DAIRY FARMING DAIRYING. 



1079 



of 7 of the oow.s;. The following- table gives a summary of some of 

 the data obtained: 



Average record of grade dairy herd for several lactation periods. 



The author discusses the results as showing the effect of feeding and 

 care upon the development of the cows, noting in this connection 

 results o])tained at the New York Cornell Station in feeding grain to 

 3^oung cows on pasture (E. S. R., 2, p. 369). 



"No very material results fould be noticed the first year from the extra feed and 

 care the herd received, but through subsequent years there seems to be a steady 

 improvement. Judging from the records of these cows, it is a question if the quality 

 of a dairy cow does not depend almost as much on the feeding as on the breeding. 

 It is also a question if cows which have a more or less pronounced beef tendency, or 

 at least would not be called good material from which to build up a dairy herd, can 

 not with proper management be developed into profitable dairy cows." 



The bacterial condition of city milk and the need of health 

 authorities to prevent the sale of milk containing excessive 

 numbers of bacteria, H. W. Park {Science, 7i. ser.,8 {1901), No. 3'22, 

 2). 32Z). — During the coldest weather the milk supply of New York is 

 said to average about 250,000 bacteria per cubic centimeter, during 

 cool weather about 2,()(H),000, and during hot weather about 5,000,000. 

 This does not appl}^ to the specially-treated milks, which contain from 

 5,000 to 20,000 bacteria, according to the season. Regarding the 

 harmfulness of these bacteria the author cites the universal clinical 

 experience "that a great number of children in cities sicken on the 

 milk supplied in summer; that those who are put on milk that is ster- 

 ile or contains few bacteria, as a rule, mend rapidly, while those kept 

 on the impure milk continue ill or die." The author questions 

 whether in the present state of knowledge it is possible for health 

 boards to set a limit to the numl)er of bacteria which milk may con- 

 tain and a])()ve which its sale should ])e prohil)ited; but he urges the 

 importance of the authorities giving attention to this matter ^vith 

 a view to scM-uring an improviMuent through the farmer and the 

 middleman. 



