312 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



dairy sire, and get a heifer or two out of her that will increase this 

 to at least 200 lbs. I say dairy sire, as I know of many good herds that 

 have been bred up in this way. 



• I cannot call to mind an instance, at this time, where a good herd of 

 dairy cows have been produced by the use of what may be termed a dual 

 purpose bull. 



It is too much of a tax on my imagination to believe that a breed that 

 has reached such a degree of perfection as a beef breed, that they have 

 to resort to the use of nurse cows for rearing their young, have a great 

 deal of the milking qualities left of twenty-five or thirty years ago. 



In a former address, I called your attention to the advantage of a 

 neighborhood or community coming to an understanding, and so far as 

 possible buying the same kind or breed of dairy bulls. The supply of 

 grade cows at good and profitable figures, is never up to the requirements 

 where grades can be had by the car load. I have at this time many in- 

 quiries for grade Holstein Friesians, that cannot be supplied, and this, 

 I know is true of the Guernseys, Jerseys and other dairy breeds. 



Another advantage of community breeding is that bulls may be traded, 

 until they have outlived their usefulness. It is a well established fact, 

 that aged sires are preferable to young ones. Too many good sires are 

 sent to the block, long before their value is known. 



I think a very common error among those establishing a dairy herd 

 is that they do not buy at least a couple of registered heifers or cows 

 when they start in. It is surprising how soon a pure bred herd can be 

 built up. 



"We frequently hear parties say they cannot afford to pay $100.00 for 

 a pure bred sire. The increase in value on the first ten heifers sired by 

 any good dairy sire, will more than make good the cost price and no 

 man establishing a dairy herd, can afford to pay less than $100.00 for a 

 sire, neither can a breeder afford to sell one for less money. 



The careful application of the business methods and principles that 

 have made such houses as Marshall Field & Co., and other great institu- 

 tions what they are, could well be brought to use on our farms. 



How many of us take an inventory during the year? 



Many of us only know that we have a little more, or perhaps less 

 money to our credit account at the end of the year, than the previous 

 year. I think it quite as important that the dairyman and creamery- 

 man know how he stands at the end of the year as the merchant. Have 

 you ever thought that it frequently takes the merchant several days to 

 do this work, when you can do it in as many hours? 



It is a source of a great deal of satisfaction to look back over the years 

 that are gone, and note the changes in values. I would advise the use 

 of a book for this purpose. By reference to a couple of them kept in a 

 safe at Home Farm, I can tell you the market price of hay, grain and 

 feed of the various kinds. How many cattle were on hand, what a year- 

 ling, two-year-old or cow was worth, or the price of horses, hogs or 

 poultry, or anything else ordinarily kept on a dairy farm, for the last 

 twenty years. This is only one item of the many that I might refer to. 



