11 Sept., 1916. J Food Values and Rations. 521 



The daily averages on the above farms were obtained in all cases, 

 but the last from the records of weights recorded each milking, and from 

 the gallons of milk sold during the month. 



Attention is directed to the economy of changing feed in jSTo. 3. 



The suggestion is made to dairy-farmers depending during winter 

 months on pasture and hay to try the effect of 3 lbs. to 8 lbs. concen- 

 trate per cow per day. 



The amounts will be regulated by the amount of milk produced and 

 its value. At the present time dairj^ products are bringing high prices, 

 and every effort should be made to bring about profitable increases. 

 When the herd is maintained at its maximum, not only is the output 

 greater, but the season is longer. When all the food required to main- 

 tain a good herd producing to its full capacity throughout the season 

 can be provided by the farm, the profits must necessarily be greater; but 

 if at the present time the cows cannot obtain sufficient food on the farm, 

 and will not pay for purchased foodstuffs, or do not make profitable use 

 of food supplied by the farm, they may be classed as cows, but not dairy 

 cows. The chief object in feeding is profit. 



Whilst many farmers complain that they have not the wherewithal 

 to improve their land, enormous bodies of material lie wasting on unpro- 

 ductive areas. Ditches, so necessary to every type of farm, may be 

 made to yield large quantities of useful soil dressings. The heavy 

 deposits of silt, peaty and turfy matters found in hollows and by 

 streams is to be regarded as the most substantial and profitable form of 

 dressing for any land. The keeping of animals will insure the largest 

 possible return to the soil, in place of that taken by the growing of 

 crops. By these means, all of which are more or less within our power, 

 we may actually add to the depth and value of soil, and thereby place 

 ourselves in a better position to face droughts and bad seasons. 



Crops of various kinds, be they animal or vegetable, exhaust or 

 refresh soil in fixed proportion to the extent of their waste, and return. 

 Tn warm climates it is ever an affair of bulk. Not one or all of the 

 chemical manures can so affect the temperature and moisture-holding 

 conditions of the soil as to facilitate the action of bacteria for more than 

 a brief season. The actual fermenting medium must be supplied from 

 what we may term natural sources. Green manures, bulk manures 

 from the farmyard, surface materials, which are well charged with 

 organic waste — these are the things to which we must eternally look 

 if we are to create such bodies of active soil as will insure permanent 

 occupation and profit from any piece of land. The amount to be 

 applied may vary in degree, but sooner or later it must become exhausted, 

 if it receives not more or less of each or all of these materials. 



