76 State Board of Agriculture, &c. 



requires considerable capital, as we get no pay until tlie end 

 of the season, while in the former, we get returns eacli day, 

 and in proportion to the amount fed. Nearly all farmers, 

 at the present time, agree that it pays to feed meal to cows 

 in the spring, when they are giving milk, because they have 

 tried it and know ; but, they say, " What is the use in feed- 

 ing meal when the cow can sret all the srrass she wants ? Is 

 there anything better than grass ?" We answer, no, grass 

 for the cow is the staff of life, the same as bread is for man, 

 yet she would pay for something more hearty, when giving 

 a large flow of milk, as well as the laboring man would for 

 a slice of meat with his bread. The cow should be kept in 

 as good condition, while giving milk, as possible, for a cow 

 in good flesh gives much richer milk than when poor. All 

 farmers know that their cows lose flesh fast when their meal 

 is taken off, and they are turned to pasture, also that there 

 will be a fallino; off in the amount of butter. The amount 

 of milk will increase, but the cream will be thin, and will 

 not have the body, nor make so much or so good quality of 

 butter, as when fed meal. 



The amount of milk required to make a pound of butter, 

 according to the report of many creameries and private dai- 

 ries, where meal is not fed, varies from twenty-three to for- 

 ty-six pounds, while on many trials of our own dairy, in the 

 month of June, it required a fraction over sixteen pounds. 

 K the average cow has two quarts of meal per day, she will 

 hold her flesh better, look sleek, and be strong and sprightly. 

 The amount of milk in June, perhaps, will not be more, but 

 when the feed fails from* drought, she will keep up a nnich 

 larger flow of milk. It is of quite as much importance 



