112 agriculture; op mains. 



LESSONS TO be; drawn. 

 Now the lessons which may be drawn from these census 

 reports emphasize the need of some adequate means whereby 

 the general run of dairymen may find out what their cows are 

 doing. What are their adequate means? Three things need be 

 done. The dairyman should learn to judge the cow as to her 

 dairy abilities. He should comprehend and put into practice the 

 fundamental principles of dairy feeding and sanitation. He 

 should join a cow testing association. These are the three pre- 

 scriptions, as it were, for remedying the situation. And I suggest 

 that he get from the Department of Agriculture at Washington, 

 D. C, the plain, concise and well illustrated Farmers' Bulletin 

 No. 143, on the "Conformation of Beef and Dairy Cattle." It is 

 so well illustrated and plainly written that he can tell therefrom 

 something of the worth or worthlessness of his cows. It will 

 not make him an expert cattle judge, but it will serve to teach 

 him the fundamentals of home judging of dairy cattle, and to 

 give him some idea as to the relationship between conformation 

 and performance. Then I suggest that he get from the same 

 source No. 22, on "The Feeding of Farm Animals," No. 106 

 on "Breeds of Dairy Cattle," and No. 192 on "The Care of 

 Barnyard Manure." These publications — all free — will not 

 make him an expert or solve the whole proposition, but will 

 afford clear, plain and concise information right along the lines 

 which will enable him better to understand the conformation 

 of his animals and how better to take care of them. 



cow testing associations. 



And now, finally, I come directly to the main subject, — The 

 Importance of Cow Test Associations. It is well understood 

 that a large share of our cows are kept at a loss and that the 

 identity of the unprofitable animals is not always or often 

 known. Since "In union there is strength," this end ought to 

 be accomplished to good advantage by forming what is 

 known as Cow Testing Associations. 



These are simply voluntary organizations among neighbors, 

 providing for periodical weights and tests of milk, the keeping 

 of records, the making of calculations, and the reporting of 

 results, a sort of elastic organization among neighbors, designed 



