Farm experiments

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FAEM EX'PEEIMENTS

BY J. W. SANBORN, SUPERINTENDENT.

College Farm, Hanover, Feb. 9, 1878.
To the Secretary of the Board of Agriculture :

In accordance with your suggestion, I forward some of the
first results of experimental work at the College farm and quasi
experimental station. Experimental work, to become authority
in practice, requires, among other elements, that of time ; and
those commenced will be pursued with careful accuracy.
Costly inquiry into abstruse and theoretical questions in the
science of agriculture, have not been undertaken, as means are
not afforded. Matters that have relation to daily practice in
farming have been and are being investigated both in relation
to the culture of plants and the feeding of animals.

The success of experimental stations in Europe, and the great
good they have accomplished in the facts that have been diffused
among the farmers by them, have induced a very general and
increasing belief that some such work in N"ew England, where
the farmer has so much to contend with, would result in better
methods, and that facts which have been fairly and clearly ar-
rived at, would now, under similar circumstances or conditions,

be gladly accepted. With this belief, we have experimented in
those departments in which facilities were at hand.

EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE.

As an economic question to the farmer, the relation of tem-
perature to animal production and consumption is being investi-
gated. A steady and prolonged period of cold weather would
undoubtedly have an effect in regard to the amount of food con-
sumed ; but, after long weighing daily, we cannot find that the
fluctuations of temperature for short periods of time, in winter,
change materially the amount of food consumed. A change in
production is seen quickly.

January 4th, 5th, and 6th, 1877, average temperature out-
doors, 13° below zero, gave 3.4 per cent, less milk than the next
three days, with mean temperature 11° above zero.

January 10 to 18, — yield, 265 quarts of milk ; average tem-
perature, 2° below.

January 30 to February 7, — yield, 287 quarts, or 8.3 per cent,
increase for the same number of days, temperature 21° above
zero.

The average for January, 2.5° above ; for February, 12° above.

Average yield per lot of cows experimented with, per clay, for
January, 64.3 lbs. ; for February, 70.1 lbs., or 9 per cent, more
for February.

Cows calved in early fall.

A record of temperature in the barn was made, and results
reported for winter of 1877-8 as follows:

Dec. 26 to 30, 1877, — yield, 240 lbs. ; temperature, 4° above
freezing point.

Jan. 1 to 5, 1878, — yield, 242 lbs. ; temperature, 7° below
freezing point ; gain per day, .0021 per cent.

The cows, for a period of 38 days, were making a daily in-
crease of about .46 per cent, over each previous day's milking, or
17 per cent, for 37 days. Thus, for 4 days, there was an actual
loss of 1.26 per cent, over their previous milking capacity.

Jan. 6 to 10, — yield, 258 lbs. ; temperature, 21° below the freez-
ing point.

Jan. 11 to 15, — yield, 277 lbs. ; temperature, 4° above freez-
ing point ; gain, 5.3 per cent.

Subject to the modification as before :

Jan. 18 to 28, — yield, 880 lbs. ; temperature, 1° above the
freezing point.

Jan. 29 to Feb. 7, — yield, 800 lbs. ; temperature, 10° below
the freezing point; loss, 10 per cent.

We will not as yet give any figures on the effect of tempera-
ture on beef production. It will be noticed that the number of
degrees of change, other things being equal, determine the
change in production ; but this is very greatly modified by the
length of the period of heat or cold following a change of
weather. We hope to obtain an approximation of the relation
of the two to the modification of production. These figures are
given to show that there is a profit in warm barns. The barn
is in part lined with heavy paper, and clapboarded.

Farmers with open barns can make their own deductions, and
figure out the pi'ofit of investment in arrangements for warm
stables.

RELATIVE VALUES OF POOD.

The relative values of corn meal, bran, middlings, cotton-seed
meal, for milk and butter, have been put to the test as follows :

Four cows, calving at near periods, were fed in January, on
bran and meal, mixed, their milk record kept, and their produc-
ing capacity noted on same food. In February, they were di-
vided into two lots, of two cows each.

Lot 1 was found to have given for January, per day, 34j»\lbs.
milk.

Lot 2 was found to have given for January, per day, 29f-g-lbs.
milk.

Lot 1 yielded for February, per day, 37^ lbs. milk.

Lot 2 yielded for February, per day, 32T9F lbs. milk.

Lot 2 gained per day .07 more than Lot 1.

Lot 1 was fed on 6 lbs. per day for first 16 days.

