146 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



kind of stall is patented, and for that reason I hesitate to recommend it. 

 It is called the Bi.dwell stall, and you can obtain full directions for its 

 construction of Porter Bidwell, McGregor, Iowa. We are using the 

 Bidwell stall on the College farm, and I have to report that the cows are 

 comfortable and at the same time perfectly clean. We must remember 

 in this connection that absolute cleanliness of flank and udder is neces- 

 sary for the production of the highest quality of butter, hence I recom- 

 mend the adoption of some such plans for keeping the cows comfortable 

 and clean as I have suggested. 



THE FOOD. 



Concerning the feed of the cow, time does not permit me to say much. 

 Let us remember that the cow should never get hungry, and that our 

 profit comes alone from generous feeding, from the excess of food fur- 

 inshed over the amount required to maintain the life of the animal. Let 

 us remember, too, that it is a wise policy to feed what the farm produces 

 and to purchase those things alone which are needed to fitly supplement 

 these articles. 



In the southern part of the State at least, the corn crop must be at the 

 basis of nearly, if not in every, profitable ration which can be suggested. 

 Well cured com fodder, properly housed and judiciously fed, is one 

 method of utilizing the corn crop. The silo is another place into which 

 the corn crop can be profitably stored. I have fed corn silage for many 

 years and can commend it to every dairyman who will intelligently fill his 

 silo and intelligently feed its contents. I know of no more economical 

 and in every way satisfactory method of handling the corn crop than 

 placing it in the silo. But this subject is to be treated at length later in 

 the program and I need make no further mention of it here. I cannot 

 pass this phase of the subject, however, without emphasizing the neces- 

 sity of utilizing the entire corn crop, including the stalks, to the utmost. 

 For this reason I recommend that the corn be cut as soon as it is thor- 

 oughly glazed and while the stalks are green and succulent. I recom- 

 mend that it either be placed at once in the silo or that it be securely 

 bound in large shocks with as little exterior left to the ravages of the 

 weather as possible. Save and utilize the entire com plant. Experi- 

 ments west and east of us have shown that in these northern latitudes 

 one-half of the feeding value of the entire plant rests in the stalk. 



The silage of field cured com fodder should be supplemented with an 

 abundance of grain feed. The question often qomes to the station 

 whether it pays to feed grain to dairy cows. I invariably reply that if 

 the cow owner has any doubt on the point give the cow the benefit of 

 the doubt. The cases are few where it does not pay to feed an abun- 

 dance of grain judiciously to milk-giving cows. Feed nearer the upper 

 limit than the lower. 



Our experience at the College with cows of both the ordinary and 

 extraordinary kinds leads me to believe that the results of feeding a 

 large amount of grain are two-fold. In the first place, an immediate 

 financial return comes from the increased amount of grain fed in the 

 similarly increased yield of milk and butter, which more than compen- 

 sates for the increased outlav. Here the knowledge of the chemical con- 



