174 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



Another point on which more definite knowledge is wanted, 

 is the feeding. Milk producers are not agreed as to the food 

 best calculated for making milk. It is agreed that something 

 must be fed besides hay, but whether shorts, fine feed, cotton- 

 seed, oil-cake, corn-meal or roots, is by no means settled. 

 The comparative value of these diflTerent kinds of food for the 

 production of milk, is a matter on which few farmers have a 

 well-grounded opinion. It is claimed on good authority that 

 cows can be kept much more economically, with equally good 

 results, by giving "chopped feed," instead of feeding the 

 same kinds of provender dry. We know farmers practising 

 this mode of feeding, who think one-fourth of the hay can be 

 saved in this way, and the cows kept equally well. If this is 

 true, it is a fact well worth knowing and practising. On all 

 these points farmers need more definite and precise knowledge, 

 which can only be obtained by careful experiment. The sum 

 of it all is, that in this, as in all other operations of the farmer, 

 it may not be very easy to ascertain exact financial results. 

 But such a knowledge is essential to success, especially in a 

 business where the margin of profit cannot be large. 



Jos. S. HoAVE, Chairman. 



Statement of George B. Dodge. 



I enter for premium for best milch cow, my grade Ayrshire 

 cow, "Star," calved March, 1867. She dropped her last calf 

 February 6, 1875, and is due to calve again December 31, 

 1875. Her feed, until turned to pasture, was the best of 

 English hay and rowen, with two quarts of Indian meal and 

 about a peck of roots per day ; since the 20th of May, good 

 pasturage. Commenced August 1 feeding one armful of 

 corn-fodder in the evening, and one quart of Indian meal in 

 the morning. Commenced March 1 weighing her milk, and 

 Aveighed it until September 1 ; her average during March was 

 38.8 pounds ; for April, 40.2 pounds ; for May, 38.2 pounds ; 

 for July, 34.1 pounds. Her record for the months of June 

 and August, as required by the rules of the society, is as 

 follows : — 



