Vol. XVI. 5fo, 399. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



2^» 



combat the evil. A clear understandiDg of the 

 subject, should be given to the children of all schools 

 by lessons in the life-history of the fly, and the Boy 

 and Girl Scouts could undertake a supremely useful 

 piece of work by tracking down the breeding places 

 and reporting their existence to the health author- 

 ities. 



The importance of c )mbating the evil may be 

 brieHy summed up. The future development of most 

 of the West Indies depends upon increase in their 

 populations. Disease, especially among infants, is an 

 important iactor in retarding the growth of population. 

 Flies are active agents in disseminating disease. 



^^. 



DAIRY FARMING. By C. H. Eckles, D.Sc, and 

 G. T. Warren, Pli.D. New York: The Macmillan Compavv, 

 1916. Pp. 309. 



This is the first of a .series of books to be known as the 

 Farm Series which is being prepared to give briefly, but 

 without being superficial, tlie basic principles whereon may 

 be giounded the scientific study of agriculture in its various 

 branches. The aim of each book will be to discuss the phases 

 of its subject that are most importance to the farmer; that is, 

 to answer the farmer's questions and to make these answers 

 in the form of underlying principles rather than as rules. 



It is fitting that the first book of the series should deal 

 with what is probably becoming the m"st important source 

 of revenueof American farmers, who once kept beef cattle 

 but are changing to dairying, and for such farmers a study 

 of the subject with which the book under review deals is of 

 vital importance. The position and experience of the two 

 writers, Dr. Eckles, being the professor of dairy husbandry 

 at the L'niversity of Missouri, and Dr. Warren, the professor 

 of Farm Management at Cornell University, enable them to 

 write with authority on the different matters connected with 

 the subjects treated by them in this work. 



After indicating tlie importance of the dairy industry 

 in the L'nited States, the book contains twelve chapters on 

 different subjects connectei with cattle and with milk and 

 its by-products, as, for instance, breeds of cattle; selection, 

 improvement, management and feeding of cattle; common 

 ailments of cattle: milk and its by products, butter and cheese; 

 systems of farming on dairy farms, and other impDrtant 

 factors making for success in dairy keeping. 



Although there is no established dairy industry on 

 a large scale in the West Indian islands, some of the chapters 

 (particularly those with regard to the selection of breeds) of 

 this book will be of great value to planters and others who 

 keep cows, for the advice it contains is at once practical and 

 concise on all the points it discusses. 



In comparing the value of, the different breeds which 

 have been developed for dairy purposes, the chapter on selec- 

 tion states that, while the strong points of Holsteins are high, 

 milk yield, marked vigour of constitutiou quiet disposition, 

 good feeding qualities, and value for beef and veal, their w^ ak- 

 est point is considered to be the low percentage of fat in the 

 yield of milk. On the other hand, Jersey cows rank low as pro- 

 ducers of meat and are surpassed by other breeds in tjuanlity 

 of milk, but are unrivalled in the economic production of fat, 

 which is an important matter in .selecting a cow for the 

 dietary requirements of infants and invalids. As the sucess- 

 ful development of a dairy herd dej ends more upon the 

 selection ol the bull than on any other thing (except perhaps 

 it be the proper culling out of inferior cows), it is important 

 to select a bull having daughter! in milk in order to leara 

 the characteristics he transmits to his offspring. With regard 

 to crossbreeding, the book states that, although it is commoa 

 among American farmers, the practice is not to be recom- 

 mended. The proper course is first to select the breed that 

 best meets the reijuirements and then to continue along this 

 line unless it is found after sufficient trial, that a serious 

 error has been made. 



In the chapter dealing with feeding, it is shown that 

 cottonseed meal, the by-product after the oil is extracted, 

 contains a higher amount of protein than any other common 

 food. For this reason it is specially valuable for balanc-ng^ 

 rations deficient in protein, for example, those in which c irn 

 or corn products form a large proportion. It should not 

 however be fed to excess. As a rule, from 2 to 4 lb. 

 .should be the maximum, but in the Southern Siates, 

 where it is abundant, it is fed in much larger quantities 

 wi'h good resnll.s. 



The remarks as to sanitary milk deserve careful consideir- 

 ation in the West Indies, for milk is known to be a carrier of 

 disease germs, and the danger that such germs will get into 

 milk during handling is much greater than the danger of the 

 transmission of the disea-e directly from the cow. The 

 general subject of milk sanitation miy be summarized in the 

 following statements: (1) Use only healthy cows; (2) milk 

 should not be handled by anyone suffering from contagious 

 or infections disease or anyone associated with the person so 

 affected; (3) the cow's body should be kept free from 

 manure; (4) the milker should have c'ean clothes and sho.ild 

 mdk with dry hands; (5) the utensils must be properly washed' 

 and sterlized; and (6y the milk must be sterlized immediately 

 and kept cool until consumed. Throughout the West Indies 

 there is need for the inspection of dairies and for the educa- 

 tion of public opinion on the importance of the production of 

 milk under sanitary conditions as we^l as on the great food' 

 value of milk. 



As regards the value of cow manure, .some interesting 

 details are given. From experiments it has been found that 

 about 15 tons of manure per cow can be produced a year, 

 but, of course, much of thii is lost when cows are working 

 or at pasture. On the loss of manure by too long exposure 

 sound advice is given. Exposure for five months results 

 in the loss of half its value, and it is recommended that 

 the safest place, in every way, for manure is on the land and 

 that it should be spread as soon as possible. 



At the end of each chapter in this text-book are to be- 

 found questions on problems dealt with therein, which enable 

 the reader as he proceeds to digest each subject thoroughly, 

 together with references to further sources of informatioa 

 and collateral reading and courses of laboratory exercises. 

 Written in a ample nontechnical style, well illustrated and 

 indexed, this admirable book, though primarily designed for 

 use in schools and colleges, will be of great practical utility 

 to those in the West Indies who have to do with the cire 

 and management of cattle. 