Lot 2 was fed on 6 lbs. corn meal for entire month.

Last 12 days, Lot 1 was fed on bran, that would afford as
much digestible matter as Gibs, meal, or 8 -J- lbs. bran, per day.

Lot 1, for last 12 days of February, 36|- lbs. per day.

Lot 2, for last 12 days of February, 32^ lbs. per day.

Lot 2 gained .04 of 1 per cent, more for this period than
Lot 1.

Last two weeks of February, Lot 1, from 138f lbs. milk, made
4 lbs. 1\ oz. buttei.

Same period for Lot 2 gave, from 116^ lbs. milk, 3 lbs. 15£oz,
butter.

Lot 1 weighed, February 1, 1,980 lbs.

Lot 1 weighed, March 1, 1,957 lbs.

Lot 2 weighed, February 1, 1,995 lbs.

Lot 2 weighed, March 1, 2,024 lbs.

This gain and loss of weight will be noted in the result.

The food was reversed for March. The cows that had corn
meal for February, were fed on bran for March, — Lot 1 on corn
meal, and Lot 2 on bran :

Yield of Lot 1 for March, 36^-}- lbs. milk per day.

Yield of Lot 2 for March, 3l£f lbs. milk per day.

Lot 2 lost .05 more than Lot 1.

Lot 1 made, from 175^ lbs. milk, 6^ lbs. butter.

Lot 2 made, from 178^ lbs. milk, 6^ lbs. butter.

Weight of Lot 1, April 3, 2,056 lbs.

Weight of Lot 2, April 3, 2,117 lbs.

Weight of Lot 1, March 3, 1,900 lbs.

Weight of Lot 2, March 3, 2,024 lbs.

That the comparative effect of the two foods on the butter
product may be seen, I will give the amount of milk required
under the changes to make lib. of butter:

Lot 1 for February, on bran, required 33.2 oz. milk to make
1 oz. butter.

Lot 1 for March, on meal, required 28.05 oz. milk to make
1 oz. butter.

Lot 2 for February, on meal, required 29.2 oz. milk to make
1 oz. butter.

Lot 2 for March, on bran, required 32.4 oz. milk to make 1 oz.
butter.

As these cows were well and hearty during the three months
they were fed, milk being weighed night and morning, and
everything about the experiment being done with care, the fig-
ures reversing themselves throughout with the food, we consider

that they indicate quite thoroughly that corn meal is the bet-
ter food of the two for the dairy cow, — at least, in moderate
amounts, fed with ordinary stock hay in the winter season.

Another question that would be partly answered by these
feeding experiments is, whether the two foods mixed would not
be better than corn meal, or either alone. The four cows, or
both lots, were fed on bran and corn, mixed, for January, the
first month of the experiment ; and the results do not indicate
such to be the fact, — at least, when fed in connection with hay.

I will state that the first two weeks of March, the lot fed on
bran had six pounds, being the same number of pounds as that
of the lot fed on corn meal ; but for the last half of the month
the bran was increased to 8-J lbs.

The composition of bran and middlings being somewhat un-
like, and very different in mechanical preparation, middlings were
used in the winter of 1878, against corn meal, hoping for better
results than from bran :

Lot 1, — yield per day for 18 days, before commencing experi-
ments, 23 lbs.

Lot 2, — yield per day for 18 days, before commencing experi-
ments, 26-}-| lbs.

Lot 3, — yield per day for 18 days before commencing experi-
ments, 22|§ lbs.

Weight Lot 1, 1,801 lbs.

Weight Lot 2, 2,024 lbs.

Weight Lot 3, 1,950 lbs.

Lot 1, — 18 days on meal, 6 lbs. per day, gave 25i| lbs.
milk.

Lot 2, — 18 days on middlings, 6 lbs. per day, gave 28T\ lbs.
milk.

Lot 3, — 18 days on meal and turnips, 6 lbs. meal and 1 peck
turnips per day, gave 25 lbs. milk.

Equal quantities by weight were given, Lot 3 having the tur-
nips in addition.

The gain per cent, of milk for the first period was :
. Lot 1, 11.8 per cent.

Lot 2, 5.5 per cent.

Lot 3, 6.4 per cent.

6

Weight Lot 1, 1,737 lbs. ; loss, 62 lbs.
Weight Lot 2, 1,980 lbs.; loss, 44 lbs.
Weight Lot 3, 1,821 lbs. ; loss, 139 lbs.

