No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 229 



MR. HALL: It seems to me that we as teachers ought to be able 

 to put some kind of value on this. It would seem that we ought to 

 be able to teach something definite. 



DR. THAYER: I have given it from what I have seen right in the 

 soil and I believe that you may double the chemical value of it in the 

 consideration of this larger value. 



QUESTION: "Does your definition of a dairy cow apply equally 

 well to the cow kept for cheese production where we wish the cow 

 to milk only seven months in the year?" 



PROF. WATSON: Perhaps there are others here who can answer 

 that better than I can. 



A Member: That should have been referred to Mr. Lighty instead 

 of to Prof. Watson. 



PROF. WATSON: Will Mr. Lighty kindly answer the question? 



MR. LIGHTY: I don't suppose it makes very much difference under 

 what line we want to use the product if we want to make money 

 with a dairy cow. She has to produce a certain amount of dairy pro- 

 duct above the cost; that is the whole story. If she produces enough 

 in seven months to do this, all right. If I had a cow that would only 

 milk for seven months in the year, and I would have a real mean 

 neighbor that I wanted to treat very badly, I would give him that 

 cow for nothing. I want a cow that keeps at work longer than 

 seven months, and I want her to keep at work in good, solid earnest. 



QUESTION: ''What is the difference, if any, between in-breeding 

 and line breeding? Is it a safe plan for the ordinary stock breeder 

 to follow either of these systems?" 



PROF. WATSON: Line breeding and inbreeding are terms that 

 are used rather loosly and have led to a great deal of confusion; they 

 come together and the line of demarkation is not a distinct one. 

 Some authorities would place it nearer one end, some nearer the 

 other end; some would place it nearer the most rapid in-breeding, 

 and others more remote. Since the authorities do not agree, we 

 cannot say that there is any wonder that this confusion exists in re- 

 gard to this point. They are both undoubtedly dangerous if car- 

 ried to extremes; both are safe to a certain extent in the hands of 

 skillful breeders. Neither is safe in the hands of a breeder that 

 goes at his work in a half-hearted way. 



MR. BRODHEAD: I would like to ask Prof. Watson a question. 

 Will you please explain — we understand the pure bred in horses is 

 of such a quality as the Percheron, the thoroughbred, the English 



