FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 95 



This has a total cost per day of 10.75 cents. The cows give from 12 to 20 poimcls 

 of milk. Including- the young stocls; and bulls the ration per animal per day costs 

 five cents. I feed silage when the cows are on grass. I cannot afford to do 

 without it. 



L. D. Watkins: There is more nonsense per square inch in this silo business than 

 in any other fad that has struck the farmers in late years. On Fairview farm in 

 1898 i had an unusually large crop of corn, larger than I could properly handle. In 

 my method of handling large areas of corn and feeding large herds of steers, one 

 man feeds 100 steers in temporary shelters divided into blocks of 20. There is 

 waste of neither fodder nor grain, nor is there waste either of time and money get- 

 ting the corn into the silo. I like to have the animals in the feed lots beautiful, 

 and hence have no use for a scrawny, high type, dairy cow. 



Mr. Mitchell: If we take corn at the proper stages and could feed it then, we 

 would utilize all its feeding value. This we cannot do. How shall we preserve it 

 to lose least? Certainly in the silo. ^ 



A. M. Welch: Note the difference in the time required to feed dry forage and 

 silage. In my barn one man fed the whole herd silage in eight minutes by the 

 watch. 



Geo. B. Horton: In my resolution yesterday asking for the re-enactment of an 

 anti-color law I had no special bill in mind. I now move that the resolution passed 

 yesterday shall refer to the bill introduced by Senator Wagar and known as the 

 Wagar bill. 



Carried unanimously. 



THE FARMERS' DEFENSIVE MOVEMENT. 



A. B. COOK, SHIAWASSEE COUNTY. 



It has been well and truly said that God helps those who help them- 

 selves. From the foundation of the world the creatures of earth have 

 been engaged in a ceaseless, selfish struggle for existence. 



In the minds of the lower animals a full stomach has constituted true 

 felicity. But with the advent of man with his innate desire for advance- 

 ment, views of life have broadened. The typical man of this eve of the 

 twentieth century^ after he has provided for the wants of the body, has 

 other cravings to satisfy. 



Education is now regarded with universal favor and is essential to 

 the highest enjoyment of life's privileges. Society in some is also a very 

 ne.cessary attribute of life. Society with some consists of gathering in 

 large halls, the gentlemen attired in claw-hammer suits, the ladies in 

 gowns made conspicuous by a greater or less degree of absence. Amid 

 these surroundings a large amount of time is trifled away enjoying the 

 privileges of polite societ}', so-called. Others are in society when at the 

 card or billiard table; others at the saloon. The influence of this kind of 

 society may well be questioned. I believe that it is the fact of an early 

 life spent away from these forms of society with the irregular habits 

 necessarily entailed which has given the farmer's boy the sturdy body and 

 clear, vigorous mind which has made him a leader in every walk of life. 

 Social intercourse is highly essential in developing a well rounded man- 

 hood, but it should be and can be secured at a very small sacrifice of 

 nervous energy. 



As our civilization has advanced we have developed innumerable con- 

 veniences which enable us to enjoy life more fully and to give more time 

 to the enjoyment of the higher privileges of life and less to merely accu- 

 mulating the necessities of life. As an example, I would mention our 



