The Question Box. 55 



Mr. Witter. — I should prefer to mix the three. The cows all 

 prefer a variety, and will respond better from it than from a single 

 feed, although there is no more protein in it. 



Question. — How much bran should be fed to a cow ? 



Mr. Gould.- — How long is a string, or how big is a piece of 

 chalk ? It would depend on the cow ; how large she was ; whether 

 she was in milk or dry, and what the coarse fodder was. 



Question. — Can you tell us about rye hay ? Who has had ex- 

 perience with it ? When should rye be cut for hay, before or after 

 heading? 



Mr. Smith. — Rye becomes woody very early. If hay is to be 

 made of it, it must be cut before it heads. At that stage it makes 

 very good hay. 



Question. — Is it a good crop to plow under ? 



Mr. Smith. — Yes ; but it ought to be plowed under early in the 

 spring. But rye does not supply any plant food. It does not ab- 

 sorb nitrogen from the air, as do the legumes ; so that when plowed 

 under, it only furnishes humus vegetable matter. But do not wait 

 till it has headed out. Sow it among the corn rows, or later, and 

 plow under quite early in the spring. If there is a too large growth, 

 pasture it off a little in the spring. 



Question. — What will be the best grain substitute for hay, when 

 cows are dry ? 



Mr. Garrison. — Bran. 



Mr. Litchard. — I should use one part corn and two parts bran. 



Mr. Stevens. — Just one word on this point : I am a great be- 

 liever in corn as a food for the dairy cow. Two of the best butter 

 dairies in this country, both making dollar a pound butter, feed 

 two-thirds corn and one-third bran. For dry cows, too, I believe 

 the addition of corn will be found profitable, helping as it does 

 to put them in good condition, and fit them for service when they 

 come into milk ; care being taken, of course, not to fatten them too 

 much. 



To Mr. Woodward. — What do you mean when you say " succu- 

 lence ? " 



Answer. — Succulence is a juicy condition. The cows' food 

 should have it. To illustrate: Mow 100 pounds of lawn grass and 

 feed it directly to your cow. She will eat it, lie down, digest it 

 and give you two pails full of milk each day. She does it, 

 because that grass has about the nutritive ratio contained in the 

 milk. Beside keeping up her milk flow, she gains in condition, 

 every day. ISTow cut another 100 pounds of lawn grass, convert it 