Reversed food :

Lot 1, — middlings, 20 days ; yield, 29-J lbs.

Lot 2, — meal, 20 clays ; yield, 29| lbs.

Lot 3, — meal and turnips, 20 days ; yield, 27.7 lbs.

Gain per cent., — Lot 1, 14.4.

Gain per cent., — Lot 2, 3.6.

Gain per cent., — Lot 3, 10.4.
Last half of this period Lot 3 had middlings, and the gain is
partly due to this change.' '

A careful analysis of these figures will show that middlings
made a little over two per cent, more milk than meal. It will
be noticed that Lot 1 made very much more gain than Lot 2 on
either food. It was due to the fact that Lot 2 had in it a cow
not the best. She made no gain in flow, — the gain being made
by her mate in the experiment. These poor cows do not re-
spond to increase of food as readily as good cows. These fig-
ures are better than a sermon for good cows :

Weight of cows on change of food — Lot 1, 1,730 pounds.

" 2, 1,920 "

3, 1,810 "

Thus, the middlings have maintained the weight of our ani-
mals the best of the three foods, while the turnips have made a
poor showing for milk and the condition of the cows.

The milk was set in per cent, glasses at each change of food.
There was such a remarkable change of the amount of cream re-
corded, which resulted simply from a slight change of tempera-
ture, that I cannot give exact figures ; but the corn meal gave a
decidedly better showing for cream than the middlings, though
not the difference that was seen between the corn' meal and
bran. The cream would not be a sure indication of the butter
product. The cream was churned in the experiment of corn
meal and bran.

Rowen was fed, with results as follows :

Our cows are fed eight rations daily, two of which are ground

feed. The substitution of a foddering of rowen morning and
evening for English hay gave a quick increase of eight per cent, of
milk. A month's feeding in the fall of corn meal, fodder-corn,
and rowen, made a good showing for the rowen.

Lot 1 gave 36 per cent, of total yield ; Lot 2, 35 per cent. ; and
Lot 3, 29 per cent., all on the same feed. In the experiment, Lot
1 had meal, Lot 2 fodder-corn, and Lot 3 rowen.

Thirty days' feeding gave the following results :

Lot 1 gave 37.1 per cent., Lot 2, 33.4 per cent., and Lot 3, 29.5
per cent, of total yield. The corn-fodder was sweet corn-fodder,
cut late.

Thus far, in moderate quantities in cold weather, corn meal
has compared very favorably for milk production with other
foods given, being excelled only b)r middlings.

Experiments at present in progress appear to be adverse to
bran as food for the milk and butter cow, or for milk alone, as
before.

SETTING MILK.

The "close or covered system of setting milk" is a wide de-
parture from old principles and practices. This and the "deep
settings" have been tested together.

In practice, the butter sells as readily, and I think is preferred
by my customers to that made from open pans. If there is a
volatile oil (giving rise to animal odors) retained by the covered
milk by this system, as many claim there will be, it does not, in
practice, affect its quality, unless it is in the keeping. I cannot
speak from experience on that point.

Among its advantages, I may name saving of labor, exclusion
of atmospheric impurities, retention of the volatile flavoring oils
of milk, sweet milk for calves, economy in winter, and uniform-
ity in product. The one great disadvantage is, cost of ice in
summer. We have used thirty-five pounds daily, costing a lit-
tle over fourteen cents, and have made about five pounds of but-
ter daily. Cost of ice per pound of butter in round numbers,
three cents. As our ice has cost nearly three times as much as
it ordinarily would for farmers to gather their own, it would

seem that it could be afforded, if it aided in making a higher
grade of butter in hot weather. Eight months of the year it
would not be required. Deep setting would evidently have a de-
cided advantage over shallow setting for winter. We use Har-
din's closets, where the milk nearly freezes in the coldest of
weather.

Low temperature being absolutely essential for deep setting,
the weather of winter is favorable, while a high temperature is
desirable for shallow setting, and is obtained only at much cost in
winter.

Our cans are eight inches in diameter, and twenty inches deep.
We give a few results :

Dec. 17. Milk froze solid ; 196-§- quarts gave 17f pounds but-
ter, or, 11.8 quarts to one pound of butter; pans used.

Dec. 26. Temperature from 30° to 40° ; 233£ quarts of milk
gave 19-J pounds of butter, or, 11.7 quarts of milk made one pound
of butter; pans.

Jan. 2. 118-J- quarts gave 10-J pounds of butter, or, 11.2 quarts
to one pound of butter; temperature from 45° to 60°; deep
cans.

