Vermont Dairymen's Association. 151 



good rations, cows give an essentially uniform quality of milk 

 thereon. Feed affects the quantity but not the quality of the 

 flow. 



Mr. Carpenter: — What is the best cow hay? 



Prof. Hills: — "Corn is king and clover queen;" and alfalfa 

 is the ace. If we could grow it that would be the very best hay 

 for cows ; and it can be grown in the Champlain valley. But 

 where it can't be grown, early cut hay and clover hay, (and we 

 can grow better clover than many of us think) are to be pre- 

 ferred. 



Mr. Jenne : — How are you going to get a sire for your herd ? 

 You have told us the results are disappointing many times. 



Prof. Hills : — Bulletin 143, U. S. IDepartment of Agriculture, 

 will give you as good instruction as you can get anywhere else 

 for the asking. One must give thorough study to the whole 

 proposition. And it can only be worked out through study and 

 intelligence. It is a long and slow process and one with a great 

 deal of disappointment in it. 



Mr. Hitchcock : — It means from $200 to $1000 for a single 

 animal. 



Prof. Hills : — Very" often it would. And the people who in- 

 vest in sueh an animal often do well to do so. For instance I 

 was shown yesterday by a member in the Association a paper 

 containing the tests of some 30 heifers in their first lactation, 

 the product of a sire from a certain famous herd in this state. 

 None tested below 5 percent and several over 6 percent. Now 

 that sire undoubtedly was a costly animal ; but he was better 

 worth a thousand dollars or more than the average one is worth 

 ten. 



Mr. Hasard : — Would you advise the average farmer when 

 getting a sire for his herd to take a high grade calf, the ancestry 

 of which that he knows to have done well under our conditions, 

 or to pay seventy-five or one hundred dollars for something he 

 knows nothing about save that it has got a pedigree? 



Prof. Hills : — Mrs. Howie stated the case well when she said 

 that pedigree was not certification. If you know your animal 

 to be from good stock which for some generations back has 

 proved successful as milkers you are full as likely to make a wise 

 choice as if you took a thoroughbred. One makes many errors 

 even in using his best judgment. It is a lottery. 



