170 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



reason. We follow the impulses of passion without any regard to the law of inheri- 

 tance, and treat a child in embryo in a manner that would impair or ruin the de- 

 velopment of a lower animal, and attribute the results 'to Providence. The viola- 

 tion of law brings imperfection, the obedience perfection. Providence never caused 

 a child to come into the world deformed in body or mmd; never brought sickness 

 to a single human being; never filled a premature grave. 



Thereis no subject upon which we are so densely ignorant as that of the repro- 

 <luctive system, and the laws governing it. To better educate in this direction we 

 need the "teaching of physiology and hygiene of the entire body, in separate classes 

 of boys and girls by teachers thoroughly competent to teach this branch. Let the 

 <.'hild be taught that at each moment of his existence there is being made upon the 

 living tablet of his body a record that never can be erased. Teach him that, aside 

 from accidents and diseases dependent on common causes over which we as yet 

 have no control, a large proportion of sickness is the result of carelessness, and 

 indulgence in abnormal appetites and passions. Teach him that human life has 

 SI money value, and that the man wlio loses his health in the pursuit of these 

 indulgences, and then demands support from his more provident neighbor is a thief. 



I do not disparage the teaching of the natural sciences and the higher classics, but 

 It is surely as important that a young man or woman should know the structure, 

 function and proper management of their own bodies as to be able to unearth a 

 <jreek root, or describe the anatomy of a plant or an" animal. 



We also need purer living on the part of parents and more truthful teaching to 

 -their young children on matters pertaininug to sex, instead of allowing them to get 

 wrong impressions from obscene and vicious sources. 



The Women's Section of the Farmers' Institute is a good place to discuss these 

 ■questions,. where mothers and teachers may meet and compare notes as to means 

 ;and methods. I sincerely hope this feature of Institute work may be continued 

 until farmers and farmers' wives will study the breeding and growing of healthy 

 and perfect children with as much interest as they now study the pedigree, breed- 

 ing and care that is necessary to grow fine colts and calves. 



THE PROFITS OF DAIRYING VS. BEEF RAISING. 



M. T. COLE, Palmyra, at LENAWEE COUNTY Institute, Adrian. 



My experience in dairying covers a period of many years. Sometimes I have 

 Tentured a little into beef raising, but not as a regular business. I love dairying 

 because I have learned the business quite thoroughly and know that it is a safe 

 business and quite profitable. For several years we made and sold butter; it being 

 contracted at a fixed price we could estimate very nearly what could be made per 

 cow annually. For eight or ten years we have sold our milk, to be shipped away, 

 on yearly contracts. I like this "better than butter making because it saves labor 

 for "the family, and one can tell almost to a nicety what the average receipts will be. 

 We get our pay semi-monthly, which is quite an important item; for no matter 

 how hard up one may be there is money in the pocket quite often. 



To make dairying "pay well the whole Ijusiness from start to finish must be con- 

 ducted with theregular'ity of a clock. I am more fully convinced of this each year. 

 When the weather is regular we can run our dairy of twenty-five cows with a varia- 

 tion of not more than from one to five pounds of milk daily for a succession of days. 

 A very little irregularity in feeding or exposing to the weathe/ or in milking will 

 •chang'e the product from twenty to forty pounds. A change in the weather, unless 

 the greatest of care is taken, will produce the same results. Exciting the cows in 

 any manner will produce like results. We very seldom vary five minutes from 

 commencing to milk— at five o'clock, both morning and evening, winter and sum- 

 xner. 



Our winter feed is usually cut corn fodder, ensilage, and bran, fed together both 

 morning and night. After milking, a very little clover hay is fed. At noon we 

 allovr what clover hay the cows will readily consume. It pays to feed and care 

 well for the cows. Look out that your cows do not go hungry when pasture is 

 short. They must not be compelled to skirmish around all day in warm weather 

 (especially in fly time) to get their living. During these times corn fodder should 

 be fed liberally twice each day, besides a few quarts of ground feed or bran, both 

 morning and liight. Very many neglect these matters, thinking it will cost more 



