120 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



grown, green or dry, make up a balanced ration, or a ration so 

 nearly perfect that cows will thrive and keep in good condition 

 while giving a liberal flow of milk with but a small addition of 

 grain feed. Taking this into account, therefore, that substan- 

 tially as many pounds of this valuable nutritive material can be 

 grown to the acre as of any other crop known to our agriculture, 

 that it is a perfect feed, and that it is produced at small cost, it is 

 easily seen that in the production of low cost milk it holds a 

 leading place and may well receive more appreciative attention 

 as related to the question under consideration at this time. 



Further, I have said that the grasses in their fodder forms — 

 and I mean if handled in their proper form — when handled from 

 the standpoint of low cost milk require the addition of compara- 

 tively light and inexpensive grain feed, and I claim that this 

 needed grain feed can be produced on the farms where needed 

 at less cost than by purchase from the market, as is the common 

 practice with dairymen. 



Oats are adapted to our conditions of soil and climate, and 

 can be produced at reasonable advantage by any farmer wanting 

 them for use. They are also a grain feed that well suits the 

 deficiencies of the crop we have been talking about. It will not 

 quite balance the scientific ration, but will leave a balance in the 

 pocket of the operator which is very satisfactory. 



