PROFITS OF FEEDING HAY. 



47 



I well know that when I commenced keeping stock in earnest, 

 some seventeen years ago, I thought I knew how to feed first-rate — 

 that no one knew about that better than myself. I have found out 

 since that I then knevv bardlj' anytliing about feeding. When we 

 come to speak upon such questions as this before such an intelli- 

 gent audience as this, it becomes the duty of everj' man to speak 

 whereof he knows. 



In discussing this question we are not onl}' to consider the hay 

 which is raised upon the farm, but all other crops that are worth as 

 much to feed as they are for any other purpose. The farmer that 

 raises a crop of potatoes has more or less refuse potatoes to feed to 

 his hogs or his cattle, which are profitable to either, but those which 

 ai'e merchantable are worth more to sell, of course. I wish to 

 speak mainly in relation to feeding to milch cows, and to show, as 

 nearly as I can, the cost of producing milk ; and then 3'ou, who 

 make the milk, may do just as you please with it. By actual ex- 

 perience by seven different farmers in my own county during the 

 past two years, b}' feeding the hay that is raised on the farm, reck- 

 oning it at twelve dollars per ton, and the corn fodder in that pro- 

 portion, and the straw at eight dollars per ton in the barn, with 

 grain at the price it was last year, the average cost of the milk 

 amounted to a fraction over two cents per quart b}- the year. Now 

 do not understand me that every man that owns five cows or twenty 

 cows has done this or is able to do it without the very best of care. 

 In the first place I will state that every man that keeps stock 

 should use the very best of judgment in selecting them, and know 

 what kind is the most profitable for him to keep. For instance, the 

 price of a cow in the market is, say fifty dollars ; every man who 

 has one for sale asks that price, while as a matter of fact Mr. A's 

 cow is as well worth seventy-five dollars as Mr. B's is fifty. The 

 price of the two is the same, because the difference between the 

 two is not appreciated. Take a good, well-selected herd of cows, 

 good in size, nearly six feet in girth, good milkers, and feed them 

 well and tend them well, and each of them will produce in a 3'ear 

 2,700 quarts of milk. Now in the cost of keeping these there is 

 one item to be considered which varies about every year, and that 

 is the price of grain — the concentrated food which you feed. For 

 instance, a 3ear ago last spring 3-ou could obtain all the wheat bran 

 yon wished to foY fifteen dollars a ton delivered in our county ; this 

 year it has not been less than twenty dollars. There is five dollars 



