’~ Wlflwfl TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. BULLETIN N0. s7. DECEMBER, 1895. SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES, COUPILICI) FROM “PRESS NOTES” PUBLISHED DURING THE YEARS 1894 AND 1895. INDEX. POSTOFFICE: COLLEGE CSTATION, BRAZOS CO., TEXAS. All Reportaffromthis Stmtionfiare sent free to farmers of the State onfapplicationfto .T. H. CONNELL, Dnusowon, P. O. College Station, Texas. A U S T I N : BEN c. JONES a» 00., scrum PRINTERS. 1895 [653] TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. GOVERNING BOARD. BOAICI) OI" DIRECTORS A. & M. COLLEGE. MAJ. A. J. ROSE, President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “Austin. IION. W. R. CAVITT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Bryan. HON. D. A. PAULUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Hallettsvi1]e. IION. G. W. BOWMAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..P1ano. IION. JOHN B. Lone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Rusk. TREASURER. PRESIDENT L. S. Ross . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Co11ege Station. STATION STAFF. J. II. (JONNELL, M. S0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Director. H. II. HARRINGTON, M. SC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Chemist. M. FRANCIS, D. V. M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Veterinarian. R. II. PRICE, B. S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Horticulturist. JAS. CLAYTON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Agricu1turist. D. ADRIANCIC, M. S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Meteorologist, Associate Chemist. P. S. TILSON, M. S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Assistant in Chemistry. J. W. CARSON, B. S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Assistant to Director. A. M. Souuc, B. S. A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assistant Agriculturist. SUB-STATION SUPERINTENDENT. S. A. MGHENRY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Beevi11e, Bee Co. [654] To the Public: The matter presented in these pages has before been published in the in the form of “ Press Notes,” and sent t0 all of the newspapers of the State quarterly during the past two years, with the request that they re- produce such of the matter as, in their judgment, would prove interest- ing to their readers. We are pleased to know that some 200 papers have used this matter as intended. In this manner the results of our experi- ments have been scattered broadcast throughout the State, and hundreds of farmers who have before been ignorantof the experimental work (lone in their behalf, have written us for the regular reports. Believing that a compilation of the more important matter in all these Press Notes would prove a contribution to Texas agricultural literature of some value, we present this miscellaneous matter, as prepared by the several departments of the Experiment Station. These articles are of two kinds, (1) those relating directly to results of experiments, and (2) a small number of letters written in reply to actual letters of inquiry upon all the varied subjects embraced in the term “ Texas Agriculture.” An index to this matter is added at the close of this Bulletin to assist in locating the special subjects treated in its pages. J. H. CONNELL, Director Texas Experiment Station. [655] TABLE OF CONTENTS. Administrative Department (BIise-ellaneoils correspondence andjartieles)“ . . 657 Chemical Iimpartment (Various agricultural subjects discussed) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 692 Veterinary Department (Livestock diseases and parasites) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 700 Iiorticultural Department (Various subjects discussed) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 705 Agricultural Department (Various subjects discussed) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 717 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 737 [650] TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENT. J. H. Connell, M. S. (3.. Director. J. W. Carson, B. S., Assistant. BY J. H. CONNELL. STOCK FEEDING. A GOOD GRAIN RATION FOR COLTS. DALLAS, TEXAS. DEAR SIR——I would like a well balanced ration for fine colts, to pro- duce the greatest growth and muscular development. Would like t0 use wheat straw (cut fine), bran, ship stuff, and cotton seed meal, in proper proportions. Can you give me a correct ration composed of these ingre- dients? H. E. ANSWER. Replying to your favor of November 16 asking for ration for growth and muscle development in colts, I am pleased to suggest the following combination of the feed stuffs mentioned: To 100 pounds of wheat straw add 5O pounds of bran, 20 pounds of ship stuff, 4O pounds of crushed oats, and 20 pounds of cotton seed meal. By feeding the grains here mentioned mixed, it is possible that your colts will eat the cotton seed meal with the other material, but in many cases it is very diflicult to force horse stock to eat cotton seed meal in any form or combination. Should you not be able to bring your colts to eat the cotton seed meal here suggested, it will be necessary to increase the amount of bran or ship stuff to 2O pounds. A good grain ration can not be made for a young colt of bran, cotton seed meal, and ship stuff, or of ship stuff and bran. Oats or corn meal are necessary to add to this, preferably oats. To give you some more definite idea of this ration as formed, I herewith give you the digestible nutrients and the Iiutritive ratio of each food, and the estimated value per 100 pounds for each, calculated on the basis of red clover at $15 per ton. In this analysis “albuminoid ” represents the muscle formers; the “ car- [057] 658 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. hohydrates” form one division of the fat formers, while “fat” forms the other. One element of fat here applied is worth two and one-half times as much as any one element of the carbohydrates mentioned. “ Nu- tritive ratio ” is a measure of the total fattening or lean producing tend- ency of the food. If the figures read 1 to 7 or 8, this is fattening, while if they read from 1 to 2 or 3, the general tendency of the food is to llcsh (muscle) production: - 5511251. °lt-'.R%‘;?" m Ni-Efféle Value- Bran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 10.0 48.5 3.1 1:5.6 $1 01 Shipstuil" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 8.7 54.5 2.5 1:7 97 (Irushed oats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. 9.0 43.3 4.7 126.1 98 Cotton seed meal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33.2 17.6 8.0 1:1 2 30 Wheat straw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .' 0.85 37.7 0.5 1 :45 39 The values given above are on the 100 pounds. You will note that cotton seed meal is especially non-fattening (muscle forming), while bran holds an intermediate position; ship stuff slightly more fattening. The wheat straw excessively fattening, because of its large carbohydrate ma- terial. You will note according to valuation the cotton seed meal is the most concentrated of the grains discussed, while wheat straw as a hay is least concentrated; very nearly equal in value to oat straw. These are both worth one-half as much of an equal weight of real good hay. Wheat bran is filling in its nature, because it is light (not concentrated), and it has little water in it and a high per cent of albuminoid matter and fats, rendering it of great value altogether as a food for young horses. SO'l‘(_)L AS A STOCK FOOD. Duufs RANCH, TEXAS. DEAR Sm—l was through Val Verde county and was impressed with the great quantity of sotol growing in that region. No one there could give me any idea as to the chemical analysis, but all agreed it was a fine fattening food, particularly for sheep. As the sheep business is about finished in Texas, it occurred to me that sotol might be used for feeding cattle. A cutter could be arranged that would cut not only the heads, but also the leaves. (Jan you give me any information in regard to this plant, and the analysis of the head and of the leaves after they are far enough for the head to become green? Some years ago I took up the cactus (prickly pear) and brought it to the attention of the Department at Washington, when it was found to be ver_y fine fattening food when fed with meal. » ‘ Very truly’ yours, A. J. D. ANSH’ ER. In reply to your favor, 1 must say I feel very much interested in the development of sotol as a stock food for the arid regions of our State, hut must confess that I have no information of value upon this point, SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. 659 and have been unable to collect any within the past few days?“ There is no chemical analysis within my reach, but suggest that samples of it sent to this Experiment Station would be analyzed if you think it neces- sary t0 determine its food value. It must be borne in mind, however, that chemical analysis can not determine its actual value, since there are many noxious weeds, that are not eaten by stock under any conditions, that according to chemical analysis contain much valuable stock food, but because of some objectionable principle they are rendered worthless. GRAZING CATTLE ON GREEN SORGHUM. CALVERT, TEXAS. DEAR SIR-—I have a four-acre plat in amber cane, sorghum last spring broadcast. Land being rather poor, I got a short crop first cutting. Having had several good rains since, I hope to get a second crop, but find it will not pay to cut again, as it is very scattering and heading at 12 to 30 inches. . Will it be safe to graze young cattle on this second growth of cane? This question has been asked several times through agricultural papers and answered, some positively asserting that the second crop (even be- fore frost) would kill cattle, even if only allowed to graze on it a few hours, while others positively assert that they graze their cows on second growth sorghum, allowing them to remain on it almost continuously without any bad results. Your opinion on this subject will be appreciated, and if you think it advisable I will commence grazing as soon as I hear from you. I enclose stamp. B. F. C. ANSWER. Replying to your favor, I must say that second crop sorghum some- times kills cows. In every case coming under my observation death has occurred when the cow’s stomach was unaccustomed to such feed. A small amount of this crop swallowed quickly into the pauneh may pro- duce a vast quantity of expansive gas, which in many cases ruptures the diaphragm of the stomach, causing death. I do not allow hungry cows to stay on such feed more than fifteen minutes the first time they are turned in. After this increase the time until they can stay on all day if wanted. It is hasty eating, apparently, that harms. Calves can not be trusted on such feed, at all, without danger. Much judgment and some attention is required. I will graze twenty-five acres of this character of sorghum this season with steers. *Any information that can be given the Station authorities upon this plant will be gratefully acknowledged. - I s 660 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. SORGIIUM FOR MILK COWS. DALLAS, TEXAS. DEAR SIR-I have been informed that the continuous feeding of sor- ghum to a milk cow has a tendency to dry her up, my neighbors telling me that that is what is the matter with my fine Jersey cow. I would be pleased t0 know if the experience of the College demon- strates this to be a fact, and whether really sorghum fed to a milk cow has a tendency to dry her up. Yours truly, M. L. R. ANSWIVER‘ Referring to your inquiry of February 4, to our Professor of Chemis- try, recently handed me, I am pleased to say that the judicious feeding of sorghum to milk cattle will not decrease their flow of milk. It is not practical to feed sorghum alone to such cattle, but it should be accom- panied by some other hay and a good ration of grain, consisting of cot- ton seed, cotton seed meal or wheat bran. These are the only grains permissible when sorghum is fed largely as a forage under the conditions existing in this State. We use sorghum very largely in feeding our College herd of milk cat- tle and value it highly, but do not expect to support our herd without considerable aid from other sources. TROUBLE WITH BUTTER. SULPHUR SPRINGS, TEXAS. You may remember when you were here you prescribed grass or hay for the cow, which we fed to her in quantities all the winter. She thrived and yielded milk in abundance, and does yet, but the butter is soft. Does the feeding of wheat bran do it? We feed bran, corn, and cotton seed meal, but dropped the hay after the grass rose. Mrs. W., a particular friend of mine, has requested me to ask you or the proper au- thority, what to give her cow to prevent the milk, after being churned, from turning to whey or curds. You gave me the receipt, but I trusted to memory, as in many other instances. Have sold $60 worth of butter from our cow since fall. MRs. J. L. W. .~\NS\V ER. Be careful to set your milk in a cool place to ripen. If nothing better offers, buy a “eooley” can and submerge in cistern. To prevent soft butter, churn your cream when only slightly sour and add water of proper temperature to bring it to 65 degrees. Do not continue to churn after the butter has come to the size of a bird shot. Draw 01f the butter; milk, wash the butter while in the churn in several lots of clear water to remove the buttermilk completely. In the ordinary dasher churn this is easily performed if a hole is bored in the side of the churn at the bottom, at which buttermilk and water may be drawn off. Cold water will Wash out the milk more quickly from the butter than will warm water. These SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. 661 directions should be followed in churning all the time. You can make your butter firmer by increasing the amount of cotton seed meal and de- creasing the corn meal fed. While following the above rules for churn- ing do not work the butter to death—-all working‘ softens. Salt it after it is washed thoroughly and then work it lightly just to mix the salt and press out some of the water. Salt drives out water if butter is laid away for a few days. - One of several causes may produce the too early wheying of butter- milk. Cows advance in milk, churning of over-sour cream, putting the milk in vessels once used for milk without washing, setting milk “to cream” in hot places, etc. If none of these now cause the trouble of your friend, you can stop the wheying somewhat by the addition to fresh buttermilk of one teaspoonful of sal soda to two gallons of milk. VALUE OF COTTON SEED AND IIULLS. ENNIS, TEXAS. DEAR SIR-Will you kindly inform me as to the composition of cotton seed and hulls for feeding purposes? What is digestible of albuminoids, carbohydrates and fats contained, if any? Also enter my name for Bul- letins as issued. W. B. D. ANSWER. Replying to your favor of 9th instant, I take pleasure in furnishing number of pounds of protein, fat, and other corbohydrates which are found digestible in 100 pounds of dry cotton seed and cotton seed hulls, as requested. Cotton seed raw contain 11.91 protein, 20.46 fat, 33.73 other carbo- hydrates. Total digestible pounds, 66.09. Cotton seed hulls contain .42 protein, 3.81 fat, and other carbohydrates 35.27; total digestible matter to the 100 pounds of dry feed is 39.50. This is given in dry matter, which means that all water has been driven off from the materials by subjecting them to a heat of 212 degrees for twenty-four hours. Water has no food value, and therefore should be eliminated. FEEDING COTTON SEED TO MILK COWS. WVAco, 'l‘nx..~.s. Bulletin No. 29 I have carefully read, but do not understand the state- me11t that the melting point of butter should be 41.4 degrees made from the milk of cattle fed on cotton seed and hulls alone. That can not be Fahrenheit; what thermometer was it? I have owned dairy cattle ever since 1881, and found out long ago that the melting point of butter made from milk from cows fed on cotton seed or cotton seed meal as the mean grain ration, was several degrees higher than from cows fed on no cotton seed products. I also found out that when I fed cotton seed products to the dairy cattle I could churn the cream successfully at a temperature of 70 degrees or above (a little), and 662 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. that the butter grained nicely. But I have also found out tl1at the feed- ing of cotton seed meal and hulls freely and continuously will ruin a dairy herd. The cows under such conditions fail to breed, and if they do breed the calves will come weakly and some of them blind, and the cows will get in the latter condition sooner or later. That is my experience with cotton seed products, yet it seems to me that when I feed cotton seed raw, about one-half the grain ration of cotton seed, say about eight pounds daily, and about six and one-half pounds of corn meal, and bal- ance bran (in two feeds) with plenty of hay and pasture, that my cattle did best, and I had no trouble with their breeding, or with their going blind. As soon as I began feeding cotton seed meal and hulls freely the trouble spoken of above commenced. , J. T. F. ANSWER. Referring to your letter of the 16th ult., I must say that i11 Bulletin 29, where. the melting point of butter is mentioned at 41.4 degrees, that the thermometer used is the Centigrade and not the Fahrenheit.‘ The difference is that the Fahrenheit registers freezing water at 32 degrees and boiling water at 212 degrees above zero, while the Centigrade regis- ters freezing water at zero and boiling water at 100. The bulletin pub- lished upon this subject of cotton seed meal and cotton seed fed to live stock is more technical than practical, and many of the discussions con- tained therein are couched in technical terms little understood by the masses of our people. _ ' With regard to the bad effects 0f cotton seed meal and hulls upon dairy cattle, my experience in feeding large herds is similar to that you expressed in your letter of recent date, that the use of cotton seed or meal fed alone continuously as grain ration from season to season has a very injurious effect upon the system of the cow. This is due to the fact that it is impossible to so proportion cotton seed and hulls that the food ele- ments found in the material will meet the wants of the animal. The bad effects are encouraged (luring hot weather and are in direct proportion to the amount or material fed and to the height of the mercury. These facts could have come to light long sinee were it not for the fact that the extensive use of cotton seed and cotton seed meal for feeding purposes is a new practice. If fed in moderation my experience teaches me that cotton seed and meal are the cheapest foods for Southern cattle for the production of butter and beef. If used persistently and without moder- ation much (lamagc will result to the digestive system. (‘OTTON SEED AND SALT INJURIOUS TO HOGS. EAGLE LAKE, TExAs. Is salt injurious to hogs when mixed with food? They are fond of it, so they are liable to eat an excess of it. I have been feeding a lot of hogs on roasted cotton seed, corn and other things, mixed with molasses, and for some time have been mixing salt with this feed. Lately some of the hogs have died very suddenly. Your early answer to this will be highly appreciated. IV. D. SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. 