April 11. 112 quarts, in deep cans without ice, gave 8|f
pounds butter.

April 11. 112 quarts in pans gave 8|f pounds butter; tem-
perature of both, same; or, from 40° to 55°.

In the above experiment, April 11, milk mixed and divided
by measure, as were the following two :

June 11. 104J quarts milk, by deep cans (iced), gave 11TV
pounds butter.

June 11. 104J quarts milk, by pans, gave 11 /^ pounds butter;
temperature of cans, 49° ; pans, 60° to 70°.

July 17. 102 quarts, by deep cans, gave 9-fe pounds butter.

July 17. 102 quarts, by pans, gave 9}f pounds butter ; tem-
perature of cans, 49°; pans, 60° to 70°.

July 20. Set seventy-five quarts by each method, and, wish-
ing for exact work, I divided the milk of each can by the
scales, noticing that on April 11 the deep setting had given
the best result, and subsequently it had not. Believing in the
reign of law, I determined to get a lower temperature for the

deep cans, and so mixed salt with the ice, and carried the tem-
perature down to from 42° to 45°, and from 78 quarts (deep
cans) got 7T£ pounds butter; from 78 quarts, by pans, got 6|f
pounds of butter; temperature by pans, 65° to 80°. The in-
creased elevation of temperature of milk in pans decreased the
amount of butter, and the lower temperature of milk in the deep
cans gave an increased amount of butter per quart of milk.

February, 1878. 82 quarts were set by deep cans; tempera-
ture from 32° to 40° ; butter, 5T^- pounds.

February, 1878. 82 quarts were set by pans ; temperature,
50° to 62° ; butter, 5T<%- pounds. Low butter yield due to bran
and special causes in experiment.

The influence of temperature will be noticed on the result un-
der different depths of setting.

At a uniform depth of setting, under changing temperatures,
we obtain very marked differences of product.

Thus, in our per cent, glass, about eight inches deep, we get
the following results from milk of same cow, using two glasses,
that both lots may be set from the same milking :

Hours

Temperature
Cream (per cent.)..

Hours

Temperature
Cream (per ceut.)

First Glass.

6
30°

12

45°

24

30°

36
35°

48
30°

nt.)..

20

20

19

17

16

6

38°

24
32°

at.)...

19

17

Second Glass.

Hours

Temperature

Cream (per cent.)...

Hours

Temperature

Cream (per cent.)...

6

12

24

36

55°

55°

45°

58°

12

12

12

12

6

24

60°

65°

5

10

47°
12

Aside from the necessity of regulating depth and temperature
in relation to each other, there has been noticed quite generally,
in many cases, that where cream is raised by a low temperature,
it diminishes in bulk by standing on the milk, as is noticed by
the figures given :

Thus, in 6 hours, all the cream had risen that was made ap-
parent in our narrow and deep per cent, glasses.

In water, at 32°, more cream was observed at the end of 4
hours — 21 per cent. — than was noticed after ; it then declined to
17|- per cent, at the end of 24 hours.

There is, in our herd of cows, an Ayrshire cow, that shows
but 3 per cent, of cream ; also a Jersey, that shows 24 per cent.

10

This difference is so marked, that I mention it. It serves to
illustrate the oft stated fact, that the amount of milk is no
guide to the value of a cow for ordinary dairy purposes. Both
are thoroughbreds.

PEE CENT. OE FOOD CONSUMED BY NEAT STOCK DAILY.

It would seem to be desirable to have American percentages
of food consumed by live weight daily, instead of German re-
sults, of doubtful application here, whose general statement
is 3 per cent, of live weight daily of hay.

The per cent, consumed daily will depend both upon breed
and age. The relation of breed to amount of food consumed is
now under investigation.

Twelve cows — 9 in milk, 3 forward with calf — consumed in
14 days, 3,590 lbs. hay, 350 lbs. meal, and 266 lbs. of bran ;
weight of stock, 11,960 lbs. ; per cent, of live weight consumed
daily 2.63; gain of stock, 137 lbs. The grain wras estimated in
its equivalent of hay, and added to it.

Two calves; weight, 598 lbs. ; age, 4 months; fed hay alone;
time, 45 days; fed, 917 lbs.; per cent, of live weight daily,
3.5 lbs. ; hay to make 1 lb. of growth, 7.7 lbs.

