26 



ELEMENTARY AGRICULTURE 



pasture, they need very little other food .unless the 

 pasture becomes short and dry. Then corn, alfalfa, 

 peas, oats, rye, or some other crops may loe cut green 

 and fed to them. Water and shade should be within 

 reach of cows at all times in hot weather (Fig. 1). 

 In winter they like hay, root crops, and silage. 



A Balanced Feed. It is best to feed some dry hay 

 or fodder, some silage or green food, and some 

 grain. The careful dairyman always feeds just the 

 right amount of each to supply what the cows need 

 without any waste. He calls this a ^'balanced 

 ration.'^ 



Testing Cows. Some pure-bred cows are poor 

 milkers. The only way to make sure that a cow is 

 worth her board is to test her milk for butter-fat 

 and weigh the milk. Every dairyman should keep 

 a record of each cow for one year. A spring balance 

 with a paper beside it will enable the farmer to 

 weigh the milk and put down the amount quickly. 



An Easier Way. Or, instead of weighing the milk 

 every day, the farmer may weigh the milk of each 



Fig. 16. A roiv of money makers. 



