1868, the pigs were all together until the 3d week, when they were divided into two lots, each of which were placed in a separate pen. This change made them restless for several days, and prevented an average return for the feed consumed. The importance of early maturity in animals raised for the production of meat, is clearly shown in this series of experiments. In the manufacture of pork, the best return for the feed consumed, will undoubtedly be obtained by liberal feeding during the early stages of growth, and we cannot reasonably avoid the conclusion that the same rule is applicable to all animals raised for the purposes of the butcher. As animals are employed to convert the vegetable products of the farm into animal products of greater value, the greatest profit in fattening may reasonably be expected from liberal feeding during the period of growth, in which the organs of nutrition are capable of converting the largest amount of materials into animal tissues in a given time. A temporary building, with fifteen pens has been made, for the purpose of continuing the experiments in pig-feeding, on a larger scale. In the spring, as soon as pigs can be obtained for the purpose, it is proposed to make a trial of three distinct breeds, viz: the Essex, the Suffolk, and the Chester White. Five pigs of each breed will be placed in separate pens, at the age of three or four weeks, and furnished with the same kind of feed throughout the experiment. An equal number of animals of each breed will likewise be kept until they are about a year old, when they will be placed in the pens for fattening, so that the return obtained for the feed consumed at different ages, may be determined. 13 M. MILES. EXPERIMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF MANURES. Two acres near the north end of field No. 2, were selected for the purpose of ascertaining the effect of different modes of applying manures. The soil is a friable loam, of apparently uniform character, resting upon a stratum of heavy clay. For several years the field had been used as meadow; the herbage consisting of a mixture of clover, timothy and blue grass. The clover had nearly disappeared during the past season. Ten pieces were staked off two rods in width and sixteen rods in length. Each piece was designated by a letter, and subdivided into four equal plats, each of which was distinguished by a figure following the letter, as shown in the accompanying plan of the experiment. In an experiment with manures applied at different seasons of the year, there is danger of fallacy from the varying character of the manures applied to the different plats. As the feed consumed in the bull stables is quite uniform throughout the year, consisting of clover and timothy hay, with a moderate ration of grain, the manure in this experiment was all taken from the "bull yard," and as fermentation had not taken place, it was probably of as uniform quality as could well be obtained. On the sixth day of December, 1867, six loads of manure containing about 41 cubic feet each, were hauled to each of the pieces marked G and C, and spread evenly over the surface. On the 21st day of April, 1868, six loads of manure were hauled to the piece marked E, and spread in the same The land was all ploughed The ploughing should have manner as on the plats G and C. from the 5th to the 7th of May. been done in one day, in order to secure uniformity in the condition of the surface, but this part of our plan was interfered with by circumstances beyond our control. In all subsequent operations of fitting the ground for planting, and in cultivating and hoeing, the same amount of labor was expended on each piece the same day. After ploughing, six loads of manure were spread on each of the pieces marked A and I, on the 9th of May. The entire surface was harrowed May 13th. On the 21st of May, yellow dent corn was planted on all the pieces alike, in drills running north and south, four feet apart. A cultivator was run twice in a row on the 16th of June, and it was all hand-hoed on the 17th. July 8th it was again cultivated and hoed, and on the 21st of September it was cut up and put in "stooks." The corn was husked and weighed, on plats No's 2, 3 and 4, of each letter, on the 22d of October. The corn on plats No. 1, of each letter, was husked and weighed October 23d. The stalks were all hauled and weighed on the 27th of October. The weather was favorable during the time of husking and hauling, so that the crop was secured in good condition. On the following plan of the experiment, the weight of the corn in the ear, and the weight of the stalks, in pounds and decimals, is marked on each plat. For convenience of reference, a letter, indicating the time of applying the manure, is prefixed to the letter and number designating the plat. Plats marked N, were not manured. X, were manured Dec. 6th, before ploughing. Y, were manured April 21st, before ploughing. |