Six calves; fed, 21 days, 1,340 lbs. hay; gain, 111 lbs. ; to
make lib. growth, 12 lbs. hay; age of calves, 8 months; per
cent, of live weight daily, 2.8.

Fed 3 two-year-old steers 82 days ; consumed 5,065 lbs. ; per-
cent, of live weight daily, 1.9; gain, 136 lbs.

Thus they gained about ^- lb. each daily on less food than the
Germans have found necessary to maintain existence without
gain or loss. Is the quality of our hay better than theirs ? or is
our stock better calculated to appropriate to growth the food
consumed ?

The food given these steers was coarse Herd's-grass, and
not relished. By mixing fine hay with it, they would consume
10 lbs. more per day, and make a very much more rapid growth.
This last 10 lbs. thus consumed made much more growth than
the first 60 lbs. given.

Two three-year-old steers consumed, in 30 days, 1,636 lbs. of
hay; percent, of daily consumption, 2.2 of live weight; amount
of hay to make 1 lb. growth, 17.4 lbs.; gain of steers, 94 lbs., or
1.56 lbs. each daily.

11

By consuming .3 of 1 per cent., or 3 lbs. of hay more per
day for every 1,000 lbs. of animal weight, these three-year-old
steers have gained per day more than three times as much as
the two-year-old steers, the two-year-old steers being larger
per cent, and more thrifty of their age. The small calves have
eaten 3.5 of live weight daily, and the three-year-old steers only
2.2 per cent, daily ; and the calves have made 1 lb. of growth
for 7.7 lbs. of hay, and the three-year-old steers have required
17.4 lbs. to make 1 lb. of growth. Then it is large consumption
that means rapid and cheap growth.

On pigs and cattle both, I find that young animals consume,
in proportion to weight, more than old ones, and grow faster.
As an animal increases in age or size, the more food is required
to make 1 lb. of growth.

For the winter of 1877-8, I find our two-year-old steers are
consuming 2.5 per cent, of live weight daily, and are gaining
1^ lbs. daily on the feed, being hay that was damaged by rain. •

Our year-old steers are consuming, thus far, 2.75 per cent,
daily of their live weight.

It required 12 lbs. of hay, very nearly, for our calves and
three-years-old steers, fed together, — and they will represent the
average age of young stock kept in New Hampshire, — to make
lib. of growth. At $12 per ton, lib. of winter growth, under
favorable circumstances, would cost 7.2 cents.

Now consider the cost of summer growth :

Six steers, sold in July, had gained 120 lbs. each ; cost per lb.,
1.6 cents.

Six steers, sold in October, had gained 220 lbs. each ; cost per
lb., 1.3 cents.

Winter growth only pays in connection with summer growth.
The policy of fattening stock in winter is usually a bad one, and
one that belongs to the past. To sell growing stock in the
spring is also poor policy.

COMPLEMENTARY FOODS.

Scientists state that coarse food, like straw, corn-stalks, poor
hay, &c, contains an excess of carbo-hydrates, or the elements

12

that maintain respiration, and in a measure supply fattening
materials, while they lack in the materials that make flesh and
bones — albuminoids ; that bran, cotton-seed meal, oil cake, &c,
contain an excess of the latter, and a low per cent, of the former
material, and that by putting the two classes of food together
in feeding, more of each of the elements will be utilized, if
rightly combined, and a cheaper food thus furnished.

A series of experiments has been undertaken which must be
of long duration to test this matter.

Three lots of thrifty two-year-old steers were weighed. .

Lot 1, — weight, 2,937 lbs. Fed average quality of hay — not
best.

Lot 2, — weight, 2,9291bs. Fed bran and straw.

Lot 3, — weight, 3,115 lbs. Fed cotton-seed meal.

Without giving the several weighings, and the varying
amounts of food, I will state totals for a month's feeding, with
calculations of digestible matter consumed:

Weight of Lot 1, at end of month, 2,992 lbs.

Weight of Lot 2, at end of month, 2,967 lbs.

Weight of Lot 3, at end of month, 3,198 lbs.

Lot 1 consumed, hay, 1,910 lbs.

Lot 2 consumed, straw, 1,091 lbs. ; bran, 714 lbs.

Lot 3 consumed, straw, 1,393 lbs. ; cotton-seed meal, 384 lbs.

Albuminoids

Carbo-hy-
drates .

Fat.

