SUNDRY FORAGE CROPS Six non-saccharine sorghums and leguminious crops were grown in a small way in 1898. The stands of the former were not particularly satisfactory; of the latter, fair. None of the sorghums had arrived at full maturity when harvested, the intention being to hay rather than to thrash them. The several varieties are arranged in the table of analyses according to their respective yields. ANALYSES OF NON-SACHARINE SORGHUMS AND LEGUMES Non-saccharine sorghums.-This class of crop is better adapted to semi arid regions and to latitudes further south than Vermont. Their strong point is that of drought resistance. There seems to be no good reason for thinking that they can compete successfully with such varieties of maize and of millet as are adapted to the climate and soil of this locality. Legumes.-The soy bean (soja bean) has been grown here for some years, has been referred to in previous station publications and seems a fairly promising forage crop, particularly if planted with corn. The vetches were from seed supplied by the United States department of agriculture and imported from Russia. In these trials they seemed to do no better if as well as did crops grown in former years from domestic seed. THE EFFECT OF FATIGUE UPON THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF MILK The results of two experiments showing the effect of travel upon the milk flow have been published in former years by the station.1 Further opportunity to add to our knowledge touching this matter having arisen, the following records were made: Six new milch cows were driven some 10 miles, shipped by rail 70 miles, arriving at destination at midnight about 18 hours after starting. They were not milked during this time. Samples were taken of the third and fourth milking after arrival of four days a week later and of four days three weeks later. The following table shows the yield and percentages of milk, solids, and solids-not-fat on the day after arrival and average daily yields and percentages one and three weeks later: The cows as a whole gave about the same quantity of milk on the day after arrival that they did later. Its quality was far richer, however, at first than it was after some time had elapsed. Considering each animal individually it was found that three gave more, one less, and two the same yield after becoming accustomed to their new quarters; that the fat percentages were less in each case; and that the solids-not-fat were irregular, two increasing and one decreasing decidedly as time went on. The character of the milk of the cow Pretoria on her third milking was positively abnormal in that it contained more fat than solids-not-fat. She 'gave 8.8 pounds of milk containing 17.31 per cent total solids, 8.78 per cent fat, 8.53 per cent solids-not-fat, 28 lactometer reading. During the month following she gave about 10 pounds to a milking, testing 4.05 per cent fat. In the trials previously reported temporary milk shrinkage was observed. This was not seen to any great extent in the present tests. In all cases, as in the present instance, temporary enrichment ensued. The outcome of this series of tests clearly shows the folly of testing a cow's milk before she becomes at home' in new quarters and has recovered from fatigue. 1 Vt. Sta. Rpts. 8, pp. 162-163, (1894), 11, pp. 367-368 (1898). APPENDIX CONTAINING CONDENSED DATA PERTAINING TO ARTICLE ON FEEDING TESTS AND THEIR METHODS. I. Weights of cows. II. Average barn temperatures, with ranges and percentages of uniformity. III. Analyses and digestible ingredients in fodders and feeds: (a) analyses on dry basis; (b) digestion co-efficients; (c) pounds of digestible nutrients in 100 pounds of original substance. IV. Feeding records of the individual cows in feeding tests. V. Production records; showing production and same per unit for each individual cow in feeding tests. VI. Difference tables. (a) Total of differences; (b) Percentage differences. VII. Results of experimental feeding on different rations. I. WEIGHTS OF COWS Golden Rod Jersey Lily Viola |