663 ANSWER. DEAR Sin-Replying to your inquiry 0f the 5th instant, I must say that salt will certainly kill hogs if fed t0 them i11 sufficient quantity; but since you are mixing the salt with cotton seed and other things, it may be possible that the cotton seed is causing the trouble. My own observa- tion has- never shown that cotton seed will kill hogs, but I have testi- monials from a number of other parties saying, in substance, that they have had hogs killed by its use. The experiments at this Station go to prove that this is true. We are conducting other experiments on hogs to more fully test this matter. In opinions reported by other parties it seems thatthe hogs have done well until they died suddenly from a trouble resembling heaves. The peculiar fact concerning them, so it is claimed, is that if the ears or tail be cut off there will be no blood resulting from the wound, in case the death is caused by cotton seed meal. s BUILDING A SILO. FARMERSVILLIG, TEXAS. I would ask of you some information as regards the building of a silo for storing ensilage for cattle food. Some say build them round, and some square and 20 feet high. They do not vary so much as to height. The different views of the authors of these articles not only differ in con- struction, but in the cost of building and material. I wish to know the cheapest and best method of building silos of medium capacity, the shape, the approximate cost, with what it should be covered, and when covered after filling with food stuff? With what it should be lined so as to pre- vent the acid which is formed by the fermentation of the green ensilage destroying the lining. It is claimed that the acid thus formed will soon destroy wood, and if so, what is best? Should it be comparatively air tight? It is also claimed that mules and horses will not eat it very readily. This and any other information you may wish to advance will be highly appreciated, and will place me under obligations to yourself. W. F. P. ANswER. I take pleasure in forwarding you some literature upon the subject of silos, which 1 hope will give you much of the information asked for. Briefly allow me to suggest that the latest plan of the approved silos, some of which have been constructed in this State and are in practical use, are formed upon the following plan: Height not less than 18 feet, diameter of one compartment usually not larger than 2O feet, circular in form, made of 1x4 or 1x6 all heart iloor- ing stood on ends to form a single wall, the edge to be matched; when it becomes wet it makes it air tight. To keep these pieces of flooring in their right place they are banded together by nailing on the outside a strip 1x4 or 1x6 every four feet. These strips are reinforced to a depth of three or four pieces so placed that they break joints with one another and are nailed directly to the side composed of flooring, of which the 664 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. silo is made. This is a light, strong structure, and will resist all the in- side pressure, keep out air, and will permit the use 0f windows or doors in the side from bottom to top, so that silage may be readily emptied from this compartment without the labor of handling over the top of the silo at each feeding time. It is better to have bottom grouted 0r ce- mented, using brickbats or stone, to prevent the loss of juice of corn or sorghum which may be in the silo, and protect the entire compartment from damage by rats. The diameter of the silo to be constructed is de- i1(‘l'IIlll10(l by the number of head of cattle to be fed from it at one feeding. It is necessary to consider this matter in removing the silage from the top. A fresh surface should be exposed daily to the action of the air, and this in its turn be fed to the stock inside of thirty-six hours, before it has time to mould or sour. A cubic foot weighing forty pounds is a very heavy feed for one animal of 1000 pounds weight, per day. In order that‘ we may be safe in building a silo of’ ordinary diameter it is well to estimate a feed of twenty pounds of silage per head per day of one-half cubic foot, and in this way determine what the diameter should be. If constructed as I indicate, and cheap labor be employed, as it can be done in this form of silo, since there is no nice work to do in joining heavy timbers, and that all the work consists in sawing, placing together and nailing, the silo can be constructed for per ton capacity for cost of all, including roof. Before filling the silo a coat of coal tar should be applied each year to the inside walls to protect the wood from the acid juice mentioned in your letter. This is very cheaply done. It is also well in constructing a silo to paint the matched edges of the flooring to protect them from rot by this juice, and so lengthen the life of the building. When the silo has been filled with good silage it is economical to put some poor quality of hay over top of this to a depth of ten or twelve inches and so protect the silage from spoiling, and this is all the covering needed. No weights are necessary other than a few planks laid around carelessly on the top of this hay to settle the hay down on the silage. The steam arising from below will mould or rot the hay which has been placed on top, and will seal the silage beneath and preserve it. lVe will take pleasure in sending you our animal report, now in the printers’ hands, which contains much written matter upon this subject, and hope that you will find it instructive. Any definite question which you may choose to ask will receive prompt attention. I-IO\V TU FILL A SILO. SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. I wish to ask some questions. Last year. in connection with a friend, we built a very large silo for corn. We selected a small knoll well (lrained, and dug down eight feet and found very firm and well set chalky ground. This we tramped down well with some clay. On this we erected two silos, connected by a partition same as outside walls, each 20x20x20 ground level, which makes each one a net depth of 28 feet. \Ve used two pieces of 2x8 spiked together as girders running parallel to SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. 665 ground every five feet. The corners were cross arched and made secure with iron bolts. On the inside of‘ these girders we nailed 1x12 plank, and then li11ed with thick tar felt paper, and then placed another layer of 1x12 plank. The partition was built in same way; the sides of excava- tion we also boarded out to bottom. Last season we failed in corn crops, but this year we havea magnificent stand as to stalks, blades and ears. Our cutter and elevator, operated by steam, has a capacity of from five to eight tons per hour. Should we fill continuously? How short should we cut? Is it necessary to brace sides to prevent bulging out? My judgment is that ensilage in settling has no side pressure, as does grain. We propose to feed to steers, cows, and sheep as an experiment. The silo is well roofed and well ventilated at the top. We constructed these on a large scale to satisfy ourselves whether corn ensilage, put up in large silos, will cure successfully or not. If it does you can depend on our being the “Silo Iiings” of Texas be- fore another year passes. Yet if successful we will not bear our honors alone, for others are just watching us to see how wise we are or what big fools we are. Any information you may give or suggestions to offer we will gladly receive, and will report to you on the result, and also give you a detailed statement of what we did and how we did it. L. W. M. ANSWER. Replying to your favor of June 26th, concerning matter of filling silos, I would say that my experience for the past eight or nine years in a Southern State on this subject indicates that the filling should not be done continuously. Fill two or three days and wait one or two (layrs. D0 not scatter the silage i11 the silo until you begin again after your period of rest, when the silage which is usually found heaped in the center of the silo is thoroughly heated. When thrown to the edge of the silo and tramped, it warms the sides of the building and the fermentation con- tinues, driving out much of the air by the fumes of carbonic acid gas, which settles and takes the place of air in the interstices of the silage. Silage need not be cut shorter than two inches. You will find it neces- sary to brace the sides of your building with post braces to prevent se- vere bulging. Side pressure upon such building is immense when filled with good silage. The pressure is greater the shorter the stuff is cut. The point of greatest pressure is one-third of the height of the silo, measuring from the bottom of the mass, just as it is in vessels containing water. These points must be braced all around particularly well. You will find that corn silage put into large silos has less waste than when put in small buildings, provided you feed out from the top of the mass fast enough to prevent mold or decay on the surface which is exposed to the air from day to day, after the silo has been opened. 666 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. TROUBLE W.l'l‘II A SILO. AUSTIN, TEXAS. DEAR Sm-—Coming to this institution February last, I found a silo only partially filled with cnsilage, which was not in a satisfactory condi- tion, as quite a quantity of the top strata was decayed, and continued to do so as it was removed. This, I understand, has been the condition of it for a year or two—-or since its erection--and on that account it has not been satisfactory. Dr. S. would esteem it a kindness if you would give your views about it, and also directions as to 110w and at what stage to prepare the following forage for it, and which of them you think preferable: Corn, sorghum, alfalfa, or millet; and, in short, would be pleased to have you give us such information as you may think would enable us to properly fill it out of this crop. Very respectfully, H. W. W. ANS\VER. The trouble with your corn silage is probably found in the fact that you fed out the material too slowly during the winter months. I do not know the surface exposure of your silo, nor the number of cattle fed daily, nor the ration per head. But sufficient food must be used from each silo to consume one inch of silage daily, and thus expose a fresh portion of the food to the atmosphere, which must in its turn be fed up before exposure to air will spoil it. The amount of silage which rots upon the surface may be decreased somewhat if, in filling, the last layer of material added consists of some coarse, green stuff, which will spoil on the surface, and thus save a layer of good corn. A little water thrown upon the surface of dried hay may be used instead of green stuff in finishing off. If l had definite information as to how your silo was constructed, I would be better able to determine whether or not there is a fault in con- struction or whether the fault is in filling. We have no trouble of this kind with the two silos in use at this place. The best time to cut a corn crop is just when it has passed out of roast- ing-ear and before the lower leaves of the corn sunburn considerably. The best time to cut a sorghum crop is when the seed are in the dough, and before they harden. Alfalfa should be cut when the first blooms appear, and before full bloom is reached. Millet should be cut when the seed are in the milk, and before they pass to the dough state, or other- wise much of the seed will be passed undigested i11 feeding. Of the four crops mentioned above I prefer corn and sorghum for silage, because these fit in better with the cotton seed or cotton seed meal ration than will alfalfa or millet. I prefer alfalfa to millet. Alfalfa is now being used largely as a silage crop in some parts of the country. In filling the silo with the material, whether it be corn or sorghum, we practice cutting the food and letting it sun from four to eight hours. hauling to the barn and cutting into one to two inch lengths, tramping the edges of the silo every time a layer two feet thick l1as been added. If the walls are air- tight the silage will keep in perfect condition. SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. 667 AGRICULTURAL INSECTS. GRASSI-IOPPER PEST. GAY HILL, 'I‘1cxAs. DEAR SIR—-SO much depends upon my success in fighting grasshoppers this season that 1 fear I shall tax your generosity. The hoppers are hatching now by the millions on my plantation, and I desire to try poisoning while they are young. As your report giving particulars of experiments in this direction is not ready to send out, I should like to correspond with Mr. G. L. Stone and Mr. Lynn, on whose places the ex- periments were made. Will you be kind enough to give me the address of the above named gentlemen P I have lost several crops by grasshop- pers, therefore I hope that you will excuse me for troubling you so often. Very truly yours, W. C. D. ANSWER. Replying to your favor of the 19th inst., I am pleased to say that we protected cotton absolutely from damage by use of poisons made of wheat bran, sugar, and arsenic; taking 6 pounds bran and mixed with 1 pound of sugar, and then adding enough of water to make a stiff dough; then one pound of common white arsenic was well mixed with the dough and the mixture was complete. Sugar is added for two reasons-to make the dough palatable to the hopper and to cause the arsenic, which is in- soluble in water, to adhere to the dough. We put a tablespoonful of this dough down (just in frontof the armies of hoppers) and every 7 feet in two rows, laying the dough in the shade of the cotton stalks. This is best done at 5 o’cloc_k p. m. The hoppers eat it freely, and in a few minutes feel sick and eat nothing more-die in about 24 hours by the millions. A heavy solution of sulphur and lime sprayed 011 the cotton protected the crop, but did not kill the hoppers. A solution of l pound of Barba- does (aloes) to 5 gallons of water sprayed heavily on cotton protected the crop entirely, but did not kill. For orchard trees we used kerosene oil--emulsion of 1 part of oil to 14 parts water—sprayed on_ peach and plum trees. and this entirely protected these trees without injuring them in the least. We did not try this on" cotton. A strong solution of Paris. green in water (not a true solution) gave good results. Spraying with London purple was not so successful. These two applied by dusting did not give good results because there was no dew at any time on the crop. Strychnine gave good results when mixed with bran, but was too expen- sive. This is a fairly full statement of our results, and if any other light is wanted on this subject I shall be pleased to answer you to the best of my ability. Mr. Stone says that the danger to crops in McLennan county has about past because of winter freezes and recent rains. I hope that these same conditions will bring about the destruction of the pest with you also. Have any of your neighbors suffered severely? 668 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. HOIV TO KILL GRASSHOPPERS. Our Experiment Station sent a representative over into some of the middle counties t0 look into the grasshoppers which were destroying a large acreage of corn and cotton during the past summer. In many places the corn was damaged so much that it was worthless in blocks of 4-0 to 90 acres, and cotton waist high was eaten to the ground in fields of 10 to 150 acres. In many cases no sign of a cotton crop was left on the land. We tried the following named materials to prevent the eating of cot- ton and fruit trees: Strychnine; arsenic and wheat bran; sulphur and lime; asafetida solution; salt petre solution; Barbadoes aloes solution; white arsenic and llour, dry; Paris green and flour, dry; London purple and llour, dr_y; calomel and flour, dry; Paris green, dry; kerosene emul- sion. A nmnbei- of these gave good results by making the plant distasteful to the hoppers or by killing those who ate the poisons applied. The re- sults are best given in a letter from Mr. G. L. Stone, of the neighbor- hood who had invited us over to make the experiments. AUGUST 1, 1893. “ \Vill say relative to your test made at Mr. Linn’s, the results are as follows, to-Wit: “ The wheat bran, sugar and arsenic was a success. The application of dry arsenic on the cotton was only a partial success. I think it would have been more successful if there had been dew on the cotton when ap- plied. Paris green, London purple, and the calomel were failures. “ ' ‘he spraying of the fruit trees with kerosene emulsion was a grand success. Where the Barbadoes aloes emulsion was applied on the pea vines, the hoppers quit eating it, and also where you sprayed the cotton with the sulphur mixture the hoppers quit eating it. ‘* Where I applied the strychnine the result was about the same as the arsenic. The hoppers have about quit the crop. There are some few young hoppers, but none of any consequence. “G. L. SToNE.” On the whole, arsenic and wheat bran proved best and cheapest to kill all hoppers in cotton. As poultry will eat this mixture, care must be used to keep all such away from places on which poison is applied. Full particulars of this test will be published in the Annual Report of the Experiment Station, which is sent free to all residents of the State. CHINCH BUGS IN CORN. TEHUACANA, TEXAS. DEAR S1R—The chineh bugs are invading our farms in such numbers as threaten damage to our corn crops and such other crops of wheat, rye, etc., as may be sown this coming fall. The Kansas Experiment Station claims to have secured a parasitic fungus through the dissemination of which the chineh bug may be largely checkmated in his operation, if not exterminated altogether. If the claims set up be true, I would suppose that the facts in this case would have been generally recognized and made SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. 