Lot 1 consumed of digestible,

Lot 2 consumed in straw,

Lot 2 consumed in bran,

Lot 3 consumed in straw,

Lot 3 consumed in cotton-seed meal,

122. 24 lbs.
14.18

77.82

18.10

110.59

890 lbs.
408
268.46
520.98
65.28

18.14 lbs.

6 54
24.27

8.3
38 01

Cost of food, estimating hay at what I suppose might be an
average price for the state :

Lot 1, for 28 days, $14.62.

Lot 2, for 28 days, 111.28. Straw, $5 per ton ; bran, $24 per
ton. >

Lot 3, for 28 days, $10.55. •

The pounds consumed, given, were for 32 days in Lot 3.

13

At the close of one month's feeding, — they were all fed alike on
hay — poor coarse hay, for 20 days, — Lot 1 gained but 5 lbs.,
while Lot 3 gained 74 lbs, showing that the effect of the con-
centrated food was to lessen the amount of offal, and that the
weight given by the scales did not represent the true gain of
the lots fed on grain.

In continuation of these same experiments, four lots of steers
have been weighed, and will be fed during the entire winter of
1878, one out of each lot being carded, and weight kept; also,
one lot, as were the cows, will be fed on roots. We wish to as-
certain the value of roots in farm economy in this country.

The steers were all of one age — 2 years old — and size, and
all thrifty — 2 in each lot :

Lot 1, — weight, 2,050 lbs ; feed, hay.

Lot 2, — weight, 2,062 lbs. ; feed, hay and turnips — 1 peck each
of turnips daily.

Lot 3, — weight, 2,037 lbs. ; feed, corn-fodder and corn meal,
16 lbs.

Lot 4, — weight, 2,071 lbs. ; feed, corn-fodder, bran, and cot-
ton-seed meal, 15 lbs.

The bran and cotton-seed meal were estimated to furnish as
much albuminoids as would be found in the hay.

The meal was fed to ascertain whether the results were due
to albuminoids in bran and cotton-seed, or to the mere fact that
they were a rich food, or, in short, to compare the value of the
two classes of food to feed with coarse fodder.

December 24, —

Lot 1 weighed 2,067 lbs.
Lot 2 weighed 2,170 lbs.
Lot 3 weighed 1,996 lbs.
Lot 4 weighed 2,066 lbs.

January 7, —

Lot 1 weighed 2,133 lbs.

Lot 2 weighed 2,187 lbs.

Lot 3 weighed 2,045 lbs.

Lot 4 weighed 2,126 lbs.
One of each lot carded after January 7.

14

January 21, —

Lot 1 weighed 2,172 lbs.

Lot 2 weighed 2,232 lbs.

Lot 3 weighed 2,084 lbs.

Lot 4 weighed 2,149 lbs.
February 1, —

Lot 1 weighed 2,165 lbs.

Lot 2 weighed 2,222 lbs.

Lot 3 weighed 2,095 lbs.

Lot 4 weighed 2,202 lbs.

The first effect of turnips was a wonderful growth. The re-
sults since have been disappointing.

Lot 2 consumed nearly 5 lbs. of hay less each day.

The first weighing gave a loss for those fed on corn-fodder
and concentrated food. Since the first weighing the gain has
been as follows :

Lot 1, 98 lbs.

Lot 2, 52 lbs.

Lot 3, 99 lbs.

Lot 4, 1361 .

The manure from Lot 4 will be found worth thrice as much
as Lot 3.

I will add that Lot 4 ate their coarse fodder better with the al-
buminous food, than Lot 3 with corn meal or carbonaceous food.
The corn meal affords more digestible matter than the bran and
cotton-seed meal. We have three months more to feed, after
which we will report in full.

We have been somewhat surprised to find that our carded
steers, after a month's carding, have not gained as much as the
uncarded ones.

PIG FEEDING.

Omitting experiments requiring detailed account for a future
time, I will give results of feeding three lots of pigs of one type
from a common mother, and weighing, Lot 1, 74 lbs., fed on mid-
dlings alone ; Lot 2, 72 lbs., fed on skim milk alone; Lot 3, 72 lbs.,
fed on corn meal alone. Lot 1 and 3 were fed to contrast value of
meal and middlings, and Lot 2 to fix a value for skim milk in the

15

dairy account. These will all be continued on an enlarged scale,
Lot 2 to have some fatty matter in the milk, to get the full value
of the nitrogenous matter of the milk. The pigs were six weeks
old.

,§

*l

Cost per pound

rH

Consumed.
i

Gained.

S2

so

*° o

growth.

