FEED OF DAIRY STOCK. 105 



thirty years. I have some forty head, and there is not a 

 female among them that I have not raised. I have always 

 had a full-blood male to cross them with. In raising calves 

 for the dairy, I do not expect to get more than two prizes in 

 six, with two more good ones, and two blanks. I think that 

 agrees with the experience of other people who have raised 

 their own cows. They will take back, or something will 

 turn up to prevent them from becoming perfect cows ; but, 

 in long breeding, we can breed closer than that, and we get 

 a prize oftener than one in four. To do so, I always use a 

 full-blood male and my best milkers on the female side. In 

 that way, I can carry a type pretty nearly. Any one who 

 should see my herd would know that they all belonged to- 

 gether, that they are all of one breeding. 



Then comes the feeding. It is no use to think of making 

 much out of a dairy, unless it is very well fed and nicely 

 cared for. It takes about so much to support nature ; then, 

 if you want to make some profit, you have got to put it 

 through the animal. The cow is a machine ; and she must 

 be very nicely fed, with a view to the special result you are 

 seeking to obtain. A well-fed cow can be made to produce 

 a large flow of milk for months longer than she can if she is 

 not fed well. My plan is to feed well, and milk nearly up 

 to calving-time, letting the cow go dry only ten or eleven 

 wee^s. A cow needs some rest to get up to a good flow, 

 and get up to good flesh. I have found that I cannot give 

 any better food than plenty of good, sweet, earl}- cut hay 

 and a small quantity of Indian meal. Dried grass is good 

 enough to make good, rich milk, if your cow is in good 

 order. It is not a good plan to attempt to make first-cla^s 

 butter if your cows are in low flesh. Feed alone will not 

 do it. If the cows are low in flesh, the milk will be defi- 

 cient in fat, if fed ever so high. To do well with butter, 

 you must have your cows in good order. 



Mr. Everett. The gentleman spoke of grade Jerseys, I 

 think, coupled with some other animal. I would like to ask 

 him what other breeds make the best grade cow for butter. 



Mr. Ellsworth. We have had remarkably good luck 

 with the grade Short-horn, crossed with the Jersey, — a 

 Jersey bull and a high grade Short-horn cow. 



Mr. Flint. I would like to ask Mr. Ellsworth to give 