669 useful throughout the States, but strange as it may seem I see no notice 0f this remedy being suggested in a11y of the Experimental Records or Farmer’s Bulletins issued by the Agricultural Bureau at Washington. Notwithstanding all of this negative testimony you may have the bugs on hand ready for distribution upon application. If you have, please send some to me without delay, for the bugs are staring me in the face with an impudence that suggests the necessity of instituting some means of defense if it be available. C. M. B. ANSWER . I have your favor of July 6, asking for relief and information con- cerning the chinch bugs, which are now beginning to take your corn crops. I have had one other similar request from your section of the State within the last ten days. My information of the Snow chinch bug fungus is that it is a somewhat uncertain remedy; however, in many i cases it gives positive and satisfactory results. Whether or not it works successfully, depends largely upon the moisture i11 the atmosphere. Unskilled applications of this disease among the chinch bugs of the infested district often give no results at all. Some training is required on the part of the operator, even if the conditions required are just right. I would suggest that you apply to Prof. F. H. Snow, of Law- rence, Kansas, the originator of this system for chinch bug prevention; and if you desire, send this letter as explanatory of your request; but I doubt very much whether good results will follow without some assist- ance from scientific men in the application of the disease. Should the chinch bugs of your section of the State become so serious as to threaten the large areas of corn, it would become the duty of this Experiment Station to locate an infection station in such a community, in order that the bugs might be successfully combated. If the disease was more prevalent in the State we would constantly keep on hand at this place infected ch-inch bugs for distribution throughout the State when- ever chinch bugs should become serious factors in the production of our crops. Thus far we hear of trouble only from isolated districts in the “ Black Lands.” If we can be of any service to you, or if we do_not have the proper conception of the chinch bug ravages in your part of the State, I would be pleased to hear from you further, in order that we may be of real help to this interest in your section. 'l‘l'Il<] \VEEVIL IN CORN. The bad results of weevil in corn can most certainly be avoided if the following‘ points be carefully noted: First. Gather the corn just as soon as it is dry enough to pull from the stalk. Delay in this respect gives opportunity for the early weevils to eat the corn while in the field and hatch a large number of eggs un- der the very best conditions. Second. In storing the corn it must be either put away in a partially wet state or the crib must be so arranged as to permit the use- of carbon bisulphide or napthaline to protect the grain While in the crib from the weevil. It has D6611 Clearly (lemonstrated by repeated trials that the storing of Wet 601'" Wevents injurious effects from the weevil by reason of the fer- 2—Bu1letin I 670 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. mentation and heat in the crib. A great many farmers take the trouble to haul water and sprinkle upon their corn after every few wagon loads they have hauled. If the corn is gathered in wet weather there is no necessity for taking this extra trouble. I know 0f some farmers who leave their corn in the crib exposed to rainfall during the early fall and winter season t0 prevent injuries from weevil. Of course in all of this there is constant danger that some corn will be lost from rot, but usually the per cent of loss from this cause is very small and much lighter than would be felt were weevil allowed to attack the crop. If carbon bisulphide or naphthaline are to be used in corn, the best results will be obtained by shucking the corn before put- ting it in the crib, and while filling leave two troughs made of 1x4 stuff running at right angles across the crib about one-third of the distance from the top. These troughs must not be nailed perfectly tight or the fumes from the material used will not escape from them readily. \Vhen the weevil first appears in the corn saturate a piece of cotton with carbon bisulphide and push it toward the middle of "the troughs and leave it in the trough to evaporate. Small balls containing naphthaline can be pushed into the mass of corn in this manner without trouble, and the odor will prevent damage by weevil. and will protect grain from rats to a large extent. Upon the whole carbon bisulphide will be found more satisfactory for treatment of corn. It can be bought of any prominent druggist in the liquid form. It is well known through. the entire State as “ high life,” and as such is used successfully for kill- ing red ants, prairie dogs, etc. With our present knowledge of the weevil and similar insect pests there is no cause for any considerable loss- in our grain crops after that crop has been grown in the field. The large corn crop of the State makes this matter more important than it has ever been. MORE Al3OUT YVEEV] LS. SANDY Pomtr, TEXAS. DEAR Sin-I see a statement in an agricultural journal that weevil can be exterminated from corn cribs by using bisulphide of carbon. What amount is to be used for crib containing 500 bushels? How make the- application? Is it too expensive to use? How near the crib wouldlight torch be to cause danger? How long after placing in crib before safe to go around with torch or fire P Respectfully, J. G. S. .\NS\VER. I take pleasure in enclosing you an article published upon the use of bisulphide of carbon as an exterminator of weevil in corn and other grain. The amount to be applied depends more particularly upon the depth of the crib or bin than upon the number of bushels to be treated. The deeper the grain the less amount of carbon bisulphide is required per bushel. The evaporating fumes from the carbon are heavier than air, and therefore tend to sink to the lowest levels, and in passing off through the grain in bulk it presses out the air and all the insects are smothered in consequence of the air being excluded. It is not highly explosive ten SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. 67 1 or twenty feet away from matches, cigars, etc., unless the wind should be blowing from the open receptacle toward the fire. The time after its application when fire can be brought in close proximity to the corn or grain will depend largely on how nearly air tight the receptacle or hin - is. If it is fairly open the fumes will disappear after 24 or 36 hours. If corn, peas, or beans be put in a perfectly tight can or barrel and a large quantit_y of carbon bisulphide be used to kill the weevil, and its fumes are allowed to stay in the barrel or can for a long period, thegcrm will be killed and the seeds will be unfit for planting. Corn treated in this manner with an excess of carbon bisulphide is good for food pur- poses. ' HOW TO KILL CORN lVElCVlLS. The fall of 1893 we made applications of carbon bisulphide to corn in . shuck and to corn with shuck taken off to kill the large number of wee- vils that were in the corn at the time. This material is a foul smelling liquid that evaporates at ordinary tem- peratures and is highly explosive and inflammable. We placed a pint of this fluid every three feet in the several bins of corn on November l1, late in the evening, to reduce the danger from fire. On December 1O we opened the corn and found all the weevils dead that were in the shucked corn, all the liquid evaporated from the cans. The corn in the shuck still had a few living weevils in it, but by far the greater part were then dead. On February 10 following we again in-- spected the corn and found all weevils dead in both kinds of corn. No fresh weevils had entered, and thousands of dead ones testified to the elli- cient method of treatment. This material can be bought of any whole- sale druggist at 10 to 15 cents per pound in five and ten gallon cans. 1t is now being peddled under different names in this State, and sold at double its market value. ' IS tVEEVl LJPRErYPED CORN INJURIOITS? _ BREMONI), TEXAS. Having read l1oW you kill weevils with carbon bisulphide, I write to know if corn having had the weevils disposed of in this way will poison or injure stock. _ E- H- Y- ANSWER. In replying to your favor of recent date concerning bisulphide carbon,- I will state that it is not poisonous to live stock when they are fed on the grain which has been treated. The action of this poison upon the weevil is not due to any active poisonous agency, but to the fact that the gas takes the place of the air surrounding the weevils, and they are smoth-i ered because no air is allowed to reach the sufferer. You need only to be Careful 0f fire in handling this material. The fumes are suffocating and inflammable. 672 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. DAIRYING. PLAN OF ICE STORAGE. ‘ Manon, TEXAS. Can you furnish me with plan and directions for building small ice house, and how to fill with machine ice s0 as to preserve it perfectly? Also the best way to build a small cooling room. Any information will be thankfully received. ' I. J. ANSWER. Replying to your favor of June 19th, I regret t0 say that all efforts I have made or seen made in latitude corresponding to this in the South have failed to keep ice economically in lots of car load amounts, or greater, during the protracted heat of summer. The best conditions under which I have seen it tried, was the storage of ice in a brick base- ment eight feet under the ground, the walls of the house being built especially for storage purposes of double brick, having a four-inch dead air space between walls properly ventilated; and the ice room built of 1x12 pine boards, with corrugated iron sidings, giving dead air space between for ventilation. This experiment was not a financial success, though the summer was not an unusually warm one. The thermometer in the shade rarely ever reached ‘J3 Fahrenheit. BI."l"l‘EI{ 1N COLD STORAGE. Many (lairymen sell butter at a sacrifice during the summer season, when dairy products are very low priced. Various methods have been adopted to preserve this “ summer butter” and carry- it forward to a fall market, when prices are always remunerative for good butter. Much butter has been lost in this effort to keep it over for sixty or ninety days. We have had uniform failures in our efforts to keep butter more than thirty days (lllflllg the summer, unless ice was used. With the assistance of the cold storage companies, which are to be found in all of the large towns and cities of the South, we can succeed in tiding over the low prices of summer and carry much of our products to a good fall market. Our first experience in this matter was gained several years since in another Southern State. We were making some 500 pounds of gilt edge butter per month, for which we had no regular demand. Some of this butter was placed upon the open market through commission merchants, and sold at 12 to 14 cents per pound. We tried various markets and found that the summer “ glut” placed the producer entirely at the mercy of the consumer and commission man. \Ve then determined to ship this butter to a cold storage firm in Ifirmingham, Ala., and hold for better prices. Shipments were made (luring July and August, and the butter was removed from storage (luring October and sold for 26 cents per pound. The storage charges werelil cents per pound. SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. 673 During the past summer we shipped 1026 pounds of butter in ash tubs to the Houston Cold Storage and Refrigerator Company. Shipments were begun July 11, and stopped August 5. The following letter gives their rate of charges: “ HOUSTON, TICXAS, June l3, 1895. “Prof. J. H. Connell. College Station, 'l‘exas: “ DEAR SIR——\VG received your favor of June 12, and have noted ‘con- tents. Although our general cold storage is somewhat limited, we will store this butter for you and will make you the cheap charge of 20 cents per tub (of 6O pounds) per month, provided you leave it all summer. “Ordinarily the temperature in our storage vault ranges from 38 to 4-0 degrees, but we can store it in the meat room for you, where the tem- perature is 28 to 30 degrees, whichever you prefer. |]_;__ T1,"; d, “ We have one separate compartment vacant at present; the dimension of this room is 10x10x10, to which you could get your ow11 lock and key, and if youhave a large quantity of butter this would be the cheaper plan, as we would judge it to hold over 300 tubs, and the charge would be only $25 per month. Figuring the cost of storing for three months only it would be 1 cent per pound in general storage and less than 95c. in compartment room. Awaiting an early reply, we remain, “Yours truly, “HoUsToN COLD STORAGE AND REFRIGERATOR COMPANY.” We preferred to store at a temperature of 28 to 30 degrees. Removals from storage were begun September 15 and continued until October 6. All of the butter was in prime condition when removed. The butter that remained longest in storage happened to be the best when withdrawn. The following letter was written us by one of our customers after hav- ing used this butter: “ FoRT CLARKE, TEXAS, October 8, 1895. “Prof. J. H. Connell, College Station, Texas: “ DEAR SIR-It is unnecessary for me to say how much we appreciate your butter, and I voice the sentiments of many of my friends when I say that it is the best that can be gotten. We one and all thank you sincerely for your kindness in letting us have it, as it has been a great favor to us. Very sincerely, “ B. (J. M.” This same butter sold readily on the fall market at 25 cents net, but when offered in open market in July and August it was worth but 11 cents. The cost of storage was but 1 cent per pound for the season. Great care must be exercised to pack the butter in new tubs that have been sterilized by boiling or steaming. The tubs must be air tight, and a layer of cloth covered with one-half inch of salt should fill the tub completely to the top, in order that no air space may be left in the pack- age. After having been on ice for so long the butter will not keep long when exposed to summer temperature. FY0111 fvrmél‘ experience in this matter, we think it advisable to ship '50 a @016 Swmge plant located in the town where butter is to be sold, or as near to the final market as can be arranged. This will save shipping expenses. 674 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. FIELD CROPS, FORAGE PLANTS, AND MANURES. SORGIIU M . CALVERT, TEXAS. I have four acres 0f amber sugar cane sown broadcast on medium quality of upland, seeded two bushels to the acre. put in good shape, and have a u good stand. Please inform me at what stage to cut it for hay, and how to cure it. If I can bale it without danger of moulding, much prefer to do so. For this information I will thank you in advance. ' If you have issued Bulletin on the methods of keeping, cultivating and propagating sweet potatoes, please mail me one. B. F. C. . ANSWER. Replying to your favor concerning sorghum, I take pleasure in saying that you can save amber sorghum without loss in the following manner: After mowing allow the sorghum to lay upon the ground sufficiently long to dry out at the end of blades. If the crop is thick it should be turned over upon the ground to expose the bottom portion of the crop to the sun for a short time; tisually one full day’s sun is required to dry it suf- ficiently to allow it to be put into the “ cock.” These hay cocks may be 5 feet high and 4- in diameter, of the shape of an old fashioned bee hive. All of the hay that is put up in this manner should be well settled as it is laid on the pile. After having constructed it the proper height rake the loose sorghum away from the sides, leaving a neat pile of hay that will turn water in case it should rain. Allow it to remain in this shape for two or three days for fermentation to take place, which is evidenced by the “heat- ing,” and the deposit of dew upon the interior parts of the cock. When thoroughly warm, and before the hay loses its natural color, open the cocks and expose the hay to four or six hours’ sun, according to the weight of the crop per acre and the size of stacks; then the hay is ready to haul to the barn or be placed in stacks, where it may safely be expected to remain without molding or heating further. If the hay is allowed to remain in the cocks too long the fermentation proceeds too far, and the hay sours and then rots in the field. 1t will remain longer in the cocks without damage the less of water or sap it contains when put up. It is almost impossible to get best quality of sorghum hay in any other way than by following these directions. Use no salt or other applications to preserve the hay. 'l‘he hay may be baled safely if given six or ten hours sun from the cock, depending on the size of stalks. We have not issued a Bulletin on the keeping or propagation of sweet potatoes, and will ‘not until the close of the present season.* * Bulletin 36 has since been published upon these and other horticultural sub- jects. SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. 675 GROWING COW PEAS. SILVER VALLEY. TEXAS. DEAR SIR—-—I want to raise feed for cattle this summer. I have 150 acres to plant, 5O in cotton and the balance in cane, millet, and probably peas. . Would it be advisable to plant peas, stack a11d bale; and which is the best way to plant, in drills or broadcast? What kind of pea is the best for this purpose? and please state where they may be obtained and what prices. Very truly, s B. E. S. ANSWER. Replying to your favor of the 4th inst., I take pleasure in saying that under your conditions I think it likely that planting the cow peas in the drill will give best results. because they will withstand the drouth better under cultivation than they would be able to do if planted broad- cast. The yield of vines will be greater per acre if planted broadcast (under proper moisture conditions), but the yield of seed peas will be greater planted in drill and cultivated. Iconsider the Louisiana Clay pea as one of the very best for general use in this State. We grow them here successfully. DEVELOPMENT OF CANAIGRE INDUSTRY. _ BOWIE, TEXAS. I write to you for information of the plant called canaigre, the roots of which are used in tanning, and the address of any house in Memphis or Chicago that handles canaigre, so that I can find a market for it by cor- responding with them. “ B. B. L. ANSWER. Replying to your favor of last month with no date, I must say that the development of the canaigre industry is now so little advanced that there is no stable demand for canaigre extract in any of the towns i11 Texas. Some of the tanners in this State have been using the extract with much satisfaction because it is cheaper than the oak, and much of the extract is now shipped to the eastern cities in large quantities. There is no Texas tirm who handles this as commission men. At l-Iockley, Harris county, this State, an extract factory is to be erected, and the farmers are being induced to plant and raise canaigre, the extract company to pay them a certain amount per ton for their pro- duct, and encourage its production to supply their factory with the necessary amount of crude product. In this way the business is being established here, in Arizona and New Mexico. I can place you in correspondence with parties who are engaged in the production 0f the canaigre plant in this State and west of us, and can furnish you the addresses of men if you so desire. 