St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-09-05
WISCONSIN EXPERIMENTS.
Points From the Bulletins Gath
cred nv ORANGE Judd Farmer

Points From the Bulletins Gath
cred by Orange Judd Farmer.
A very useful bulletin is No. 20, of
the Wisconsin station, by Prof. E. S.
Golf. 1t gives synopsis of the weed
law of Wisconsin, with description
and methods of determination of the
weeds therein mentioned. The weeds
mentioned in the law are Canada
thistle, burdock. OX-eye daisy, toad flax,
coekle-bur, SOW thistle and yellow
dock. Six other noxious weeds are also
described: Couch grass, pig-weed.
glory and wild buckwheat. Illustra-
tons accompany the text.
SPRoUTING OF SEEDS.
Prof. L.. l.. II. Bailey contributes Bull
letin 2, of the Cornell station, on the
influence of certain conditions upon the
sprOuting OF seeds. Conclusions are
freely drawn. The proper work of the
experiment station is believed by the
writer to be that of determining the
best methods and conditions of testing
each species and variety; to describe
and announce laws and rules. rather
than to perform the petty tests for the
multitude. The endeaVor tic determine
the relative merits and honesty of seeds
men by means of testing their seeds is
believed to be the merest folly. While
the good that the seed control
stations of the old world has done
Is pointed out, there is believed to be no
necessity for them in this country. Sew
eral tests were made to determine the
influences of the soaking of seeds be-
fore sowing, from which the following
conclusions are drawn: Great gain in
rapidity of sproutlng, counting from
the time of planting, may be expected
as rule, if seeds are previously soaked
in water; and the longer the seeds are
soaked within reasonable limits, the
greater is usually the gain in rapidity
of sprouting. The gain is really fcti
tious, however, inaSmuch as germina-
ton actually begins in the soaked seeds
before the dry samples are sown. In
truth, the soaked seeds are SoWn earlier
than the dry ones. If this advance in
period Of sowing is added to the date OF
sowing Of the dry seeds, it will be
found that dry seeds, as rule.
SprOut fully as early as soaked seeds,
and often much earlier.
PIG FEEDING.
j. II. Cornell reports an instructive
series of tests IN pig feeding in Bulletin
10 of the Kentucky station. Four
separate feeding trials, including the
use of simple and compound foods, were
made. The experiments showed that
shelled corn produced fat more rapidly
.and at a cheaper rate than corn-cob
meal, corn-meal, cottonseed meal,
wheat, bran Or shipstuff. CottOnSeed
meal was not found to be profitable. and
much of the corn-cob meal was wasted
in feeding, because picked over and
refused. 1t is not entirely clear what
is meant by corn-cob meal, whether
ground corn-cobS or ground ear corn.
Presumably the latter, as $50 pounds
produced 100 of increase. 1t is related
that while pigs fed on wheat bran and
shipstuff Shorts made little gain. they
were somuch stronger than others that
they caused them serious injury when
| turned out together.
ALFALFA EXPERIMENTS.
After seven years. experience the
conclusion has been reached at the New
York station (Geneva) that lucerne or
alfalfa may be successfully grown in
| that state. 1t is stated that two-year
| old seed will not grow, and many of the
| failures to secure stand are attributed
| to Door seed. Fifteen tons per acre of
green fodder equal tofive and six-tenths
| tons of alfalfa hay was obtained last
year. A digestion experiment indicated
| teat it was more digestible than red
| clover hay. The suggestions given for
curing and harvesting the crop are en-
tirely inadequate for Western condi-
| tons, as for instance the use of barley
forks in place of horse rakes, and draw
| ing the hay only early in the forenoon.
A farmer with 100 acres of hay to make.
| and three weeks to do it, has no time
| for such petty operations.