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shorter period after calving. All the cows used in the experiment 

 had been in milk for a considerable period, four of them about 

 five months and the other two considerably longer. It is not only 

 possible bat quite probable that these last two (the ones that were 

 dropped at the end of the first four weeks) were more influenced 

 by the individual tendency to " run dry" than by the extra grain 

 feed in the ration. We shall certainly repeat our investigations as 

 soon as opportunity offers. 



Supplementary Considerations. 



Several conditions arose during the course of the experiment 

 entirely without our control, that may or may not have influenced 

 our results ; and while in a certain sense they might be considered 

 as foreign to the real discussion of the result, it seems worth while 

 to mention them in this connection, 



1. The rain fall at Ithaca in the growing season of 1889 was 

 phenomenal, especially in the months of June and July, the 

 amounts in inches being as follows : June, 6.74 ; July, 6.73 ; Aug. 

 3.32; Sept., 2.57, while the average for the past 11 years has 

 been June, 3.52 ; July, 3.95; Aug., 3.02; Sept., 2.44, and dur- 

 ing the time of the experiment June 8 to Sept. 21, rain fell on 

 forty-nine daj^s.* Our pastures remained green fresh and luxuri- 

 ant throughout the whole season. The grass, almost entirely blue 

 grass, grew continuously ; but owing to the gravelly character of 

 the soil the grass did not become soft and watery as often happens 

 in soils that are naturally more moist. We cannot help thinking 

 that had there been the usual midsummer drought with its accom- 

 paniment of parched pastures the results from our supplementary 

 grain ration would have been more marked. 



2. A striking feature of the experiment is the large increase in 

 the percentage of fat in the milk of lot II during the period from 

 Aug. 4 to Sept. 7 inclusive and a similar slight increase in the 

 milk of lot I for the same period. This period coincided almost 

 exactly with the period of least rainfall and highest temperature 

 of the whole summer. From Aug. 5tli to Sept. 5th inclusive, there 

 was but one rain (Aug. 14) of any considerable amount, with 

 some half dozen light showers on various intervening dates. 



* For these figures we are indebted to the Central Office of the New York 

 State Weather Service, located at Ithaca. 



