FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 131 



FRIDAY FOREXOOX. 



Prof. Smith : The State Horticultural Society and the Institutes have 

 agreed that the Institutes shall not take up questions that concern whole- 

 sale growing of fruit. We have also agreed with the State Dairy Associa- 

 tion that creamery butter making and cheese making shall be left for them 

 to discuss, so this morning we shall take up the question of home butter 

 making. And in the enforced absence of Mr. N. P. Hull, who was to dis- 

 cuss the topic of "The Care of the Cow and Feeding,'' I will spend a few 

 moments in discussing the question. 



We have heard at this meeting something about the difference between 

 scientific principles and the rule of thumb. This difference applies to the 

 cow. The 1902 cow is about the same sort of animal as was the 1802 cow. 

 She responds to care and attention in about the same way. In those days 

 they had plenty of pasture, which is an almost perfect ration for the 

 dairy. Then the milk was produced in the summer, almost never in the 

 winter. 



What then is new in dairying? Not very much. What then is there 

 to talk about? Well, we know why and how^ to feed. We know a good 

 deal more of this than we did, and above all, we know how much we do not 

 know and this is a good deal. Gov. Hoard says that the most mysterious 

 animal in the world is the cow; you get contrary results that are most 

 amazing. 



Mr. Welch says feed silage for the best results ; others believe in feeding 

 other succulent foods, and think that silage is bad for the cow. But we 

 know today that silage is one of the most economical foods for the dairy 

 cow. I mean silage which is mature, that is made from glazed corn, that 

 is grown from seed raised in the vicinity, that is put into a gas tight silo 

 and one that is filled slowly. And by the way, a wood silo is good but a 

 cement silo is better. Prof. King has estimated that a gas tight silo pays 

 in the saving of fodder. I)o not put the silo in the middle of the barn 

 unless you have good ventilation. 



Feed your silage after milking. The next best food is clover hay, though 

 it has not been easy to produce in recent years. It is good because it 

 furnishes protein. In fact it is richer in protein than is cheese and it 

 furnishes a cow what Ave get in our eggs, lean meat, and cheese. 



And above all do not despise book learning. I do not believe any man in 

 America can feed cows as economically as he might if he would read and 

 study Prof. Henry's "Feeds and Feeding.-' I unhesitatingly recommend 

 this book to every dairyman, and to other farmers for that matter. The 

 beauty of this book is that Prof. Henry did not Avrite it out of his own 

 experience alone, but collected the experience of practical men. Another 

 book is Craig's "Stock Judging." You can get these through our Farm 

 Home Beading Circle. We must take advantage of the experience of 

 others and the time has gone by for hand work alone. 



I have got ofi" the subject a little. I was talking about protein. What 

 else besides clover contains protein? Oats and peas and crops of the 

 same character. So as a substitute for clover hay where you have sandy 



