The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-01-07
ASHES AND BONE-MEAL.
Details of Experiments Of the Wisconsin
Agricultural Station.


Agricultural Station.
A recent bulletin of the Wisconsin
Experiment Station gives details of OK.
periments in feeding hardwood ashes
and bone-meal to hogs living on corn
| water and salt. The first lot Of hogs
was fed nothing else; the second lot was
fed little ground bone daily; the third
lot had free access to trough OF hard
wood ashes. Three separate trials Were
made.
As the average of the three trials, II
was found that where neither ashes nor
bone-meal was fed, 629 pounds of corn
meal were required to produce 100
pounds of gain with the pigs. Where
ashes were fed 491 pounds only were
required. Where bone-meal was fed,
4S7 pounds of corn were required to pro-
duce 100 pounds of gain. This shows
that the ashes aided digestion, and made
a given amount of feed go further. The
most interesting part of the experiment
perhaps, relates to the bones of the
pigs. 1t was found that where no ashes
or bone-meal were fed the bones of the
pigs were quite weak. The thigh bones
cut out from the hams were broken in
two by an average pressure OF 3Ol
pounds where no ashes or bone-meal
were fed. Where ashes were fed, ISL
pounds of pressure were required, while
the bones from the bone-meal-fed pigs
required $50 pounds of pressure to break
each bone. The thigh bones of the pigs
were then burned, and it was found
that those receiving no bone-meal OF
ashes contained 107 grams of mineral
matter, and those from the hogs getting
ashes gave 100 grams, while those get
ting bone-meal gave 1853 grams. Prof
Henry gives the following conclusion!
as drawn from the work:
/. That the effect Of the bone-mea
, and ashes was to save about 100 pounds
e of corn, or 2S per cent of the tota
e amount fed in producing 100 pounds O
: gain, live weight.
I 2. That by feeding the bone-meal W.
+ doubled the strength of the thigh bones
ashes nearly doubled the strength o
' the bones.
y 8. There was about so per cent. NOR
ash in the bones of the hogs receiving
bone-meal and hard wood ashes than il
the others.
No difference was found in the pre-
portion of fat to lean meat in the body
The benefits of the ashes, therefore
seem limited to strengthening the bone
and aiding digestion. These, however
are very important, and warrant GU
Il farmers in using some mineral agent Q
4 this character regularly and freely il
$ hog feeding, especially where muc
g. corn is fed. Bone-meal seems to bull
q up somewhat stronger bones tina
ashes, but ashes do the work very wei
q indeed, and usually cost the farme
- nothing. The figures show most plainl
O. that Indian corn can not of itself bull
!, up strong bones, and must be supple
r. mented by ash material from othe
v sources. They point most plainly
. one cause, at least, of hogs becomin
4 too fine and lacking bone, commo
a complaint in the corn-growing sections
y Sows and growing pigs should not hav
=. their diet restricted to corn alone, a
, though that grain is exceedingly val,
% able as a part of the ration. A variet
n of food should be provided, such {
a clover, blue grass, shorts, peas. oa
a. and skim milk. Even where these Al
\. literally used, ashes should be access
: BILE at all times.-Ohio Farmer