Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-04-13

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bohydrates. The protein of foods
like that OF the animal body, is char
acterized by containing nitrogen, anu
is therefore frequently designated
as heterogeneous matter. Sometimes
the term albuminoids is used 70
designate this group, or a certain
class of protein substances. the
function of protein in food is 10
build up and repair the working
machinery of the body. Protein Is
necessary for the production of milk
and wool. No other food constituent
can fulfil this function. The nu-
tritive ratio means the relation oil
digestible protein to dige5tibie car
bohydrates and fat, and the right
combination of these nutrients IN
food stuff forms the desirable ration
The amount of nutrients required
and the proportion in which eacn
should be given, vary with the KIM OF
animal, and the purpose for which y
is kept. and whether it is growing
being fattened, doing work or produc-
ing milk or wool. An animal at rest
requires less food than one at work,
and the various nutrients in different
proportions. 4 COW yielding milk re
uuires more food and the nutrients
differently balanced, than in the "a
ton OF one not producing milk.
Feeding standards are the condensed
results of many experiments and
much practical experience. Although
not TO be regarded as mathematically
exact. they are of value as aids TO
farmers.
Irrigation in Eastern States.
The rise in prices of agricultural
lands in the last few years has made
it necessary that farmers should get
the largest possible return from their
lands. and has created a general in
terest in whatever will help to that
end. One of the aids now being con-
sidered is irrigation. In the east 1t
is not. as in the west, absolutely
necessary for the raising If any crops.
but. like fertilizing or thorough
cultivation. is a means of increasing
the returns from land. The whole
question is whether it will pay. The
report OF the irrigation Investigations
of the department of agriculture for
the year 1901, carried on under the
direction of Elwood Mead, gives some
valuable data on this question. The
report covers experiments in Missouri,
/ Wisconsin and New Jersey. a series
Of experiments extending over several
years at the Wisconsin experiment
station at Madison show marked III
crease in yields of farm crops. The
average increase in the yields OF
clover hay on irrigated land over
that from unirrigated land has been
'2.5 tons per acre: the average in
crease in yield of corn has been
$685. bushels per ace, and potatoes
show a gain of S3.9 bushels per acre.
The annual cost of irrigation at Madl-
son has been S6.6S per acre, not in
Guiding any interest on the invest
ment. but including all extra labor.
! At current prices this leaves a net
profit from irrigation of about $50 per
acre on hay, S11 per acre on corn, and
1873 per acre on potatoes. The coll
iitions of soil and climate at Madison
do not differ from those of the middle
west generally, and the results given
above show that where water can be
obtained without too large an outlay
: irrigation as a part of intensive farm
: ing is very profitable. Another series
of experiments was begun for testing
I the effect of irrigation and fertiliZa'
ton on sandy soils, such as are COM
mon in large sections of Michigan.
Wisconsin and Minnesota. These
lands are poor in plant food, and re-
/ tain so little moisture that all at
tempts to farm them have failed.
The experiments included the supply
! ing of both manure and water.
Manure alone was of little use, as
there was not water enough to make
the plant food available. Water alone
produced good results, but the APP
plication of both gave. the best re-
suits. The cost of irrigation was
500 per acre, and the net gain from
irrigation was as follows: Potatoes,
$50 per acre; corn, 81 per acre;
watermelons, S5S per acre; musk
MELONS, S45 per acre. From these
experiments il seems that with
special crops irrigation of the sandy
lands is profitable, but the increase in