336 STATE BOAED OF AGRICULTUEE. 



of Icecp. I expect some of you will doubt this assertion, but it must be remem- 

 bered that a cow is a machine for the manufacture of certain staple articles of 

 food for man, and that to run this macliine requires a given amount of potver, 

 which can only be eliminated from the food consumed, and this power must be 

 supplied to the extent that will keep the machine in motion 'before any amount 

 whatever of manufacturing can be done. For illustration, it takes a given 

 amount of fuel to produce enough heat to just start and keep in motion a steam 

 engine and pump the water for its own supply, and up to this point it is only a 

 dead loss to its owner. "What shall he do? ^yould it be wise to sell his engine 

 for Avhat he can get and buy one having a better pedigree, and then treat that 

 in the same way, or shall he add fuel to tiic full caj^acity of his first engine, 

 though it may be only a "common blood" or "grade" machine, and go for- 

 ward with his industry until he has made the first machine earn him money 

 -enough to purchase two or three of more approved patterns? 



Too many of our live stock are kept Just at a living point and then cursed by 

 their owners and society because they do not contribute anything to the wealth 

 of the country. They are condemned and abused because they are not the right 

 hreed, when the real truth is, the poorest breed may be so kept as to make better 

 returns than can be obtained from the very best breeds kept at starvation points. 

 Had I time, I could cite several cases in point, that have come under my obser- 

 yation, and many of you can recall cases that will confirm all I have said. 



Though I have selected my illustrations from the bovines, if you are inclined 

 to adopt my theory, I hope you will be able to apply it practically to all classes 

 of stock, from the little gallinaceous biped that says "Good morning" to you 

 at daybreak, to the equine beauty who prances proudly as though he were fully 

 conscious that an intelligent feeder and humane keeper is holding the ribbons 

 behind. 



DISCUSSIOX. 



Mr. W. A. Dryer. — I do not believe the calf should be fed oil-cake meal. We 

 should raise our own flax seed and mix it with other grains and have it ground. 



Mr. Trowbridge. — Mr. Dryer once told me lie sowed flax seed on the places 

 where his wheat winter killed, cutting all at the same time. The flax seed runs 

 into the screen box. 



Mr. Dryer. — When I have no bare spots in my wheat, I sow a small patch in 

 my oat field, and then mix it with wheat screenings for grinding, using about 

 one bushel of flax to ten of screenings. I have used flax seed for twenty years. 

 Make a porridge of the mixture for calves. It will cause scours if fed raw. 



Mr. Wilcox. — Calves should run with the cows until they are four mouths old, 

 and then be well fed and cared for. 



Mr. Batcheler, — With our ordinary manner of feeding we cannot compete 

 with western or southern cattle, Wo must feed better so as to put our cattle 

 on the market in a better condition, and at an earlier age than they do theirs. 

 We may make a calf weigh one thousand pounds at twelve months old. To do 

 this it will take of oats and corn ground together about one quart per day for 

 the first three months, three quarts per day for the next three months, four 

 quarts per day for the third three months, and eight quarts per day for the 

 remainder of the year, or an average of four quarts per day for the year. This 

 will require about twenty-two and one-half bushels of corn and twenty-two and 

 one-half bushels of oats, and Avith corn at fifty cents per bushel and oats at 

 forty this will cost S20.25 cents for feed. At five cents per pound tlie calf is 