676 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. A NEW lNDIU"l‘RX’ FOR TEXAS. SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. Mr DEAR Sin-I thank you most heartily for your valued letter of the 30th. I have read the pamphlet describing the culture of jute, for which I thank you. I return it herewith, as you request. Your courtesy in this instance has emboldened me to trouble you still further. Have you any information relative to the culture of the tuber canaigre? It is grown, so I am told, quite extensively in the Pecos val- ley and neighboring sections. It is valued for its tannic properties. I will await your annual report with much interest; and again thank- ing you, I remain, H. C. K. ANS\VER. Replying to your favor of February 9th, I take pleasure in giving you such information as I have at hand upon the canaigre plant. This plant produces an oblong tuber, very much of the shape of the sweet potato, of which 3 to 12 are found under each plant at a depth varying from 2 to 18 inches beneath the surface. The tubers weigh one pound or less, and are not edible, but are sometimes used for medicinal purposes. They contain, however, a large percentage of tannic acid, which is being very freely used in the tanneries of the eastern United States and in foreign countries. The Pecos valley furnished a large number of acres of natural growth, and upon all of the drier beds of the streams, on second bottom lands in the warmer portions of this State, Arizona, and Mexico, the plant flour- ishes. The tops attain a height of some 18 inches, and are seen to cover the entire surface of the ground, where the land is a sandy gravel na- ture, and moisture during the winter season is in abundance. As indicated above, the plant is used for its ta11nic properties and is now being cultivated largely in some districts of Arizona. Within the past two seasons the Southern Pacific Railroad Company has transported some 370 cars of evaporated roots t0 points east--the most of these roots find- ing their way to Glassgow, Scotland, and Vienna, Austria, at which points they are paid for at the rate of $40 to $65 per ton. Three tons of the natural root in its green state, if sliced and dried, is reduced to one ton, and this material contains an average of 3O per cent tannic acid. It is thought that ten tons is a good yield per acre cultivated in this crop. It is adapted to low lands, sandy and gravel soils, which are sup- plied with water freely (luring the winter season-either by rainfall, irri- gation or overflow. The plant, however, is so very hardy that it will maintain itself upon close, compact soils that are not supplied with the proper amount of moisture, and upon such lands it can be profitably cul- tivated. The roots live in the ground from season to season without decreasing in tannic properties until the parent plant is destroyed. It is propagated successfully only from the roots, which throw out eyes from near the point of attachment to the parent plant. The roots when planted to produce a new crop do not die and decom- pose, hut remain in the ground, and the percentage of tannic acid in- creases within the next twelve months. The value per acre of this crop has not yet been very clearly determined when raised under the irriga- tion system, but if it were possible to realize one-half of the market value SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. 677 0f the product at the nearest railway points, it would prove a very prof- itable investment. Thus ten tons per acre, yielding 3;; tons of dry roots containing 30 per cent of tannic acid, worth at factory $40 per ton, makes the yield of an acre worth $133, of which more than half is now used to pay cost of transportation to the market. This plant has been cultivated such a short while that little is known practically of the best methods to handle it, but it is thought best to plant as Irish potatoes and irrigate and cultivate alternately during the winter season, and then dig by machine such as is used in digging the large Irish potato crops of the Eastern States. Though this plant will exist and reproduce itself under most severe conditions, yet it will ap- preciate all the attention that can be given it, by securing moisture, fer- tility and a deep, loose soil. The value of this plant first became known in Texas, where it is a natural growth. and it now seems that it will be a matter of short while before capital will locate the necessary slicing factories and distilleries for extracting the tanning within the borders of this State. The field is certainly promising, since the raw material for the production of leather is in the greatest of abundance in the State. Nowhere else in the Union can leather be made so cheap as in this State, where cheap tannin and cheap hides are found at the very gates of the tannery. Tannic acid is usually extracted from oak and hemlock, found largely in the Eastern and Northeastern States. I am indebted to Bulletin No. 7 of the Tuscon (Arizona) Experiment Station for all of the above information, and I suggest that you write to them for such publication, and ask them such questions as you deem proper. ' FORAGE PLANTS FOR THE “PAN HANDLE.” FoRT WORTH, TEXAS. DEAR SIR-—In the spring of 1894 you sent me Melilotus alba, named Bokhara clover. I sent some to , of Archer City, and some to , of Henrietta. Both report that it grew vigorously and with- stood the dry fall and still dryer spring, and that stock ate it well, and they wish they had a good sized field of it. You remember it has a strong smell—even the seed. and at first they said, “ That stinking stuff is nothing but common wayside white clover, and is no good; and if it does grow, it smells so strong that nothing will eat it.” We also tried Japan clover and Bromusinermis, neither of which grew, and the place they were seeded can’t be found. Have you heard any other reports from the Melilotus alba? Where can I get a few bushels of the seed? Yours, ' ' S. M. S. ' ANSWER. I have your esteemed favor of June 24, and am pleased to know that 0111‘ early obServations concerning the adaptability of Melilotus or Bok- hara clover to the northwestern section of the State have been verified by the farmers who have given it a trial through your kindness. See 678 TExAs AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. what we say of this in Annual Report, a copy 0f which is sent you. See index, “ Melilotus.” Also what is said in Bulletin N0. 34 0f this Sta- tion upon that subject, page 557. I regret very much that Japan clover and Bromus inerrnis did not thrive. But this experience was also verified by our sub-station at Wich- ita Falls. You can obtain melilotus seed from Holloway & Co., of Dallas. There is much danger of buying Johnson grass with all meli- lotus seed purchased. Am glad to know that Mr. Piersol is preparing something for publica- tion on the subject of melilotus. . (IRASSICS FOR THE COAST COUNTRY. NORTH GALVESTON, TEXAS. DEAR SIR-Will you please advise me what you know of the following grasses, and if they or any will do well in this section and pay to culti- vate for hay, viz.: Bermuda, red top (Agrostis vulgaris), English rye grass, Texas panic grass (Panicum texanum), and German millet. I am informed that Bermuda is too short, and too hard when cured for good hay; also when used for permanent pasture is hard to eradicate. Please advise me as to this, and write me fully as convenient as to the other grasses named. Very truly yours, C. S. V. ANSWER. Repiying to your favor of June 14th and another more recent letter inquiring further concerning grass in your section, I must say that the tame grass which is likely to give you best results in your section is the Coneho or Colorado bottom grass (Panicum texanum). German millet will do well. These two belong to the same family. The Colorado bot- tom grass thrives throughout all the western portion of the State, and succeeds well on the coast, from Victoria south beyond Corpus Christi, and I am quite sure that it will do well upon your land. btill I have never seen the grass tried upon lands near Galveston. Our experiments here with English rye grass and red top did not give them first place. Bermuda is always good. The hay is of best quality, and can be cured without much expense in such a way that it is not hard or short. Many people prefer it to timothy or to Iforney hay. It requires rich soil to make suilieient growth to warrant its cutting for hay. Alfalfa is not expensive or (lifficillt to cure properly if grown upon land to which it is adapted. It is well to bear in mind the fact that cur- ing hay can be more safely done at point-s far removed from the coast, because they have less rainfall during the summer season than you have. WVe cure alfalfa here at this place without any difficulty, and count it one of our best cultivated crops. - Sorghum sown broadcast should not be overlooked by you. as many people in your section would buy it in preference to any other hay. I take pleasure in sending you some bulletins, which I hope may be of interest to you along these li11es. SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. 679 GRASSES. COLLEGE STATION, 'l‘i~:xAs. DEAR SIR-Enclosed you will findspecimens of grasses. Please define them for me. Thanking you in advance for your kindness. I am, re- spectfully, R. R. R. ANSWER. I have the samples 0f grasses you sent, and take pleasure in saying that the one which has the seed head somewhat resembling oats is known as rescue grass, its scientific name being ‘* Bromns unioloidies.” This grass grows to a height of one to three feet, according to conditions; has a heavy leaf or blade. and the large seed head is arranged somewhat like that of oats, except that the seeds are in compressed or flattened groups. This grass, though not a native of Texas, is so well adapted to the conditions of Texas soil that wherever moisture is commonly found (luring the winter season it thrives and grows upon the open land with- out cultivation. and reseeds itself in spite of the hardest frosts and freezes of this latitude without injury to it. Any quantity of the seed may be obtained from seedmen at a reasonable rate, and land well pre- pared will soon give good winter grazing if sown at the rate of one bushel of seed per acre and the seed harrowed in lightly. You can ob- tain seed of the Texas Seed and Floral Company, Dallas, Texas, and plant during early fall, or when the first rain comes. It is especially liked by all kinds of stock, and if mowed early it will come again and supply a second mowing before the grass dies down in May. 1t is now seeding freely at this writing, April 26, but in a few weeks more will disappear. The other grass you sent resembles timothy, and is known as canary grass, and is a natural product of the Gulf States. It is also known as California timothy’, Stewarfis canary grass, Gilberfis relief grass, etc. This season it is a volunteer in this immediate neighborhood, growing to a height of 18 inches, and produces little leaf. and therefore will not stand close grazing, yet in some sections of the State it produces an abundance of forage early in the spring, and is well adapted to Texas conditions. It has been tested successfully in Louisiana and Mississippi for a number . of years, and the very best results have been claimed for it. The seed of this grass forms into ahead or spike, varying in length from one to two and one-half inches, and in diameter from one-third to two-thirds of an inch. CAN JOHNSON GRASS BE KILLED? DALLAS. TEXAS. DEAR SIR—-Ti18 object of this inquiry is to ascertain whether your in- stitution has made any satisfactory experiment in the direction of killing Johnson grass, that would enable you to issue any authoritative state- ment HDOH the Subject. Please give me what information you can upon this subject. H. A. K. 680 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. ANSWER. I take pleasure in mailing you under another cover the published re- sults 0f some experiments conducted by us here, using cultural methods for the destruction 0f Johnson grass and poisonous chemicals for its erad- ication. Upon lands that do not stick to the roots, close cultural methods, if industriously followed, can be relied upon to destroy the grass where it does not have a strong; hold upon the land. If very well set in large patches, the cost of eradication either by intensive culture or by the ap- plication of poisons, brings the cost up to such a figure that it is not to be advised. This is by way of explanation of the printed report sent out from this Station to all of the papers of the State for republication in what we term our “ Press Notes.” In any case, much depends on the farmer as to whether or not Johnson grass can be eradicated by any known method. Intelligence, persever- ance, and the use of some money is absolutely necessary under all circum- stances. It is almost sure that under present conditions, in spite of the two remedies that have been offered to the public from our experiments here, Johnson grass in the course of twenty-five years will be much more widely distributed throughout the State than it now is unless some legis- lation is enacted that will prevent the sale of seed or its use as a hay. There is no doubt that such a law would operate very hardly against the farmers of the State now having Johnson grass. But it is equally true that the insidious pest (which makes a good hay) will sooner or later re- duce the clean cultivated lands of the State to a minimum. GROWING FLAX 1N TEXAS-BROOM CORN. DAYTON, TEXAS. DEAR. S1R—Please advise me on the subject of flax, raised for seed; also, German millet for seed and hay, and upon the subject of broom corn. Yours truly, B. H. C. ANSWER. In reply to your favor, I must say that the best thing you can use upon your sod land would be either a crop of flax, rice or broom corn. I do not know that German millet will succeed under such conditions. Write Plant Seed Company of St. Louis for prices on flax seed. If they haven’t them in stock the firm can readily procure them. The Ever- green broom corn is the variety best suited to our Southern conditions. These seed can be had of Holloway (l5 Co., Dallas, Texas. Of them also you may buy millet. I advise that you buy these seed from the nearest possible dealer. As to a probable market for flax seed, I am unable to make an accurate suggestion of values, since the crop, so far as my information extends, has never been grown on a practical basis in this State, nor in the ex- treme South. Enough has been done, however, to show that it is quite successful upon fresh sod lands. SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. 681 ROOT-BO T . FATE, TEXAS. DEAR SIR-—I would respectfully ask if you find anything to prevent root-rot or dying 0f alfalfa? Please let us 011 the black lands know it at as early a day as possible, as that is deterring some from planting it. . Yours, W. Y. ANSW ER. As to your inquiry'for root-rot, must say that it can only be prevented by occasional rotation of some grass plant, such as small grain, sorghum, etc. The disease is a fungus trouble, and lives only upon certain plants, grasses not being one of them. I send you our Annual Report, which you will find bears upon this subject in part. TURNING UNDER GREEN CROPS. New YORK. We find this advice sometimes given by Southern agricultural writers: “Never plow under a green crop while green, as it will sour the ground.” This is applied to the South. lt is claimed that in that warm climate a mass of green stuff plowed directly in will acidify the soil too much. Is this sound advice? If so, the practice of plowing under two green crops in one season is wrong. Would lime or cotton hull ashes added to the green crops prevent souring? Yours truly, l-I. W. C. ANSWER. Replying to your favor of March 15, I take pleasure in saying that the advice frequently given “ never plow under green crop while green, as it will sour the ground,” is too general to be true. It is a fact that during the heat of summer, on some close, sticky land, which lacks the proper amount of air incorporated with the soil, and where moisture is in over supply, the plowing under of a very green crop has frequently caused ascetic fermentation in the crop turned under and the results have been injurious to plants under such conditions. If any one of these three conditions is lacking, that is, high temperature, absence of air or an excess of water, 1f any 0f these three is lacking, no damage will result to crops turned under green in the South or elsewhere. The trouble is one which has been greatly over-estimated, and during the spring season little or no danger need be feared of bad results from green manuring. We have very much land in the South which is entirely deficient in or- ganic matter, and for this reason suffers severely from hot sun by baking, and from the drouth by easily yielding up all its water. But these lands can very largely be restored to their former state of fertility by turning under crops of green stuff, such as melilotus clover, cow peas, red clover, sojar beans, and some others. Crab grass is not so good for the purpose of green manuring as are some other grasses that have more woody fibre present in them. The addition of any form of ashes or of lime would largely prevent the souring of land in turning under green crops. - I am satisfied that the same results can be accomplished by turning under in dry weather or in cool weather without this extra expense. 682 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. A CHEAP (“JANE IIARVESTER. