32 Bulletin 81 



the farm stock of fertility should be appreciated, however, and effort made 

 to replace the lost plant food through judicious purchases, thorough tillage, 

 growth of legumes, etc. 



Growth. — Water, carbohydrates and protein must all be grown. All are 

 needed whether crops are destined for market or for feeding. Choices will 

 vary in accordance with the class of farming. 



What summer and what winter roughages are advisable to grow for 

 dairy feeding? And what are not desirable ? And why? 



This is to some extent a matter of personal jndgment. The writer is 

 quite willing to allow anyone to disagree with him as to what is the best 

 policy. 



Summer. Soiling crops. — A succession of soiling crops designed to help 

 out a short or a drying pasture have been proposed. Anything is better 

 than nothing. Of the many soiling crops the writer considers weekly 

 sowings of oats and peas, with a change to barley and peas later in the 

 season best adapted to Vermont conditions. Silage kept in a small surfaced, 

 deep silo is cheaper and quite as desirable. Rowen, clover and the like 

 may be used. Green corn, however, is expensive as compared with silage 

 and less servicable. 



Winter. — Hay containing much timothy sells well, and on this account, 

 and because it is less well adapted than other grasses to dairy feeding, it is an 

 expensive feed for cows. Clover hay and early cut hay are better adapted 

 to this purpose. Mature corn well eared, the kernels just glazing, ensiled 

 ears and all, makes the cheapest carbohydrate food on most Vermont farms. 

 It need not be cut, nor hurried in with extra help, but may be put in whole, 

 and as rapidly or as slowly as circumstances may dictate. If corn is 

 stooked or husked the waste of food is more and the cost of handling as a 

 rule greater. The food in the ear is not bettered for dairy purposes by 

 husking and grinding. Immature corn is relatively watery and tends to 

 make poor silage. It may under some circumstances be advisable to sow 

 it very thickly, making essentially a corn hay, but it is doubtful whether 

 this practice is generally wise in this section. Roots are a relatively costly 

 source of food, good, but expensive as compared with silage. Late cut hay, 

 for cows, is not as good as when cut early because more indigestible. 



Purchases. — The course to be pursued in buying should be the exact 

 reverse of that in selling. Other things being equal, buy nitrogen, phos- 

 phoric acid and potash and not carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. The tables 

 in the appendix will serve to show how ill-adapted as a supplement to farm 

 grown food ormanurial resources is corn meal, which is bought by Vermont 

 farmers more largely than any other feeding stuff. 



The dairy farmer in this latitude and section of the country can seldom 

 if ever raise protein enough to enable him to feed his cows a balanced 



