland to 
prove the correctness or otherwise of the American 
investigations. Notably, Mr. John Speir, well- 
known as a careful and accurate experimentalist, 
set himself the task of thoroughly enquiring into 
the matter, and in an address given by him at West 
Calcler, entitled, " Intricate dairy problems," 
made public the results of his experiments and 
observations, which in general confirmed "tho 
findings of the American experimentalists. Mr. 
Speir found that when the cows were fed on a 
ration, including 8 lbs. of meal per day, they gave 
no richer milk than when they were fed on green 
maize. It should, however, be noted that liberal 
ricli feeding has the effect of increasing tho 
quantity of the milk, and, although not affecting 
the quality, it in that way compensates the 
liberal feeder, because, although the average 
quality is not increased, the larger quantity will 
necessarily contain more butter fat than the 
smaller quantity. 
" This subject," says J. L. T. of the Hawkes- 
bury Agricultural College, N. S. W. (where, by 
the way, the experiments conducted also tended to 
support the American results already referred to), 
" is of such importance to all dairymen, that it 
will be interesting to see what has been done in 
connection with this subject in Great Britain and 
America up to da^e." This writer then summa- 
rizes these investigations as follows (published in 
the Adelaide Observer of June 23rd) : — 
" That when a cow is in full milk and full flesh 
she will give her normal quantity of milk for at 
least a limited time, even although the quality 
and quantity of the food may ba deficient. 
" That when in good condition a cow will take 
off her body whatever is deficient in the food in 
order to give her normal quantity of milk. 
" That an extra supply of nutritious food at all 
times increases the quantity of milk, but the 
percentage of fat is not in any way improved by 
it, if anything the tendency being rather the 
other way. 
" That an extra supply of nutritious food almost 
invariably very slightly increases the solids not 
fat of the milk. 
" That a ration poor in food ingredients has a 
very slight tendency to reduce the solids not fat 
of the milk,5 but has little appreciable effect on 
the fat. 
" That with a poor ration a cow in full milk will 
lose carcase weight, while on a rich diet she will 
gain weight. 
" That although the percentage of fat in a cow's 
milk may vary daily, we at present seem unable 
to control these variations or to account for them. 
" That for limited periods up to one month or 
thereabout, all ordinary quantities and qualities of 
foods seem to have no material effect on the 
quality of the milk. 
" That the only food which seems to have any 
material effect on the percentage of butter in the 
milk, is an excess of brewer's grains. 
" That very succulent grass has had only a very 
trifling effect in altering the percentage of fat. 
" That most foods convey some flavour to the 
butter, but scarcely any of them will altor its 
percentage in the milk. 
