124 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
gaged in business; he is a farmer! The business men of the country are 
the farmers; three-fifths of us are farmers. Three-fifths of all that is 
added to the wealth of this country comes from business men on the 
farms. The thing that we are deficient in is just what was pointed out to 
us this afternoon: system. The business man that runs the little corner 
grocery or dry-goods store has been forced to apply improverd methods to 
his business. Why? Because ninety per cent of them fail. That neces- 
sity does not exist to such a great extent with the farmer, because he 
will not starve to death; if he doesn't make anything. he will live. But 
the man who is running a peanut stand or a little grocery will go down 
if he doesn't make a profit; therefore the necessity exists with him of 
keeping card systems, watching expenses closely, cutting off the waste 
and doing everything possible to insure for him a profit. But every farm- 
er ought to do more than merely make a living. He should add to his com- 
petence, improve his farm, and make it so attractive that this tide will 
not be running from the farm to the town, but will be running the other 
way; and when he fully appreciates the purpose in doing those things he 
will apply to his business those same exact and careful methods which 
the business man in town uses. 
Question: Do yon feed the ensilage all the year round, or just 
in the winter ? 
Mr. Jones : We feed it sometimes in the summer when the grass 
is dry, but usually only in the winter. It will keep for two or three 
years. 
The President: The next number on our program is an illus- 
trated address by Prof. W. A. Cochel of Lafayette, Ind., on cattle 
feeding. 
CATTLE FEEDING. 
W. A. COCHEL, LAFAYETTE, IND. 
The feeding of beef cattle is almost essential to the extensive method 
of farming practiced throughout the corn belt, if the productive capacity 
of the soils is to be maintained. The particular method to be followed 
should be governed largely by the character of the farm. Where a large 
portion of the land is too broken for plowing, a system which includes 
grazing or the production of feeders may be followed with success. 
When all of the land is adapted to corn and has increased in value so 
rapidly that it cannot be profitably kept in permanent pasture, then 
the production of beef cattle for market purposes may not be advisable. 
Under such conditions the finishing of cattle rather than the production 
of feeders, should be considered. 
The producer's profit will depend upon the breeding, type and qual- 
ity of the steers, the rate and cost of gain, the value of pasture and feed, 
the kind of ration fed, the condition of the steers when marketed and 
the manurial value of feeds used. The feeder's profit will depend upon 
the margin between the cost of feeders and the selling price of fat cattle. 