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. DEAR Sm--In a late number of the Farm and Ranch I noticed an in- tercsting article from you relative t0 new farm implements, in which you describe a machine for cutting corn. About one of them I wish to ask some questions. I refer t0 the one where the cutters are attached to a sled. I notice the sled is 2%x4% feet. \Vould the sled ride steadier if it was made six or seven feet long? Has it been used long enough to prove it practical? Do the cutters have to be ground often? I have three or four hundred acres to be cut this fall in the Pecos valley, and have been thinking of this machine. Can I get it made in your locality under your direction, and if so. what will it cost? , Yours respectfully, J. E. Y. ANSWER. I have your favor of July 6, and in reply beg leave to say that we» have no carpenters in this community who are expert in constructing the corn harvester to which I referred in a recent issue of the Farm and Ranch. I suggest that you supply yourself with machines from the manufacturer’s address, McDonald Manufacturing Company, Bellefon- taine, Ohio. I take pleasure in saving that the harvester that we are using has given satisfactory work for the past two seasons. IVe are now running over some sixty acres of corn and sorghum with the machine and it cuts at the rate of ten acres per day, as soon as the men get accustomed to handling the crop. Only two men are required. I hope that the address herewith furnished you will be of value. TIIE PLANT FOOD 1N SOUTH TEXAS SOILS. For the purpose of cultivation we may consider that all soils are classed’ according to their mechanical composition into sands, clays, and veget- able (or alluvial). The vegetable (or alluvial) soils are most fertile, while the clays are ranked second in order. These combine into sandy clays, etc. In studying the plant food needed by crops, as supplied by the soils, we class them according to their most prominent chemical ele- ments into lime soils, nitrogenous soils, potash soils, etc. All soils con- tain some nitrogen, lime, potash, phosphoric acid, soda, and chlorine. lVe know that 95 per cent of the soil is never used or even intended ' for plant food. Poor soils are rich in all but the first four named sub- stances, nitrogen, lime, phosphoric acid, and potash. If a soil lacks fer- tility it is safe to say that it is deficient in one or more of these four sub- stances, or these may be present in an insoluble form and the plant can not use the material for some time to come. Plants drink up these sub- stances through their roots after the water of the soil has dissolved them. By chemical analysis we can discover the exact amount of fertilizing ele- ments a soil actually contains, but this work will prove misleading unless we bear in mind the fact that probably one-half of one of these elements SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. 683 is not of any value to this year’s crop, because it is insoluble and there- fore unavailable. However much of the potash or the lime is found by analysis, it can only roughly indicate the need of the soil. If upon ex- amination the chemist fails to find these necessary substances, then it is a sure indication of infertility. With this explanation I now present some analyses of soils from near Alvin and Hitchcock, which were made by Professors Harrington and Adriance, of the Experiment Station: I § '75’: a" E t. g .2 g2 .5 f; é’ s 8 cg o w 23 o Z o '9 :1) 8 .8 2 g» o o s ~ l ~ as ._. r: l 3 t, m £11 o o: Organic matter (contains the nitrogen) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.54 .95 3.94 3 .09 Lime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 .613 Ail) 1.66 Phosphoric acid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .03 .02 .08 .13 Potash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 .2!) .80 1 .09 Hitchcock soil is from the orchard of I-Ion. R. T. “Wheeler. These re- sults are, published in Report 35 from the Experiment Station, and dis- tributed free. Compare these with the analysis 0f the soils on the Agricultural and Mechanical College farm, and we see that there is but little practical difference in their composition. FIELD EXPERIMENTS. A more certain way in which to test the lacking fertility of soils is by actual field trials of the various substances. Add them separately to a soil and note their effects. Some one will increase the yield slightly, while another will cause a marked increase. In the last case we conclude that the substance is lacking in the soil, and if its first cost does not equal the value of the increased product, we can then afford t0 buy that mate- rial and use it in paying quantities only. In order that the nature of the fresh South Texas soils might be inves- tigated, some experiments with fertilizers were made upon fresh sod land at College Station and at Beeville. The results are interesting in that they show that such soils are not lacking in plant food—are in reality rich, but unproductive. The reason why such soils do not yield well the first year will be discussed in the second part of this address. The soils respond somewhat to the addition of phosphoric acid, and, in fact, we would expect this from an examination of the table analysis of these soils which has been given. ' 684 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. Fertilizer Test- Yield 0f Corn 0n Fresh Land. ci .2 ‘5 Application. Q ‘g "E t’ 3 e _.._,.,_ . L A,” i LL Nothing (no manure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.0 10.4 ' Phosphoric acid (400 pounds acid phosphate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 13.9 19.3 Potash (400 pounds krtinit) .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.0 9.1 Nitrogen (400 pounds cotton seed meal) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 11.9 13.6 Nitrogen (1000 pounds cotton seed meal) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 10.0 .. . . CONCLUSIONS. All of these facts indicate that the upland soils of the coast country of South 'I‘exas can be benefited now somewhat by the application of the phosphoric acid in all eases where a maximum crop is expected. In the course of a few years’ cultivation nitrogen (vegetable matter) is also likely to disappear from the lighter lands, and must be replaced in the form of barnyard manure, cotton seed meal, or cotton seed, though these materials contain small amounts of potash and phosphoric acid also. These analyses and experiments further indicate that thesesoils are generally well supplied with potash, and we must conclude that the pur- chase of ashes, kainit, potash, etc., will only prove profitable in rare in- stances. The foregoing conclusions are but general deductions, and can only be applied to the coast country in the most general way. It often happens that two parts of a single field will vary in their needs as to manurial elements. Nothing but an actual trial will give positive results, and these private experiments have often misled the farmer when he was not prepared to apply the fertilizers in a scientific manner. The next session of our State Legislature should be asked to pass a law for the protection of those in this section who buy these commercial fer- tilizers upon the market. Without a guaranteed analysis the farmer 0r gardener has no assurance that the claims of the seller are approximately accurate. The farmers of other Southern States have been thus protected in purchases of fertilizers, and their fast increasing use in this State de- mands that a similar law be passed for Texas. SOIL FOR GROWING PUMPKINS. INGERsoLL, TEXAS. DEAR SIR-Please find in this mail a phial of earth, which if you will tell me what it needs for the successful raising of field pumpkins you would greatly oblige and benefit me. C. C. I. ANSYVER. Replying to your favor of the 7th instant concerning the soils sent for examination, I must say that it does not grow pumpkins because it is al- most entirely lacking in organic matter in the form of “humus,” which SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. 685 is partially decomposed vegetable matter. The soil you sent seems to be a yellowish-white sand, of very fine mechanical texture, lacking in clay and almost entirely without vegetable matter 0f any kind. To render this soil fertile for the growth of pumpkins, several crops 0f cow peas or other green manure must be given to the soil to make it fertile. A l<‘]89 occasion. A number 0f Experiment Station workers have consented to attend some of these meetings and discuss certain topics with those pres- ent. There is now little doubt of the great value to be derived from the Farmers’ Institutes that are held in several counties of the State. While the last Legislature refused to create a Farmers’ Institute Bureau 0r organization for Texas. there is no reason why a large number of in- stitutes should not be held during the coming season. Every community has in it some man who is especially fitted to discuss some agricultural or horticultural subject to the benefit of his neighbors. In fact the Farm- ers’ Institute system is based upon the idea that there is no one who is so well informed upon agricultural matters that he may not learn something from an ordinary gathering of farmers, where free (iiscussion takes place. As a rule the men who make success in certain lines of work are usually willing to tell how they succeeded or how they failed. and give advice to their brother farmers upon these subjects, when invited to do so. Be- sides these men in the local communities there are prominent. agricultural and horticultural speakers and writers in this State who cheerfully attend these meetings if their railroad expenses are paid. They are large-hearted, public workers who give their time to the development of our great agricultural resources. In addition to these men the otIicers of the Agri- cultural Experiment Station, located near Bryan, may always be relied upon to furnish one or more speakers to the institute if consulted suf- ficiently early to arrange their work for the meeting. It is now. a very favorable time for institutes to he founded in com- munities where there have been none up to this time. The rise in the price of live stock, the rapid growth of vegetable and fruit interests of the State, the many clearly defined facts that have been recently discov- ered upon farm and garden work in their different phases, seem to invite the inauguration of Farmers’ Institutes in every progressive (somniunity in the State of Texas. HO\V FARMERS (JAN EXPLRI .\lIu‘N’l‘. Reports have been printed in all of the State papers giving the good results of recent experiments at San Angelo,in this State, that were con- ducted to test the fattening value of milo maize, for the benefit". of the farmers of the semi-arid \Vest. This experiment is one which should have been conducted, and it gives pleasure to all who are interested in the advancement of agriculture in the State to know that private enter- prise has adopted the methods of our Experiment Stations, and seek to know something more definite of the feed crops, fertilizers. forage plants and new varieties of all kinds that have been lately introduced into the United States. Recent letters from several parties ask for a simple method of testing their land to learn whether or not it would pay to use commercial fertil- izers, stable manure, and other kinds upon it. We take pleasure in giv- ing all such inftirmatioii as promptly as we can, and we here present one of the plans for soil testing to prove whether or not it is deficient in cer- tain kinds of plant food. In planning an experiment it is advisable to make plots rather small in size, in order that they may all be treated exactly alike. If a large 690 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. field is devoted to one system of experiments, it is impossible to so manage them that the results will be reliable. Plots of one-fifth or one- tenth acre are usually to be preferred. The size of the plot can be determined by the number required for any given experiment. Where ten 0r fifteen plots are in use the size should be about one~fifth or one- quarter acre. Lay off the number 0f rows t0 give the exact size of the plot desired. If a fifth-acre size is chosen, apply the following manures at the rate given below: Plot No. 1. Apply nothing (check). Plot No. 2. Kainit 100 pounds. Plot No. 3. Wood ashes 200 pounds. Plot No. 4. Apply nothing (check). Plot No.5. Combination of kainit 5O pounds (potash), cotton seed meal, 5t) pounds (nitrogen). Plot No. 6. 100 pounds of cotton seed meal. Plot No. 7. Apply nothing (check). Plot No. 8. 5O pounds of kainit (potash); bone meal or phosphoric acid, '50 pounds. Plot No. 9. Bone meal, pllOSpllOPlC acid or bone black, 100 pounds. Plot No. 10. Apply nothing (check). Plot No. 11. Phosphoric acid or bone meal, 4.0 pounds; cotton seed meal, 40 pounds; kainit, 2O pounds. Plot No. 12. Phosphoric acid, 5O pounds; cotton seed meal,50 pounds. Plot No. 13. Two loads of stable manure. Plot No. 14. Apply nothing (check). All of the above materials suggested for fertilizing purposes can be bought of the Standard Guano and Chemical Manufacturing Company, New Orleans, Louisiana, excepting wood ashes, cotton seed meal and manure. For garden experiments in testing fertilizers or manures the size of the plots is ordinarily' much smaller than is here suggested. Through the eo-operation of the Department of Agriculture a large list of seeds was distributed in this State last year by this Experiment Station to prominent farmers in all parts of the State. A great many of these have sent us the results of their experiments with grasses, clover, coin and garden vegetables. All of these results will be published at the close of the fall season and distributed free to the farmers of Texas. We get inquiries sometimes asking whether or not a certain variety of corn or of cotton is well suited to the writer’s particular‘ farm, and in most cases we are able to make some suggestions upon this subject, but much more valuable information could be had by the farmer selecting some of the most promising varieties of corn or cotton and plant this upon his farm in small plots or areas. The land selected for these tests must be of very uniform character and fertility. The plots must lay near together, and the outside experimental plots should be protected by other corn or cotton to render them of value. In the middle of the field and near the outside edges there should be “check plots” (planted in one particular variety) to test the conditions of fertility in the land. Then the yields of all other plots may be compared with these check plots to (letermine the value of the several varieties. This is more accu- rate and reliable than to compare the experimental varieties with each other. Unless this precautionary method is adopted it is certain that the results obtained on the average farm will not only be worthless, but will SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. 691 be misleading and harmful in the extreme. For this reason many 0f the experiments conducted by farmers of all parts 0f the world have proved themselves unreliable. ' BOOKS FOR FARMERS. BEEVILLE, Texas. DEAR SIR-If you have any literature 0n hand that you send out to farmers I would like t0 get it. I am a young man just started out, and I have selected farming and stockraising for an occupation, and I want all the information I can get along that line. I would like to have any reports on agriculture or bulletins on stock feeding, especially in stock feeding, for I want to feed next Winter. Yours truly, - S. S. ANSWER. I have your inquiry, and in reply begleave to say that we have placed your name upon our mailing list for receipt of our free publications in future, and mail you copies of Nos. 33 and 34, recently published from this olfice. I would suggest that it would be worth your while to buy some books 011 the subject of stock feeding, such as “ Feeding Animals” by Stewart. It would also be well for you to understand something of the different breeds of stock, and I recommend for this purpose “ lIorses, Cattle and Swine,” by Curtis. You will find much instructive matter in the two volumes of “Storefs Agriculture,” which is an expensive work. A cheaper one is “ How Crops Feed,” by Johnson. You will [ind some- thing of particular value on grasses by reading “Grasses and Forage Plants of the South,” by Phares. I can refer you to books on sorghum growing, wheat growing, corn growing, potato growing, ete., should you not find in this list the probable information wanted. CHEMICAL DEPARTMENT. H. H. Harrington, M. S. C., Chemist. l). Adriane-e, M. S., Assistant. I‘. S. Tilson, M. Assistant. BY H. H. HARRINGTON, CHEMIST. MISCELLANEOUS. TIlE INFLUENCE OF FEED ON BUTTER. It has been pretty clearly proven by chemists and dairymen in the last few years, that the proportional quantity of butter fat in milk is not materially influenced by the kind 0r quality of feed eaten by the cow. But it has also been shown, first at my laboratory in the winter of 1888- 1889, and subsequently by Dr. Wiley, of the Department of Agriculture at Washington, that the quality is materially influenced bythe kind of feed. It had been believed, even by chemists, that all properly made- butter possessed the same chemical composition, except as to the amount of water. Tabulated analyses were given to show just what a chemist might expect in submitting a sample of butter to analysis. But on ex- amining butter from cows fed on cotton seed or cotton seed meal, I found the results to vary widely from published reports of butter from other feeds. It was discovered that the etfect of this feed is to make the butter firmer and harder, and at the same time to increase its melting point. Although it should be remembered that the relation between the melting point and actual hardness or firmness of butter is not always the same. Butaer from any feed is chielly a mixture of three oils, olein, stearin, and palmatin, the last. two being‘ solids at ordinary’ temperature, and the first a liquid. As cotton seed oil is itself a liquid containing a11 excess of olein, we would naturally’ expect that a feed of cotton seed or meal would give a butter with a greater excess of olein—a butter" of lower melting point. But just the reverse seems to be true, as shown by Chemical analysis, and as appears to be further shown (under claim) by expert tasters, who complain of cotton seed butter "sticking to their pal- ate ”—an excess of lualmatin or stearin. The practical benefits of this influence. in our warm (zlimate are at once apparent. 1t is by a difference of 8 or l0 (legrees easier to keep such butler for market. 1t not only docs not melt so quickly. but it is not so liable to become rancid. On the other hand, if a full feed of cotton seed or meal is fed to the cow, the taste of the butter becomes so impaired that what is gained in one» direction is more than lost in another. [692] SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. 693 The question then becomes: How much of cotton seed meal or cotton seed can we afford to feed, and still not materially influence its flavor, ivhile at the same time we increase its meltingpoint? 