The Question Box. 347 



the amount. Thej are of the most benefit when fed with coarse 

 fodder, haj, cornstalks, straw or ensilage. 



What is the best food for a milch cow in winter, and how much shall 

 she be fed? 



Mr. Cook. — It will all depend: First, what is the roughage, and 

 what is the capacity of the cow. We should aim to feed that 

 which will produce most at cheapest cost, and then, if we have a 

 €ow that will profitably respond, we should feed her all she will 

 digest and assimilate. One cow will require more, another, less, 

 and one cow will respond better to one ration than will another. 

 The question implies an experiment together with the cost of the 

 foods. 



Wauted: A Imhiuced ration for milk that will test 3.5 per cent, fat, 

 usinK corn stalks, corn meal and oats? 



Mr. Cook. — That might do, but, I think I would leave out the 

 corn meal. Of course, it would depend very much on the quality 

 •of the corn stalks. 



How about selling oats and buying wheat bran? 



Mr. Cook. — I don't believe I would do it. We have had this 

 thing somewhat overdone. I mean this advice of selling oats and 

 buying bran. But it would all depend on the price of the oats 

 and the quality of the bran. 



Should a heifer persistent in milk be dried off before her second calf, 

 having milked only 10 months? 



A Farmer. — No; keep right on milking her. 



Mr. Converse. — I do not believe a man ought to feed a cow with 

 the intention of drying her off, nor should the grain ration be 

 taken off for that purpose. But I would feed less grain and less 

 roughage. 



In dairying with four or five cows, which breed is the best to keep for 

 butter and to raise stock for beef to be ready for market at two years 

 of age? Would you keep Thoroughbreds or crosses, and what breed or 

 what cro.ss? 



Mr. Converse. — I would not combine the two, nor would I cross 

 two breeds. If I wanted milk, not butter, I would select the 

 Holstein. If butter, I .would inve«t in the Jersey or Guernsey, 



