iOO Bureau of Farmers' Ixstitutes. 



Mr. Cook. — I tliink we often make a mistake in feeding our dry 

 cows too liberally of refuse stuffs. The average farmer, if he baa 

 a good supply of straw, cornstalks or timothy hay, is ineliued to 

 feed too much of such foods. They do not furnish the requisite 

 supply of blood to perfect the offspring, j-et unborn. We must, 

 therefore, feed such a cow more protein than we would to one 

 being fattened. It is pretty hard work to formulate a ration for 

 such a purpose because animals differ. But I have never found a 

 ration better for such purpose than corn meal and wheat bran, 

 half and half. 



Would it pay to grow corn on good potato ground, where potatoes grew 

 last year? 



Mr. Harmon. — Yes. I have never been able to get along with- 

 out a cornlield, and I think, as a rule, every farmer ought to have 

 a cornfield. There are a good many dollars paid out for western 

 corn every year, which is evidence enough that the farmers are 

 not only feeding it, but that they are not growing it. I think 

 that we ought to grow more of it, also more potatoes and less 

 beans. 



Why do not our state institutions buy home-made beef? 



Mr. Ward. — I believe that one of the most serious mistakes the 

 farmers of this State made was the giving up of the raising of beef. 

 Last year the county of Genesee paid more than .^400,000 for west- 

 ern beef. The State, outside of New York city, paid $30,000,000 for 

 western beef. Xow^ why not raise beef? I am just as willing that 

 my money go to Germany or Cuba for sugar as to Nebraska for 

 beef. If the farmers of this State are to grow beef successfully, 

 they must have beef breeds, with full-blood beef sires. I do not 

 believe there are a half-dozen pure-bred beef sires in Livingston 

 county. We don't want general purpose animals, nor milk 

 breeds, but the pure beef breeds. As prices are to-day, with such 

 beef animals, the raising of beef in this State can be made profit- 

 able. 



