250 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



the earning power of his land. I can go into the average herd 

 and select cows that will respond to proper treatment and the im- 

 provement will not all come the first year. Examine the work of 

 the cow at Auten farm — Jacoby Irene — and you will note that her 

 capacity has been steadily developed. For three years in succes- 

 sion she has been on test and furnishes abundant proof that 

 with proper care a cow can do heavy work and be benefited. The 

 best fed cows are the ones returning the greatest net profit and 

 when I say the best fed, I wish it understood as the most intelli- 

 gently and most liberally fed, generously fed, a variety of milk 

 producing feeds that rank high in quality, nearly all of which can 

 be grown on the farm. Let me emphasize quality, so important 

 in every phase of dairy farming. Do not strive to grow the larg- 

 est acreage, but the maximum yield per acre of the feeds that will 

 produce the desired results. Bear in mind at all times that this 

 machine we designate the dairy cow is profitable or unprofitable as 

 the owner or attendant wills. You may put a little fuel in the 

 toiler and warm the water, but if we desire power we must have 

 steam, which means more fuel. Give the cow the food of support 

 only and she will continue to exist and the additional food beyond 

 the amount necessary for support will decide the matter of profit. 

 Select corn for your silo that has the greatest feeding value, and 

 I advise a kind that has the smallest stalk and smallest cob pos- 

 sible. No doubt there are parties here who will take issue with 

 me on this point. Neighbors fail to see this as I do, and I have 

 at least one friend expected to attend this meeting who is positive 

 that he can see greater profit in growing the largest possible 

 amount of green forage to the acre. We are at the seat of infor- 

 mation — our Experiment Station, and I hope that it will be pos- 

 sible for me to make my contention clear to the force at Columbia 

 and to the representatives of the Agricultural Press. If we are to 

 practice "better dairy farming" as I see it, we are to grow the best 

 of corn, clover and alfalfa, all very bulky feeds. I advise grow- 

 ing some roots, pumpkins and the like for relishes, but the main 

 dependence to be the three feeds mentioned, the clover and alfalfa 

 to take the place of high priced bran. The impression that we 

 can not eliminate bran from our bill of fare seems to prevail. We 

 should look largely to clover and alfalfa for our supply of protein 

 and this clover and alfalfa must of necessity be of prime quality 

 and I mean by this, that it should be cut at a time when it has 

 reached its greatest feeding value — earlier than my neighbors are 

 wont to cut theirs — and it should be handled in a manner to save 