1n a bulletin pub- lished some time ago we undertook to answer that question from the chemical and practical side. Vvle found that by feeding" two pounds of cotton seed meal, two pounds of wheat bran, two pounds of corn meal, and ten to sixteen pounds of silage per day, we increased the melting" point of butter three to four degrees without impairing‘ its flavor. Other feeds might of course be substituted for any of the above to go with the meal, or this may be replaced by hulls and meal, or boiled cotton seed in the proper proportion, (lepending upon what is available to the feeder. But of course the meal or meal and hulls, when they can be obtained, are always preferable to the whole seed, owing to the large amount of oil which these contain. 5o much for the effects of cotton seed and its products on butter. In Bulletin No. 13 of New Hampshire Station an experiment was under- taken primarily to test the relative influence of corn meal and its by-pro- duct gluten meal, on the character of butter from each. Ensilage, hay, corn meal, middlings, and glut-en made up the feed; the corn meal and gluten so varied as toltest the influence of each; the other feeds remaining constant. 1t was found that the substitution of gluten, either wholly or in part, for corn meal had the effect of softening the butter. While in a test with hay and silage, the hay “ apparently produced” a harder butter. Again, when cotton seed were substituted for gluten meal, the increased hardness of the butter was very marked. THE SALE OF COTTON SEED. Since the time when cotton seed oil mills were safely established the price of the seed has been an annual theme of discussion between the farmer and mill men. WVith the farmer the question should be, “At what price can I afford to sell my cotton seed P” and not, ‘WVhat price can the mill man afford to pay?” since the latter question is_ beyond his control. It is not likely that any discussion in the press, or otherwise, will materially influence the majority of farmers in the disposal of their cot- ton seed. Whether the price is $14- or $54 per ton, the seed will be sold just the same-reluctantly; perhaps. but none the less steadily. The farmer is too prone to look upon the sale of the seed as so m ueh saved, regardless of the price. butl believe there are some who, if clearly re- minded of the farm value of the seed, will demand a certain price. of the mill men, or use the seed at home upon the farm. ]eiall_y' should this be done by the farmers living upon the poorer lands of the State-land that is not sufficiently fertile to begin with, and that will rapidly grow poorer as each annual crop of cotton is sold and nothing‘ returned. Upon richer land of the State. like the black waxy and the alluvial river bot- toms, the seed is of less importance; but even there they have a great feeding value that should not be thoughtlessty (lisregartletl. TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. TIIE SEED MEAL AS A FERTILIZER. A ton of cotton seed, 0n an average, yields approximately 1090 pounds of meats, 800 pounds 0f hulls, and 20 pounds of lint. The meats yield about 800 pounds of meal and 290 pounds, or thirty-nine gallons, of oil. At this time the seed are worth about $6 at the mill, the meal $16, and the hulls $2 at the same place; the oil 22 cents per gallon, and the lint 3 cents per pound. The mill man, therefore, converts $6 for the seed into $16.47 for its product, a difference of $10.47, even at the very low pres- ent price for oil and meal. The average composition of a ton of the seed in fertilizing material is 60.6 pounds of nitrogen, 23.2 pounds of phosphoric acid and 25.1 pounds of potash. The money value of a ton of meal is $16, and at that price is the cheapest all-purpose fertilizer which the farmer can buy. Add $2 to this for hauling home, and price becomes $18 per ton. But how does its price compare with the price of the seed at $6 a ton? The average fertilizer composition of a ton of the meal is 132.8 pounds of nitrogen, 53.6 pounds of phosphoric acid and 35.85 pounds of potash. This would make about the following valuation per pound of the above ingredients: Nitrogen 10 cents, phosphoric acid 6 cents, potash 4 cents. These prices would give a money valuation to cotton seed themselves of $8.45. So when the farmer sells seed at $6 per ton and buys meal at $16 per ton he is losing about two and a half dollars, not counting the cost of hauling the seed to the mill or nearest market. This estimate is based on the fertilizer value alone. But to apply raw seed or meal is the most wasteful way to use them for a fertilizer, since their feed value is thereby lost. Let us compare TIIE FEED COMPOSITION OF THE TIVO. The seed contains per ton 374 pounds of protein, or nitrogenous ma- terial, 514.8 pounds of nitrogen free extract, including starch, sugar, resins, etc., 414.8 pOllllfia‘ of oil. The meal contains per ton 846 pounds of protein, 472 pounds of nitrogen free extract, 262 pounds of oil. It is diflieult to place airything‘ like a correct money value on the above in- gTedients. But they show the seed are richer in oi1—too rich, as is well- kno\vn-and in nitrogen free extract, than is the meal. But the meal contains two and one-half times the amount of protein in the seed. Therefore, so far as chemical composition is concerned, two and a half tons of seed used would more than compensate for one of meal. Butthe meal costs the farmer $18 and he receives $15 for the seed, a loss of $3. It may be said that the meal is a better feed than the seed practically, regardless of tehemieal composition. In some respects it is better, but can no more be fed without roughness or coarse fodder of some kind than can the seed. In an extensive feeding experiment covering two winters it was shown by Professors Gully and Carson (Bulletin N0. 6), at this Station, “ that for (illIUYCllt cattle foods, a ration made up of cotton hulls and cotton meal is equal. if not superior, to a ration of any other two feedstuffs used for fattening cattle, but a cheaper ration may be compounded of silage and cotton seed, or of corn, hay, and cotton seed at the prices given, namety: Forty cents a bushel for corn, $20 a ton for cotton seed SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. 695 meal, silage at $2 per ton, $3 per ton for hulls, and $7 per ton for cotton seed.” I conclude, therefore, that if the farmer wishes to make a choice be- tween seed and meal for fertilizer purposes only, at the present prices, heloses about $2.50 per ton if he decides in favor of the meal. If for feeding purposes, he loses about $3 per ton. That is, if we assume the manure from a ton of seed and a ton of meal to be worth the same, or nothing. But since that from the meal is worth a little more, it would bring the loss in ei-ther case to about the same—$2.5O for every ton bought and sold. The only excuse for such a practice is, then, 1st, the land is so rich it needs no fertilizer; 2d, one owns more seed than he can feed. And it is doubtful whether a farmer is ever justilied in having more cotton seed at this price than he has cattle to eat them. “ALKALI.” The term “alkali,” as ordinarily used, when applied to water or soil, conveys very little accurate information as to its nature, unless one has learned from experience what to expect. Usually, a water that tastes “ bitter ” (acrid) or salty is called an “ alkali;” while a soil that will not grow crops is denominated an “ alkali” soil. There are considerable quantities of both of these in this State, and samples of each have frequently been subjected to analysis in this laboratory’. The most common form of this alkali is sodium chloride, common salt, at the same time a very dangerous form for plantlife. The Pecos river water contains so much of 1t that along the smaller ditches and flats that catch the overflow from these, where the water is allowed to slowly evaporate and sink into the soil, a white sediment of salt is left in'such quantities as to be easily scraped from the surface. It fre- quently gives rise to “alkali spots” in a field, especially in the western part of the State. 1t can not be elminated from a soil by treating with chemical substan- ces, but there are certain plants that absorb very large quantities of it— notably, beets and sorghum, and much of it can be removed by succes- sive crops of these. When irrigation water can be had it may frequently be partially washed out of the soil by heavy floodings-allowing all the water to drain away. Next to common salt, sodium carbonate, “soda,” is perhaps the most common “alkali;”it is more injurious than the chlor- ide,quant-ity for quantity, but can be destroyed by application of gypsum or plaster to the soil. This salt is really alkaline, “caustic,” in its character, and is cspeciall_y (lestructive to young plants. If applied to the soil in solution, by irrigation, its influence is only quicker. My attention has been called to the existence of this “alkali soil” even as far east as Brazos (this) county. ‘But it is also most com- mon in the western part of the State. But in Texas these soils or waters do not exist to the extent found farther west—Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Utah, Dakotas and Nevada, all have large areas of alkali soils, over which are found alkali waters in greater or less quantities. Magnesium chloride, borate of soda (borax), and calcium chloride also sometimes add in small quantity to the existence of alkali soils or waters. 696 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. ur r. s. 'I‘ILSON, ASSISTANT CHEMIST. Till‘) USE OF FEltfllilZERS. That some 0f the once fertile soils 0f this State now require care in order to restore production, is proved by the increasing correspondence on the subject that is addressed to this Station. The object of this article is to put in-print, for general information, what can be stated in a general way on this subject-Jeaving individual cases that will require special consideration on account of peculiar condi- tion of soil, location, or alkali for direct communication. In all civilized countries the continual strain that is brought to bear upon the land, due to the growth of crops, even in proper rotation, is very great year after year. But whether fertilization will pay or not, cle:irl_y depends directly upon the particular requirements of each soil. ’l‘he. fact that some of our small fruit growers, as well as others, have realized high returns from a judicious use of fertilizers, has (lispelled the silly claim that "fertilizing" is too costly and will never pay.” The reason why our soils require the addition of fertilizers will be apparent, for “ profitable farming necessitates the maintenance of the land in an in- creasing, rather than decreasing, state of fertility.” Who will deny the sovereign truth that nothing pays worse than poor crops upon large areas, of which the cultivation cost just as much as if it were yielding high returns? It must be evident to all that to use fer- tilizers (artificial or natural) on a soil which does not require them, or to add fertilizers in excess, is so much waste of money‘. Unlike soils that have been for ages cultivated and require a “ com- plete fertilizer” (which contains nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash), our soils have had for the most part only a one-sided wear, and require a partial fertilizer. It is desirable for profitable, and also economiefarm- ing to know (l) the quantity of mineral and nitrogenous matter our soil contains, (2) xvhether these mineral substances are in such a form as to be readily taken up by the crop, (3) what ingredients a1‘e extracted by the crop. In short, for a planter to use intelligently a fertilizer, he should know‘ what his soil lacks to produce a piljiillg‘ crop, and the com- position of the fertilizer at his disposal. Before any mineral ingredient is tll)5()l'b0(l by a living‘ plant it must be in solution. There is no such thing‘ as the roots of plants absorbing solid matter. A soil may contain an abundance of potash, phosphoric acid, lime, etc., and yet be almost barren, all because these substances exist as insoluble compounds. It must be remembered that if a soil is (lelieient or wanting‘ in just one of the mineral ingredients found in the plant we wish to grow upon it, the yield will be small. A virgin soil tisually contains an ztbuntlant supply of plant food, as the elements taken from the soil by_ the plant a1‘e returned to it again when the plant decays. As soon as the land is brought into cultivation, however, the vegetation is taken from it. Sooner or later under this drain the land becomes impoveris_l1ed. Hence the use of adding natural and mtilicial fertilizers. The chemical analyses of soils in the majority of eases yield little value to the agriculturist, because the acids used in the laboratory are more powerful than those at the command of the 1‘oots of the plants. SUN DRY BRIEF A RTICLES. 697 As regards water used for irrigation, the information so obtained is positive. The farmer’s only safeguards as to the kind and quality of fertilizers to be used are through direct and repeated trials and chemical analysis. Generally speaking‘, the elements, iron, sulphur, lime, and magnesium, are found in abundance to supply a maximum crop. If so, then the principal fertilizing elements to, be looked to are nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potassium. _ These elements in an analysis of a fertilizer are generally spoken of in combination with oxygen. It has longsince been found by chemical an- alysis that all the elements necessary to the proper subsistence or growth of plants are generally’ present in the soil in sutlicient iluantity, except nitrogen, phosphorous, and potash. Now, let us inquire how we may’ replenish our cultivated lands with these, and for this purpose we will etmsiatler in the main some of the more recent analyses of fertilizers madein this laboi'a.tor_y. Before giv- ing the reader the benefit of these, some of which are typical fertilizers, we should understand in what form the plant food herein contained is valuable to plant nutrition. and whence our source, to a limited extent. Nitrogen in commercial fertilizer is the most expensive and at the same time the easiest to be washed out of the soil. Its ordinary measure in soils is the vegetable mold or humus, the presence of which we can easily measure by the more or less blackish tint when wetted, except our “red soi1s.” It is well to say just here, that from the analyses of over forty differ- ent soils in this State (the chemical analysis can be found in Bulletin No. 25), we found in nearly every instance that they contained a stiflicient amount of humus. _ 'l‘his important ingredient (nitrogen) can in most cases be replenished by a farmyard fertilizer, when proper care is exercised. This is regarded by the average farmer as a typical fertilizer. 1t must be understood that its composition varies considerably, and that it is far from being a perfect fertilizer. A still better source for nitrogen near at hand to the Southern farmer is cotton seed meal, which contains about 6.} per cent of nitrogen. . The most convenient source of nitrogen through a commercial fertil- izer, as well as the most available, is chili saltpeter (sodium nitrate). As will be seen from the following analysis, it contains about l4- per cent of nitrogen. Bat guano, of which a great amount is found in this State, is another source, containing over 10 per cent of nitrogen, the analysis of which will be found under the heading “Phosphoric Acid Fertilizers.” Still another source we have is sulphate of ammonia, which from the analysis shows it to contain nearly 20 per cent of nitrogen. Bone black and bone meal contain nitrogen, and their analyses are also to ‘be found under the discussion of phosphoric acid. 698 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. ANALYSES. Barnyard Manure, from Experiment Station. (N0. 152): Moisture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.542 per cent. Phosphoric acid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1.430 per cent. Organic matter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45.350 per cent. Potash : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 0.786 per cent. Nitrogen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.065 per cent. Chili Saltpeter (sodium nitrate). ' (No. 145): Nitrogen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14.420 per cent. Equivalent to-— Ammonia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . .. 17.510 per cent. Moisture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.700 per cent. Sulphate 0f Ammonia. (No. 147): Nitrogen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 19.810 per cent. Equivalent t0—— . Ammonia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 24.0.36 per cent. Moisture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.070 per cent. PHOSPHORIC ACID FERTILIZ ERS. The phosphatic fertilizers usually contain their phosphoric acid in dif- ferent forms, and to this fact must the purchaser direct his attention» when procuring“ a commercial fertilizer. It should be present in all com- pound commercial fertilizers, being next in importance to nitrogen. Phosphoric acid in commercial fertilizers exists in three forms, viz., water soluble, citrate soluble, and acid soluble. The water soluble and citrate soluble are usually taken together and called “ available phosphoric acid.” These two forms of phosphoric acid are usually given the same value in a commercial fertilizer. They are both readily available as a plant food, with a preference always for the water soluble when buying. The insoluble phosphoric acid is only slowly, if at all, available to- plants. Bat guano contains all three of the chief essential ingredients of a com- plete fertilizer, though the quantities of each are frequently not well pro- portioned. Below we give the analyses of a few commercial, as well as natural, fertilizers, under the above classification. BAT GUANO. (TiaxAs) no‘ ":1 '5 ' 12g. s :5 =13 1 [if 1Q? ‘i ‘ét ‘do l 3.3 52-; g .<>- _ Number. 1 | fig 155751358 £975 Eu 73.35, +53 g8 y .321. 1g; +46 .-» hi "an. 6;- icai. 3:3 flail 23a 5 51' Sc? ti i l | 120 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.157 1.5441 0.130 10.010 13.3211 13.41 0.339 1J3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 1.300 2.22401 0.5-1 10.0(i012.219 12.S1.\1. E. I l” SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. 699 - BAT GUANO ASH. ' .-e s s" w s :32‘ 9'2 '5’ E 2.2 ‘S2 ,2 , é‘. Number. 36¢ @845 28.: ,5 .5 2..- g8; efifi aéé“. ‘£25 s5 8 $5 e58 gwo gmo .6wo go do aw Emu .3533 “.393 ‘"55 6S .55 e3 ‘6 S 0M1. Ema. 5mm. m. an. 2o. a n. 122 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..N.E.N.It‘(l. l\'otes taken in April. 