984 - Report oF THE First AssisTANT OF THE 
necessary to be fed_to the pigs gives the cost of the ration. The 
beets were fed as stored, for winter, without the tops, and were 
eaten without waste. 
In calculating the cost of the rations fed sorghum is rated at 
two dollars per ton, beets at three dollars per ton, linseed meal 
at twenty-eight dollars per ton, corn meal at twenty-four dollars 
per ton, and skim-milk at twenty-four cents per 100 pounds. The 
pigs which were fed in these experiments when afterwards killed 
lost, on the average, 23.5 per cent. in dressing, and the cost per 
pound, dressed weight, is estimated on this basis. 
~ At the higher prices of pork prevailing during these few 
months and later, all of the rations gave profitable results. Dur- 
ing the first period the gain made by lot A, for which 67 per 
cent. of the total food was sorghum, was much less profitable 
than that made by lot B, having only 12.1 per cent. of the total 
food sorghum. During the second period the gain made by the 
lot having the most sorghum, constituting 55.5 per cent. of the 
total food, was somewhat better than during the first period, but 
much less profitable than that made by the lot having only 9.6 
per cent. of the total food sorghum, this lot making also a more 
profitable gain than that made by the corresponding lot in the first 
period. During both the third and fourth periods the lot having 
beets enough to constitute 50.8 per cent. and 50.2 per cent. of the 
total food and 37.9 and 88.2 per cent. of the water-free food made 

more profitable gains than those having but a small proportion ~ 
of beets in their ration, constituting for the respective periods. 
12.9 per cent..and 9.2 per cent. of the total food, and 4.7 and 3.6 
per cent. of the water-free food. With beets rated at two dollars 
per ton, as they sometimes are, the difference is still greater, and 
the increase in weight made at less cost per pound than is 
usual with the grain foods ordinarily used. 
With the sorghum rated at one dollar per ton the cost of 
gain made during the first period was about the same for each 
lot, but during the second period still somewhat greater for the 
lot having the large amount of sorghum. 
The results obtained from the two lots of pigs during the four 
periods, calculated to the average per day for each 100 pounds 
live weight fed, are given in the following table: 
Ne 
4 
Ay 
any incu 
