The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-11-15

Cotton seed Meal and HuIls.
The South Omaha "Drover's Journal
made inquiry Of the Texas experiment
station as TO what was contained in the
meal OF bulls OF cotton seed to cause
| the death OF live stock to which IL had
been fed. The following is the reply:
We are now running three expert
| ments to find, If possible. the cause OF
death of live stock fed upon cotton seed
or its products One OF these in beer
cattle and two in feeding pigs.
You say the practical feeders claim
that these poison conditions are never
present except when the bulls are used
for the roughness. This claim cannot
be substantiated because hogs die when
fed the meal. The meal is just as likely
to contain the poisonous principle OF
cotton root as In any other part of the
plant. We are now teaching cotton
seed meal in large quantities to feed
in concentrated solution to pigs and
try, If possible, to find the poisonous
principle. 1t has thus far escaped us.
This work Is in charge of our veterin-
ar1an, DR.. Francis, who Is probably bet
ter equipped to carry On this work to a
successful condition than is any one
else in the south.
For myself, / believe there are two
agencies at work, causing the death of
live stock when fed cotton seed and its
products continuously. The first one
OF these Is the active poisonous prin-
ciple belonging to the clasi ptomaines;
and the second cause is found in the
excessive fattening and concentrated
composition of the feeds used. The COM
position of cotton seed bulls and meal
indicate clearly that these two food
stuffs do not contain all of the elements
necessary to keep up the complex ami
NAL system. They are too heating and
too fattening in their constituents and
their tendency Is to induce a fevered
condition of the digestive organs and
weaken the entire constitution. This
weakened condition combined with ac-
tive poisonous principles (Which have
been inactive until now causes fire,
quent deaths.
A long acquaintance with cotton seed
meal as cow food Qed when no bulls
we're used) proves to me that the cotton
seed meal, II long continued, will de-
range the digestive system of mich
cows and show general tendency to
abortion in the herd. This has been
the experience of some other dairy en-
Of the south, who have fed large quaint
ties of cotton seed meal in connection
with hay ration.
l do not know that the feeders of the
northwest have actually learned more
than have the feeders of Texas con-
corning the value Of cotton seed meal
lii their rations. On the contrary they
have Used too small quantities for their
best good, because they were prei,-
diced against 1t as food stuff by COM
mon report and longwinded articles
advertising the danger of feeding cotton
seed products in any form.
Mature or Immature Corn.-Accord-
ing to Bulletin No. IT. of the Maine
Experiment station, Orone, an expert
ment conducted furnishes a striking
illustration of the folly of harvesting
immature corn for silage or fodder pur-
poses whenever 1t Is possible to allow
1t to attain maturity. In this instance
the total quantity of dry matter in an
acre OF corn at maturity was nearly two
and one-half times greater than at the
silking period, thirty-seven days prev
ious, the average rate Of increase of dry
substance per acre being about one
hundred and eight pounds daily. This
daily increase is equivalent in quantity
to one days ration for four OF five cows
of ordinary weight."-Ex.
Barnyard Misunderstanding OF
barnyard manure, Prof. Bailey says
there are sound scientific reasons for
the high esteem in which this manure
Is held. 1t contains all the fertlllzing
elements required by plants in forms
that insure plentiful crops and perrca-
nent fertility to the soil. 1t not only
enriohes the soil with the nitrogen.
phosphoric acid and potash which II
contains, but 1t also renders the stored
up materials Of the soil more available.
improves its mechanical condition,
makes 1t warmer and enables 1t to re-
tain more moisture or draw it up from
below.-Ex.
Horse Sense. "A striking instance
of animal instinct or "horse sense" is
revealed by the actions of an old horse
owned by Henry Root, a prosperous far
mer Of Wissahickson. Mr.. Roots horse
has been troubled for months with
rheumatism Of the entire body, and all
the treatment of learned veterinarians
failed to relieve the suffering animal.
One day, upon being turned into the
meadow the horse paved the loose
earth with its hoof and stopped down to
lick up the dirt. Almost Immediately
the beneficial effects were noticeable,
and ever since the rheumatic horse has
taken his daily dose of mud to the ex-
tent Of nearly half peck per day. He
is almost entirely cured.-Philadelphi
Inquirer.
Sheep as Weed Destroyers.-Sheep
will eat a greater variety of plants than
any other farm animal. Research by
scientists shows, that the horse will
eat so varieties of plants, the COW Sc
and the sheep 556 out of 600 plants In
the test. We have observed that sheep
do not seem to be choice In the matter
Of what plants they eat when on the
rounds Of grazing. We have noticed
sheep eating of every weed we have
seen on our lands where sheep could
run, except the large milk weed. They
seem to relish change of diet, even In
the midst Of plenty of the good pasture
grasses.