1894. on Brazos bottom plats, when the grass growing near to them was about two feet in height. showed on plats Nos. 1, 2, 4, and 5 no g‘rass of any kind. It will be remembered that on plat No. 1 was a heavy application of salt and oil, and on l\'o. 2 was salt alone. same amount as was applied to No. l. I\'o. 4 contained arsenieal mixture, and No. 5 also arsenical mixture, buttwiee the quantity applied to l\'o. 4. On all of these plats it was found upon digging down several inches under the surface. that the roots were decaycil. ()n plat l\‘o. 3 (a light application of salt and oil) we found two shoots of Johnson grass, but the roots were not vigorous, nor were the tops. (m the other plats in the bottoms the grass was growing as well as upon that which had not been poisoned. Notes taken in the spring at the College show no Johnson grass grow- ing on plats Nos. 1, 2, and 3, but on plats Nos. 5 and 6, upon which the TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. arsenical mixture had been applied, a few shoots of grass werelfound, possibly due to the fcact that where these plats were located the winter rains washed over the surface badly. COST OF A PPLICATTON. Calculating upon the basis of 7 cents per pound for arsenic and 3 cents per pound for sal soda, the arsenical mixture necessary to kill 100 square feet of the grass. thickly set, as was applied to the plats in the Brazos bottoms, will cost 39 cents; the salt, at 5 cent per pound, will cost 60 cents; the salt and kerosene oil, rating the oil at 12% cents per gallon, will cost about $1. 'I‘o kill one acre of grass, the arsenical mixture will cost $169, the salt $261, and the salt and kerosene oil $435. From the above statement it appears that there is no economical way of killing the grass by applica- tion of poisons to large fields. The arsenical mixture costing much less than the salt, or than salt and kerosene oil, we would recommend its use on patches about over the farm, in connection with close cultivation. 1n this way’ we believe the grass can be controlled, and entirely destroyed if taken in time. \Ve are continuing the experiments here reported, and have begun others, and feel satislied that we will soon be able to im- prove upon the methods now recommended to kill this grass. These applications will destroy the productiveness of the soil for a time, but for how long has not yet been determined by us. PREPARATION AND MANNER OF APPLICATION. The arsenic is, of course, the active principle in killing the grass. but it is insoluble in either cold or boiling water, and has little or no efiect when applied dry. The sal soda was used as a resolvent in the propor- tion of about 2 pounds of sal soda to 1 pound of arsenic mixed and boiled for one hour in 5 gallons of water. The mixture was then allowed to cool and applied to the surface of the ground with a galvanized iron sprinkling pot made for the purpose. The arsenical mixture will attack tin vessels. So we recommend a galvanized iron vessel in which to boil the mixture. For convenience it can be transferred to a barrel having a rubber hose attached, with a sprinkler on the cnd and a stop-cock on the hose near the barrel. A simple device of this kind can be hauled from place to place and mixture applied without danger to clothes, shoes, etc. The salt was sprinkled over the surface by hand. and where the kero- sene oil was used it was applied with an ordinary flower pot. The ctn-rosive sublimate, as well as the bluestone, was easily soluble in cold water, and on account of their eorroding properties to most metals, a glass carboy was used. It was found by this experiment that these two chemicals were of no economical value in destroying the grass, hence we can not recommend their use. The Slllplllll‘ and lime readihy combined upon boiling in water for about 2O minutes, and was applied to the surface. The concentrated lye was sprinkled on the surface with a flower pot. The sulphur, lime, and concentrated lye solution gave no better result. than did the solutions of corrosive sublimate and copper sulphate. 'l‘here- fore we will not discuss them further. sunnm’ BRIEF ARTICLES. 727 HOW TO KILL JOHNSON GRASS ON UPLAND SOILS. On the College farm a tract of about 10 acres was sown to Johnson grass seven or eight years ago for the purpose of obtaining a permanent meadow, and. notwithstanding manure was applied,- it did not make a good yield. This soil is light, sandy loam, varying in depth from 5 to 1O inches. with a stiff, impervious clay sub-soil, into which the roots do not penetrate, which accountsfor the poor growth. As usual the grass did not fail to scatter its seeds over the entire farm, soon becoming a serious nuisance. It was decided to get rid of the grass if possible by close cultivation. This meadow was broken broadcast in the early fall with a turning plow, and immediately harrowed thoroughly with a spring-tooth harrow; was at this time very dry and warm. Nothing more was done until about the first of February, when it was again broken broadcast with turningplow and harroived with spring-tooth har- row, thoroughly pulverizing the soil so as to admit of easy surface culti- vation with sweep. It was prepared for late planting of cotton; about the lst of May by working broadcast and bedding with solid sweep once to the row, at which time the soil was in excellent tilth. Cotton was planted immediately; came up in a few days, and grew off nicely. It was given frequent shallow cultivation with buzzard wing sweeps. The cultivation was continued until about the 15th of August. The following fall when picking cotton, only a few sprigs of the grass could be found, and these, for the most part, appeared on the “sandy mounds” where the clay subsoil does not come near the surface. The following spring this land was put to corn, but was not so carefully’ cul- tivated. lt was followed by cotton this year, closely cultivated with sweep. 'I‘-his spring only a few bunches of Johnson grass can be seen (1894) DAIRYING. BY A. M. ‘SOULE, ASSISTANT AGRICULTURIST. SELECTING A DAIRY COW. MINERAL lViaims, TEXAS. I have recently come to this State and made some investments here, and hope soon to engage in the dairy business. You will oblige me by giving me the essential points of a good dairy cow, and whether or not these points vary with different breeds. Also, in your experience, what breed is best suited for dairy purposes? J. B. B. ANSWER. In selecting a dairy cow, first of all inquire into her pedigree, and ascertain what has been the record of her ancestors in the dairy. Next look into her own actual performance at the pail and test her milk with the llabcock machine. Some claim that the use of the tester is all that is needed, but the Babcock test does not tell anything of constitution, of TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. the nervous force of the animal. the prolonged or deep milking qualities, or whether she will be a desirable animal to breed from. Last of all, it is not always possible to have a. tester at hand, especially in a country where dairying" is not generally pursued. The following points will be found to form an index for the guidance of the inexperienced breeder, being based 0n careful observation and some experience in the handling of dairy stock. A model dairy cow should possess the following characteristics very strikingly: I. In general outhne: She shouldbe rather fine in the head, neck and crops, wide in the chest, large in the barrel, and large development in the hind quarters. II. The triple wedge-shaped formation is considered essential in a dairy’ animal. It implies: 1. Increasing width from the withers downward. 2. Increasing width towards the rear parts. 3. Decreasing width from the top of the hind quarters downward. III. The head is medium to fine, longer and more dished and tapering somewhat more than in the beefing breeds. IV. The neck should be fine, fairly long and tapering and the throat clean. V. The body should be capacious, broad a11d deep and medium in length. VI. The udder should be long, broad, deep, extending well forward and. well up behind, and rather evenly quartered. VII. The milk veins should be large and tortuous, abundant on the udder. and the orilices large where they enter the body. VIII. The escutcheon should be well developed from the perineum to the udder and should extend well outward at the thighs. IX. The legs should be medium to short. with bone of medium size. X. The skin should be medium to fine, elastic and mellow, hair plen- tiful and soft, and the skin a rich yellow color. These points will be found to vary but slightly in the essentially dairy breeds, i. e.. making due allowance for the fine points of distinction be- tween the different breeds. We have had some experience with several breeds and are not prepared to discriminate in-favor of any one. All the dairy breeds have their strong points and their weak points; it is impossible to state which is best for your purpose, as many of our tine dairy herds are composed of grades. “A good cow is a good cow all the world over, no matter what breed she belongs to.” NEW FEEDS FOR DAIRY COWS. The discussion of new feeds is always an interesting subject to the dairyman, as his success is largely dependent upon having the right kind of feed. Careful experiment has long since proved that the best results are obtained from feeding a liberal supply of succulent food well supple- mented by a grain ration. The best ration for a dairy cow being one of protein to six or seven of carbohydrates. Texas has been highly favored with respect to good dairy foods. Corn, rye and sorghum all flourish, producing magnificent yields for feed, either as soiling crops or for en- SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. 729 silage. and the two latter make splendid pastures or hay crops. In cot- ton seed meal is found a concentrated food produced at a minimum cost, which can be used to form the meal portion of the ration. But it is ob- jectionable for dairy cows and should only be fed in limited quantities, as it makes the butter viscid, and in a large measure destroys the color, flavor and aroma. Hence if we are going to compete with northern dairyunen it is necessary to cast about for a food that can be produced as cheap as cotton seed meal and can be substituted for a portion of it in the ration. In the north they have clover and roots, but as they do not take kindly to our southern soil and climate, other substitues must be sought. Prof. Robertson has been working for several seasons endeavor- ing to obtain a balanced ration for the dairy cow from the natural prod- ucts of the soil, and has in a large measure succeeded. It consists of corn, English horse beans and sunflowers. These are cut green and made into silage or cured as hay. This is looked upon with favor in the north, and as corn, beans and sunflowers find a natural habitat here, it would seem that it would be worthy of the dairyman’s attention in this State. Oats and Canadian field peas sown together" at the rate of one-third peas to two-thirds oats, in all at the rate of two bushels per acre, forms another valuable food for this purpose, either for ensilage, soiling, or curing for hay. The peas and vines are both very rich in protein, thus together with oats forming a well balanced ration that needs little if any meal fed with it. The Canadian field pea is as yet a stranger in the land, but it is hoped another season it will find a place on our Station farm. Vetehes are not unknown here, and when grown in connection with oats are about equal in feeding value to oats and peas. These two mixtures last mentioned are good for both sheep and horses as well. They should be cut in the milk stages, and if intended for hay, left to wilt in the sun for a few hours, and then made into shocks and left t0 sweat for a time, when they can be hauled to the barn or stack. The at- tention of the dairyman is respectfully called to the above fodders. It is to be hoped that they may be given a trial on the Station grounds an- other season, and in the meantime some progressive dairy-nnan may see fit to give some of these fodders a trial elsewhere in this State next sea- son. The pea, bean, and vetch all belong to the legumes, and have the power of absorbing atmospheric nitrogen by means of their root tuber- cles, so that they leave the soil very rich in this substance; another strong point in their favor. THE EFFECT OF FOOD ON THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF MILK. During the summer some interesting observations were made along this line. The cows of the herd were all carefully tested, during the period indicated, and the food and milk of each animal accurately weighed and recorded. Most of the cows were in the advanced period of lactation, though some were fresh when the tests were made, and, although it was at the heighth of the drouth which prevailed during the summer months, and when the pastures were almost eaten bare, strange to say, the cows not only held up wonderfully in milk flow, but the percent of fat in the 730 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. milk increased, and the animals laid on flesh, as demonstrated by actual tests and weighings made. ' The only supplementary feed used was four pounds of wheat bran per day; one-half of that had been the ration before they were turned on-the pasture. This seems very strange when complaint has generally been made about the poor quality of milk produced the past season, and the, falling off of ilesh in herds in various parts of the country. This has been (Jllftfgtitl largely to the account of the flies, but there were plenty of ilies in this instance as well. ' The pastures consisted essentially of blue grass, which makes but very little seed, and thus as it becomes older and shorter it contains an equal or greater amount of nutritive matter, but owing to its dry nature would not supply a large milk flow, which again shows the necessity of having and feeding a liberal supply of succulent foods to (lairy cows. Mani- festly then if the food was more concentrated the animals would natu- rally lay on tlesh, but as the quality of milk is fixed by individuality, the increase in per cent of fat could not be accounted for in that way. Testing the cow from the beginning to the end of the milking period has shown that as the period of lactation advances the milk increases in per cent of fat. Again. may a cow not have the capacity to give 6 per cent of fat and yet from poor feeding and improper management give only 4 per cent of fat; and yet when properly treated and fed, run up to her maximum of 6 per cent fixed by individuality? This seems to be a reasonable way of explaining this vexed question. Later in the season the cows were turned on a new pasture containing a liu-ge per cent of clover, and as a result the fresh cows made a rapid gain in flow for a short time. About this time the grain ration was doubled, with little effect on quantity but showing slightly better quality. This again indicates the usefulness of green fodder to increase the milk yield as compared with concentrated food, and illustrates the ditficulty of increasing the tlow permanently when once it has become diminished from any cause. DAIRYLYG 1N THE SOUTH. How to successfully and economically contend with the intense heat of our climate is one of the dairy problems that is not easily solved. Since ice can not be had naturally, and the manufactured article is too expen- sive, some other means must be devised to meet this exigency. “any machines have been invented for this purpose, and among them a class of machines known as "evaporators.” for, although there are many styles, they all work on the same principle—nan1el_y, that of surround- ing the vessels containing the milk with wet cloths, so arranged that either automatically or by capillary attraction they will remain moist during the setting period, and thus cool the milk by evaporation, the water being supplied from a reservoir conveniently arranged. During the present summer we have tested two of these 1naehines,with the result that we find an average temperature of from 74 degrees to 78- degrees F. can be secured by this method. This temperature, however, is too high to give satisfaction, as the difference in temperature of the SUNDRY muse ARTICLES. 731‘ milk when drawn fresh from the cow and after setting fifteen hours is not great enough to permit 0f a complete separation of the fat from the milk, causing a serious loss. It is claimed, however, by the advocates of these machines, that they are infinitely superior to nothing (which is very true), and that in cases where only one or two cows are kept for family’ use, these machintés, be- ing so cheap, form a very desirable addition to such a home. Especially is this true of certain styles, which are so arranged that they may also be used as refrigerators. For this purpose the evaporator may have a place, but when as many as five or more cows are kept a separator is (lesirable. This, used in con- nection with a Cooley Creamer, for holding and ripening the cream, or a Boyd vat, forms the ideal method of (lairying under present circum- stances. And if a suflicient number of cows are kept to enable churning to be done every day, and the butter is (lelivcred as soon as made, the difficulties of handling and caring for the products of the dairy are greatly simplified. _ - l In the case of small herds where a separator is considered too costly, we would advocate the use of the Cooley Creamer, rather than the evap- orator, as the results will be found more satisfactory. lt is true the for- mer cost much more, but a good thing was never yet purchased for nothing, and our motto on this question is, start right when you go into any business. It may cost more in the beginning, but it will prove by far the cheapest in the end. MISCELLANEOUS. TII E FAIR. The Texas Experiment Station has a fine exhibit at the fair, in charge of Prof. Clayton, Agriculturist 0f the Station, assisted by Mr. A. M. Ferguson, a post graduate of the Agricultural and Mechanical College. The exhibit embraces: Cotton, 34 variteies; corn. 63 varieties; sorghum, 15 varieties; field peas, 30 varieties; wheat, 8i varieties; oats, 56 varie- ties; rye, 4 varieties; barley, 7 varieties; cultivated grasses and forage plants, 104 varieties; native grasses, 50 varieties; sweet potatoes, 50 va- rieties; Irish potatoes, 50 varieties; onions, 20 varieties; millets, Kaffir corn, Jerusalem corn, broom corn, and hundreds of other products. These exhibits are not shown as samples of successful farming, but to illustrate the effects of different processes of fertilizing and cultivation. The cotton is shown in the stalk with open bolls, neatly mounted and framed. The grains and grasses are shown in the entire plant, mounted, and separately in the seed. The effectof fertilizers on potatoes is shown in graphic (iiagrams, placing the results before the eye of the inspector in easily comprehended shape. There is also a collection of injurious in- sects in glass, and insecticides used in destroying them, with a collection of fungicides used in spraying and otherwise treating trees, vines and vegetables. 