The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-07-11

may be stacked in the afternoon, II not
| we recock carefully.
| Some alfalfa growers, in stacking the
first cutting of alfalfa, put alfalfa and
dry straw or prairie hay in alternate
layers. This is a satisfactory way II
| the dry material Is available. Others
use 10 to Is pounds of salt or air-slak-
| ed lime for each ton Of hay, sprinklfng
the salt or lime so as to cover as much
of each load as possible. Experiments
made at this station indicate that con-
siderably less gains are made by cattle
when salt is mixed with the feed A
trial of lime on alfalfa. made at this
station, showed little effect. From all
the experience we have gained to date,
we advise that thel best way to pre-
vent spontaneous combustion of alfalfa
Is to thoroughly cure before stacking.
| 1t is not often that all the conditions
necessary to produce spontaneous COM
bustion are present, and ordinarily
there Is no danger, where reasonable
care is taken. expect with the first cut
ting, and with this cutting only when
the growth Is rank.
Experiment in Cattle Feeding.
| The Department Of Animal Industry
of the Missouri Experiment Station re-
grade Hereford steers. The cattle sold
were the first installment of the $50
head in the cooperative feeding exper-
iment being carried on by the Missouri
Station in cooperation with the United
States Department of Agriculture. This
experiment was begun In September.
i 1902, by the purchase Of seventyflve
icalYes. The object of the experiment
was to determine the relative value of
various forage crops fed In combination
with corn and other grains At the
same time 1t was determined to make
the most comprehensive and thorough
Investigation of the influence Of age on
the economy of beef production.
| The experiment Is one of the most
carefully planned and extensive that
has ever been undertaken to determine
the relative influence of age and condi-
ton on the economy of. beef produc-
ton.
| The twenty-eight head of cattle were
placed on full feed May l. 1903 At
that time they were twelve to fourteen
months old. They were divided into
four lots, seven head In each lot. and
all placed on good blue grass pasture.
Lot l was fed a ration Of corn and lin
seed meal Lot corn and cotton seed
meal. Lot corn and gluten feed. In
each of these rations the grains were
in the proportion of three parts corn
to one part heterogeneous concentrates
Lot was fed shelled corn exclusively
| The general results appear in the
table which is presented herewith. The
prices of grain in the experiment are
estimated as follows: Corn. 40 cents
per bushel, gluten s22 per ton, cotton
seed meal, $25 per ton, linseed. $26 per
ton:
Lot Corn and linseed meal; daily
gain, 2.54 pounds; grain per pound
gain, 1922; cost grain per pound of gain.
6.02 cents.
Lot Corn and cotton seed meal;
daily gain, Pa pounds; grain per
pound gain, 7.12; cost grain per pound
of gain. 6.o3 cents.
Lot 3-Corn and gluten feed daily
gain. $50 pounds; grain per pound
gain. 7.51; cost grain per pound OF
gain. eos cents.
Lot Corn alone; daily gain, 2 &c
pounds grain per pound gain, TAI
cost grain per pound of gain. 5.2s
lcents.
The calves were well fed during the
winter of 1902 and were in good con.
dftion at the beginning of the expert
ment to make the most economical
gains. 1t will be seen from the table
that Lot l receiving corn and linseed
meal made the largest gains but these
were the most costly of all The
smallest gains were made by Lot or
an exclusive corn ration, but these
gains were the most economic At the
time the cattle were sold the lots re.
lceiving linseed and cotton seed mea
were still making good gains The lot
on corn alone had apparently reached
the limit of profitable gains severa
weeks before those receiving nitrogen.
Gus supplements.-Farm and Ranch.