"g'S

O <D

2. 230

Lotl. 342 lbs.
3. 285
2. 342

First Weighing— 28 days.

Lotl.
3.
2.

131% lbs.
174

445 qts.

32 lbs. 4.1 lbs. 5.1 cts.
48 3.6 4.5
45 9.8 qts.

Second Weighing— 39 days,

24.6 lbs
27.7

Lotl.
3.
2.

215 lbs.
390
1003 qts.

58 lbs. 3.7 lbs. 4.5 cts.
115 3.4 4.25
89 11.3 qts.

Third Weighing — 43 days.

27. lbs
29.1

Lotl.
3.

2.

290 lbs.
427
1580 qts.

56 lbs. 5.1 lbs. 6.37 cts.
100 4.27 5.3
106 15 qts.

Fourth Weighing — 26 days.

19.6 lbs
21.2

Lotl.
3.

187 lbs.
289

55 lbs. 3.4 lbs. 4.25 cts.
60 4.8 5.82

23.2 lbs
20.4

Meal and middlings in place of milk.
46 5 6.25

Fifth Weighing— 30 days.

97 lbs.
75

107

3.5 lbs.

3.8

3.2

4.6 cts.

4.75

4

20

28.6 lbs.

26.2

31.3

Lot 1, dressed weight, 289 lbs.; shrinkage, 22.8 per cent.
Lot 2, dressed weight, 371 lbs. ; shrinkage, 18.6 per cent.
Lot 3, dressed weight, 387 lbs.; shrinkage, 20.2 per cent.

The skim milk did not yield quite half a cent per quart return.
We hope to show it to be worth more by the use of proper food
with it. The growth by meal or middlings did not cost quite
five cents per pound live weight, while it would have sold
for five and a half cents. In relation to growth, those on mid-

16

dlings had a tendency to grow what is termed coarser than those
on meal, and had to be fattened off on meal.

A pig each of Lots 1 and 3 got injured, the pig of Lot 3 suffer-
ing most. That accounts for the fluctuation in amount of food
required at the beginning of the experiment to make a pound of
growth.

There are several things of interest to me in the experiment
that suggest further inquiry. It is my place to give the facts,
but I forbear to analyze them. I would ask, however, why did
Lot 3 consume so much more food than Lot 1, and yet make no
more growth per pound of food consumed? The reason seems
apparent, and opens a field for investigation that may be of
utility.

Last weighing of Lot 2 gave 17-J- lbs. increase for a bushel of
corn.

FIELD EXPERIMENTS.

Field experiments have been carried on in the method of using
seed potatoes, curing of corn, application of manures, and other
processes, which will require several seasons for completion.

One experiment on a potato-field will be given. It will show
no marked result in total yield, being a very poor soil for pota-
toes, as will be seen from the nothing plat, which gave but twen-
ty-five bushels of potatoes per acre on one end of the piece, and
only about twice as much on the other. Most of the plats were
2 x 2£ rods, the nothing plats being only one half as wide ; but
the result will be given in plats 2 x 2| rods.

17

Crop,— potatoes— Size of plat, 2x2y2 rods— Yield given in lbs.

6

oS

fi>

o

cc

H

H

27

61

88

30

48

78

27

20

47

20

23

43

44

78

122

24

29

53

55

91

146

48

46

94

34

26

60

68

89i

157$

52

72

124

55

98

153

50

36

86

48

46

94

42

26

68

41

68

109

60

99

159

~ Si

Plaster, 17 lbs Rough

Sulphate Magnesia, 12y2 lbs

Nothing Smooth

Salt, 10 qts Smooth

Ashes, 3% bush Nearly all smooth

Ashes, 3% bush., and 2 lbs. Nitrogen, in Dried Blood, very rough
Stockbridge Combination, 19 lbs. Dried Blood, 11 per

ct. Nitrogen, 8 lbs. Bone Black, 16 per ct. Phos.