'I‘here is also an exhibitof the chemical analyses of a [JOUIId each of corn, cotton seed, pea vines, and meadow hay, showing the car- bohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, and ash of each respectively, separately in glass. No amount of theoretical composition can bring the facts so plainly t0 the mind as the constituents of the various feed stuffs separated so they may be separately seen, weighed, and compared. Persons interested in stock feeding should study this collection and take the facts home with them-Texas Farm and Iianch, Oct. 26', 18.95. TIIE 'I‘EXAS EXPERIMENTAL STATION. Texas Experiment Station has a very handsome exhibit at the State Fair, located in Exposition IIall, in charge of Mr. James Clayton, Agri- culturist of the Station, assisted by Mr. A. M. Ferguson, a post graduate of the Agricultural and Mechanical College. Both of these gentlemen take pleasure in showing visitors through the exhibit, and explaining all the details connected with the experimental work, some of the results of which are shown at the fair. Results of these experiments are of great value to the farmers of Texas, and we trust that every man interested in farming will spend a part of his time at the fair examining the speci- mens shown. In the exhibits are to be found products from the departments of agri- [732] ' SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. p 733 culture,horticulture, chemistry, and veterinary science. From the agri- cultural department we find valuable results in field experiments with varieties of corn, cotton, wheat, oats, field peas, sorghum, milo maize, Jerusalem corn, kaflir corn, broom corn, cultivated grasses, and forage plants. From the department of horticulture are to be seen the results of ex- periments with sweet potatoes and Irish potatoes. The effect of fertiliz- ers on potatoes is shown in a diagram, giving a very clear idea of the needs of the soil. There are twenty injurious insects, with insecticides, and a large number of native grasses mounted i11 frames and correctly named. The chemical department has an exhibit of the different elements con- tained in one pound each of corn, cotton seed meal, cow pea vines, and prairie hay, which should be of great value to the farmers and cattlemen of our State. The veterinary department has on exhibition a model of a dipping vat such as is now being used at the Experiment Station for (lipping cattle. The Experiment Station is supported by an appropriation from the United States government, andits object is scientific investigation in agriculture and kindred subjects. Bulletins giving results of these in- vestigations are issued quarterly from the Experiment Station, and are free to farmers on application to J. H. Connell, director, College Station, Texas. A synopsis of all the bulletins published since the organization of the Station and some of the recent issues are being distributed from the exhibit, and by leaving your name and postotfice address the future bulletins will be sent from the Experiment Station.-—Faz'r, Fteld and Farm, October 31, 1895. Not much can be said of the Dallas Fair from the standpoint of the horticulturist. The horticulturists are not in it, but it is largely their own fault. The exhibit of the Texas Experiment Station deserves spe- cial notice. It was tastefully yet systematically arranged, and so skill- fully placed as to easily impart difficult lessons. For illustration, take one of many examples: To give a tangible, conceivable idea of the chemical constituents and feeding value of several feedstuffs, the various ingredients of corn, wheat, cotton seed meal, pea vine hay, etc., are bot- tled and set in line, showing at a glance and in a way which indelibly impresses the memory that cotton seed meal and pea vine hay contain a remarkable amount of protein, while corn contains an equally remark- ably amount of carbohydrates, demonstrating at once that neither alone can be a perfect food. If the farmers and stock men who visited the fair made a careful study of the Experiment Station exhibit, their eyes are open to the great value of the Station’s investigations, and there will be less criticism in the future. But we don’t think they gave the exhibit the attention it de- served. Don’t for a moment imagine that we have harped on the only string in tune. \Ve don’t say that all are in tune; many were. not. There is room for improvement and always will be, but there is more room for improvement in the pupil than in the teacher. How many of you learned the lessons taught by the array of corn and potatoes of both 6-Bul1et1n 734 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. kinds? Did an_y 0f you study the fertilizer chart? It taught as im- portant lessons as the illustration of food analyses. How many 0f you saw it? If you didn't see any 0f these things, you had better reserve your criticisms of the Station until you have had time to look into them. We are in no way connected with the Station, and are under no obliga- tions to it which you are not under.—Tewas Stockman and Farmer, Nov. 13,1895. At the recent Texas State Fair held at Dallas, the Texas Experiment Station made an exhibit that will be of immense benefit to the State through its educational effect upon farmers who visited the fair. From the agricultural department of the Station there were shown the results of some valuable experiments in field work, with varieties of corn, cotton, wheat. oats, field peas, sorghum, milo maize, Kaffir corn, broom corn, cultivated grasses, and forage plants. From the depart- ment of horticulture were shown the results of experiments with varieties of both sweet and lrish potatoes, and a test made with fertilizers on both; also a variety test of onions, and a large number of native grasses, cor- rectly named. There were twenty injurious insects with insectcides and fungicides. The chemical department showed the different elements con- tained in one pound each of corn, cotton seed meal, pea vines, and prai- rie hay. The veterinaryr department had on exhibition a model of a dip- ping vat, such as is now being used by the veterinarian in which to dip cattle to kill ticks. Recent issues of Bulletins, and a synopsis of all the Bulletins published since the organization of the Experiment Sta- tion, were distributed to the farmers. Mr. James Clayton, agricultnrist of the Station, was in charge of the exhibit-Southern States, Novem- ber, 1895. AG-RltlUf/ITTRAI, AND MECHANICAL EXHIBIT. The exhibit of the Agricultural and Mechanical Experiment Station, of which Assistant Professor James Clayton has charge, was ready yes- terday. It is very large and is partially illustrative of the Work of the Station for the last two years. ()f sweet potatoes there is a large collec- tion, with their yields and a graphical diagram of the fertilizer Work. Red Bermuda, General Grant, Shanghai, (California) Early Golden, and Earbadoes gave the largest ields, with Bunch Yam, Cavitt’s Early Florida Yam, Georgia Yam, iiall Hrryman, Negro Choker, and Norton Old Vineless close seconds. Phosphoric acid fertilizers, potassium, sul- phate and barnyard manure compost gave best results in the order named. Nitrate of soda and all compounds with it decreased the yield, and cotton seed meal affected a slight decrease. Specimens of common injurious insects are shown, and the remedies given. Samples of the more tiseful insecticides, such as carbon bisul- phide or “high life.” Paris green, naphthalene, hellebore, Persian insect powder, together with the most common fungicides, are shown. A collection of the more important grasses and sedges is shown. They are neatly mounted and labeled with their botanical and common names. SUNDRY BRIEF ARTICLES. 735 Most of the above subjects are elaborately treated in bulletin board cards, which will soon be out and will be sent free t0 farmers on zippli- cation. In its entirety the exhibit is an illustrated lecture t0 farmers, horticul- turists, and stoekmen, and all interested should not fail to call on the gentlemen in charge. They have a limited quantity of Station publica- tions for distribution to farmers, and also catalogues of the Agricultural and Mechanical College. The exhibit includes sixty-three varieties of corn, with the growth of stalk, section of ear, length of grain, size of cob, and one peck of ears showing the main characteristics. Tilll"fi_Y-fOlll‘ varieties of cotton, exhibiting the stalk, lint, and seed. ‘Fhirty’ varieties of field peas in glass jars. Fifteen varieties of sorghum in the stalk. Kaffir, Jerusalem, and broom corn. Cat tail and German millet, red and white milo maize. Eighty-one samples of wheat, showing stalk and head of both bearded and smooth varieties. Fifty-six samples of oats, including lll:"'_' new varieties. Four varieties of rye. Eleven samples of barley. Forty-six samples of cultivated grass and clover seeds. Fifty-two varieties of cultivated grasses and forage plants. Fifty varieties of native grasses, all named. Fifty varieties of Irish potatoes, showing yield per acre and keeping qualities. Fifty varieties of sweet potatoes, showing yield per acre. Twenty-five varieties of onions, showing yield per acre and keeping qualities. ' Samples of standard fungicides and insecticides. Two very unique drawings showing results of fertilizers applied to ‘ Irish potatoes and sweet potatoes. A frame containing thirty-two cotton seed with the lint worked out, so as to give the length and quality of staple on each. Twenty injurious insects, in alcohol. In the chemical department is found an analysis of a pound each of corn, cotton seed meal, pea vines, and meadow hay, showing the amount of crude fiber, carbohydrates, protein, fat, water and ash contained in each.—DaZlas News, October 23, 1895. EXPERIMENT‘ STATION EXHIBI T . The Texas Experiment Station exhibit at the State Fair, located in Exposition Hall, is highly praised, and on it the officers of the Experi- ment Station have been complimented. From the agricultural depart- ment is to be found the results of some valuable experiments in field work with varieties of corn, cotton, wheat, oats, field peas, sorghum, milo maize, Kaffir corn, broom corn, cultivated grasses, and forage plants. From the department of horticulture is shown the results of ex- periments with varieties of both sweet and Irish potatoes, and a test made with fertilizers on both, also a variety test of onions, a large number 736 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 0f native grasses, correctly named. There are twenty injurious insects with insecticides and fungicides. The chemical department shows the different elements contained in one pound of corn, cotton seed meal, pea vines, and prairie hay. The veterinary department has on exhibition a model of a (lipping vat such as is now being used by the veterinarian in which to dip the cattle to kill ticks. Recent issues of Bulletins and a synopsis of all the Bulletins published since the organization of the Ex- periment Station are being distributed to the farmers. The entire work is for their benefit, and these reports can be had free by applying to J. I-I. Connell, Director, College Station, Texas. Mr. James Clayton, ag- riculturist of the Station, is in charge, and takes pleasure in showing visitors through the exhibit-Dallas News, October 27, .1895. INDEX. Page. Alkali—In soils and water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 695 Ant-How to kill the Red . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 714 Beans-Lima . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 708 Black rot of the grape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 713 Budding-Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 713 BUTTER——' Influence of feed on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 692 In cold storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-673 Making . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 660 Cabbage-Two crops in one year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .706—707 CANAIGRE— Development of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 675 Some information concerning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 676 Cane Harvester—A cheap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 682 Cantaloupes-Test of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 724 CARBON Bl-SULPHIDE— As an insectide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .669—67l Effects upon germination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 671 Cattle—Dehorning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 I7 Celery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 709 Chinch bugs in corn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 668-669 Colts—-Grain ration for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 657 Corn—Is weevil-treated injurious? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 671 Corron- Peculiar habits of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 720 Certain varieties of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 720 Coriwm SEEI)— I Feeding to milk cows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 661 The sale of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 693 The food composition of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 694 lnjurious to hogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .662-663 And hulls. Value of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 661 COTTON Sumo M EAL- As a fertilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 694 The food composition of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 694 Cow Peas—G rowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 675 (lows- Heavy grain feed for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 718 New feeds for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 728 Selecting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . n. . . . 727 Dairying in the South . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 730 Exhibit-Station fair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 731-735 Experiment-How farmers can . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 689 Fair-Newspaper notices of exhibit at Dallas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .732-736 Farmers-Books for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 691 Farmer's Institutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 688 Feeding Milk Cows-Rations for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 729 FERTILIZERS— - Applications of to the sweet potato crop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 711 Forcoastcountryu‘. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 685 [7371 738 INDEX. FEnTImzEns-continued. Page- For corn, cotton and wheat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 687 llse 0f: some analyses, and brief discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 696-699 Experiments at McKinney and Wichita Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 688 Fistula-Entcro-umbilical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704 Flax growing in Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 680 FURAGIC PLANTS— For the black lands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 687 For the Pan llamlle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 677 For South Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 679 Grasses for the coast country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 678 (}RASS— llow to kill Johnson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 724-727, 679-680 Rescue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..679, 716 'l‘0xas blue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ' ' ' ' ' ' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 716 (lrasshoyipers-Protection against . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 667-668 Green (Jrops-Plowed under as manure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 681 llorn l<‘l_v-—'1‘he . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 715 Ilousic- (fontagious sore mouth of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704 Fistula—l‘. Sw lCl~1T—- Analyses of varieties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 706 A new tummy to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. 713 Harvesting and storing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 705 Test of mauurcs upon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 711 'l‘est of varieties V . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 706 Pumpkins-Soil for growing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 684 Rflhl)itS—-I]O\V to protect trees from . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 712 1{1l.(1i.~h—V2ll'i€ti€S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 708 _ Root Rot-Preventative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 681 SALT- As a fertilizer on wheat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 686 injurious to hogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 662 Seed—N0rthern grown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 720 Sums- Construction of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 663 How t0 fill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “66-1-665 Trouble with . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 666 SORGIIUM— For milk cows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 660 Grazing cattle on green . _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 659 llow to save... .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 674 . . . . . . 721 Machinetocut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . INDEX. ' 739 Page. Sotol as a stock food . . . . . . . . - - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 658 Stock—Green food for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 718 Ticks-Remedy for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .700—702 Tornatoes—Varieties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 707 Tree-Protection from rabbits and insects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 712 Vegetables for the kitchen garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 722 WEEVID- lneorn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..-. 669