160 Thirty-Sixth Annual Report of the 



hundreds of cows in the country that are not producing more than 

 half or two-thirds what they should, owing to lack of proper 

 treatment. All animals, man included, will sooner or later ad- 

 just themselves to their environment. We have hundreds of 

 bright boys and girls in our cities, mere waifs, who under dif- 

 ferent surroundings would make useful citizens. 



A few years ago when visiting the Isle of Man, that rocky 

 little country surrounded by the sea, I was forcibly reminded of 

 the effects of environment on animals. The sheep in that place 

 were not more than one-third as large as they are here. Grass 

 was very scarce and the little sheep seemed to be especially 

 adapted for climbing over the rocks and hunting their living. 

 The same is true of stock of any kind. Some of our finest breeds 

 would not retain their characteristics long if not properly housed 

 and if compelled to seek their own living. 



When visiting some of the leading dairy farms in various 

 parts of this and other countries, and studying their methods of 

 feeding, I have come to the conclusion that the average dairy- 

 men does not feed his cows enough. It takes 60 percent to sus- 

 tain animal life and we get our profits from the extra 40 per- 

 cent fed. Irregular feeding and cold barns are serious draw- 

 backs. Turning cows out to drink ice cold water is not conducive 

 to profitable dairying, as it takes extra feed to supply energy and 

 keep up animal heat. Care for the cow well, and she will care 

 for you. 



It is not always the man who has the best cows that makes 

 the greatest success of dairying. Neither is it the man with the 

 best gun that always does the best shooting. There are two es- 

 sential qualities necessary for both. A good marksman must 

 have a well trained eye and good nerve, while the successful 

 dairyman must have a good knowledge of dairying and enough 

 energy to apply that knowledge. So it is largely a question of the 

 man behind the gun in both cases. 



I have a German friend who is a noted violin player. A 

 few years ago when travelling through Germany, he had occa- 

 sion to call on an old farmer and his son. They had an old 

 violin on which they were trying to play. My friend took the 

 violin and tuned it up, as only an expert can, then played a few 

 selections, when the old German exclaimed, "By Gimmine, that 

 violin is worth twice as much as I thought it was." This ap- 

 plies to many farmers who part with excellent cows and only 

 realize their value after they have disposed of them and some 

 other man has developed them. Then they feel like the little 

 boy who had constructed a large mud man. He had completed 

 everything to his satisfaction (save that one arm was not on 

 yet, and the head was not rounded into shape, but looked flat), 