Acid, 9.4 lbs. Snl. Potash, 36 per ct. Potash Smooth

Nitrogen, 2 lbs., and Phos. Acid, 1.281b Smooth

Nothing ,

Phos. Acid, 1.20 lbs., and Potash, 3.38 lbs

Nitrogen, 2 lbs., and Potash, 3.28

Same as Plat 7, with only % quantity of Dried Blood

Nothing

Nitrogen, 3.6 lbs

Phos. Acid, 1.28 lb

Potash, 3.38 lbs

Stockbridge Formula, as prepared by Bowker & Co

66

8 loss
159

12

210
100

27
234
163
225

82
100

45
131
238

Plat 17 did not make as large an increase over the nearest
nothing plat as plat 7, both containing the same materials in the
same amounts. The chemicals were bought for plat 7, and the
manufactured material for plat 17, the chemicals costing 20 per
cent, less for plat 7 than the material for plat 17. Plat 12 was
treated the same as plat 7, only that one half the quantity of
nitrogen was used with as favorable results. Ashes furnish all
of the mineral elements of plants. It was thought that, by the
addition of nitrogen, a complete manure would be had, practi-
cally ; yet we find ourselves much surprised to learn that it has
actually decreased the crop 147 per cent. What is the reason ?
The omission of potash cuts the crop down one half in plat 8, or
110 per cent. In plat 10 nitrogen is omitted ; yet we get really
the largest crop of any plat, relatively. Phosphoric acid is nec-
essary, as is seen by plat 11, where it is wanting, in comparison
with plats 10 and 16. Nitrogen is one half the cost of our po-
tato fertilizer nearly, and what have we to show for its use on
our potato-plats ?

FERTILIZERS ON THE WILSON FARM, GILMANTON.

Upon the same plan, Geo. W. Sanborn, of Gilmanton, on his
farm, tried the three elements that enter into the Stockbridge
formula. These results are so unlike those on the college farm

9

18

that I introduce them here. The soil on the college farm is al-
luvial,— a heavy blue clay. The Wilson farm is a clay-loam hill
farm, very much like the majority of hill farms of New Hamp-
shire :

Two rows, 2 lbs. nitrogen, .50 bushel large, .50 bushel small
potatoes, equals 1.

One row, nothing, .17 bushel large, .37 bushel small pota-
toes, multiplied by 2, equals 1.08.

Two rows, 4 lbs. potash, .67 bushel large, .70 bushel small
potatoes, equals 1.37.

One row, nothing, .20 bushel large, .33 bushel small potatoes,
multiplied by 2, equals 1.06.

Two rows, 2 lbs. nitrogen and 4 lbs. potash, .50 bushel small
and .70 bushel large potatoes, equals 1.20.

One row, nothing, .25 bushel large potatoes, .20 bushel small,
multiplied by 2, equals .90.

Two rows, 1 lb. phosphoric acid, 1.50 bushel large potatoes,
.87 bushel small, equals 2.37.

Two rows, 1 lb. phosphoric acid and 4 lbs. potash, 1.18 bushel
large potatoes, .62 bushel small, equals 1.80.

One row, nothing, .37 bushel large potatoes, .25 bushel small,
multiplied by 2, equals 1.24.

Two rows, 1 lb. phosphoric acid and 2 lbs. nitrogen, 1.68 bush-
el large potatoes, 1 bushel small, equals 2.68.

Two rows, nothing, 40 bushel large potatoes, 32 bushel small,
equals .72.

Two rows, Stockbridge, bought of Bowker & Co., 1.87 bushel
large and .75 bushel small potatoes, equals 2.62.

Nitrogen has accomplished but little here, and has not paid.
Will the potato-plant gather all of its nitrogen from the air and
soil in its compounds? Phosphoric acid has given a wonderful
result alone, and for that crop must have been of much profit.
It was potash needed for the crop on the state farm. It is phos-
phoric acid for the Wilson farm. The nitrogen was for both
farms procured in dried blood, the phosphate acid in bone-black,
and the potash in muriate of potash. We do not claim maturi-
ty for these experiments, but suppose they may be of some ben-
efit to the practical farmer. I trust the time will come when

19

the college farm will have the means to carry on more extended
inquiry in a wider, more fruitful, and less explored field. Yet,
if farming is to be pursued by correct methods, an aggregation
of facts in the direction of our inquiry is needed, that we may
lay down general laws for our guidance in pursuit of specific
ends. Experimental stations are needed to search out facts, and
from them enable us to lay down positive principles, that, under
like circumstances, shall always give like results. When agri-
culture can be guided by well-defined laws instead of vague the-
ories, by facts instead of conjecture, the cost of production will
be very much reduced, and the producer and consumer greatly
benefited. Investigation into and knowledge of the science of
agriculture can do more than work, in any and perhaps all other
fields, to emancipate man from the burden of excessive labor,
and to aid the world in its grand march toward a higher civiliza-
tion, and to diffuse more uniformly the comforts and luxuries of
life.

%.