372 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



what we should ordinarily do when we feed to colts and horses, 

 otherwise they would eat too much and fatten. 



Mr. Gilbert. It is not an easy thing to say what constitutes 

 really first-rate hay. In my judgment, no hay, if cut ever so 

 early and made ever so well, from old fields, is first-rate in its 

 adaptation to young animals. I think we have drawn out the 

 phosphates so much that it would be necessary to prescribe that 

 the hay should be cut on comparatively new ground, unless the old 

 field had been treated with manure that had a large supply of the 

 phosphatic element in it. There is but a limited amount that can 

 be called first-rate and the practical question then is, what shall 

 be added to make the balance equal to first-rate hay ? If the man 

 that spoiled his Hereford steers had fed them upon oats, corn or 

 shorts, with turnips or potatoes, in connexion with hay, he would 

 not have spoiled them. He would have got good growth without 

 injury. 



Mr. Coburx. The amount of very early cut hay is quite small, 

 partly because of scanty growth and partly because the weather 

 rarely gets fairly settled until July so as to favor the making of 

 it. The practical question is, with what aids shall we make up 

 the quality of that cut in July to what is meant by "first-rate, 

 early cut hay." It must be by means of substances capable of 

 making bone and muscle for young animals and for making milk 

 and fat for mature animals. I consider shorts better for bone and 

 muscle than Indian meal. 



Col. Swett read the following paper : 



Advice to Young Farmers — Success a Duty. 



In looking at this subject, we must apprehend the fact that the 

 sure road to success is by a good education and thorough appli- 

 cation. There is, perhaps, no other sphere of life which requires 

 more thorough knowledge, both general and specific, than the 

 pursuit of agriculture. Jt is important that this knowledge 

 should be garnered not only at our schools and colleges, but by 

 observation and experience, by associating with practical men, and 

 by making yourselves familiar with the best works on agriculture 

 extant. In the preparation for professional life, the student is 

 required to apply himself diligently to the task before him, and 

 thus a foundation is laid, one broad and deep ; and when he grad- 

 uates, he has the truth that success comes only through long 

 continued effort firmly impressed on his mind. And let this prin- 



