1890.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 105 



the summer, using ensilage and grain twelve months in the 

 year, and re-enforcing this with hay during the winter, and 

 with green crops during the summer, the green crops to 

 furnish a])0ut one-third of the ration in summer. Such a 

 plan would be very economical of land, since, on this plan, 

 land of medium quality will keep a cow to the acre the year 

 round, and constantly increase in fertility with no outlay for 

 commercial fertilizers. Having obtained the fodder, the 

 next question that confronts the stock-feeder is, how and 

 when to feed it. The when can be answered much more 

 easily than the how. 



A half- century ago the feeding of the stock used to 

 begin the first thing in the morning, usuall}^ before five 

 o'clock, and continue at frequent intervals until late in the 

 evening. The frequency of feeding has gradually decreased, 

 until at the present time it has been narrowed down to feed- 

 ing either twice or three times a day. The tendency at the 

 present time is very strongly toward omitting the noon- 

 day meal and feeding the cows only morning and night, 

 allowing them a day of rest in which to remasticate and 

 digest the morning meal, the same as they have always been 

 allowed a night of rest for the evening meal. 



At a recent meeting of the experiment station directors 

 this question came up, and a census showed that nearly tAvo- 

 thirds were feeding but twice a day. The same remark 

 applies to watering. Twice a day is sufficient in all cases, 

 and where green fodder is given, once a day is usually 

 enough. This allows a very economical use of the farmer's 

 time. He can feed, milk, and clean the stables the first 

 thing in the morning, and go about his other business for 

 the rest of the forenoon ; a few minutes spent in watering at 

 noon, and he can leave them aoain until nio;ht. 



As to whether warm or cold water should be given, 

 doctors have decidedly disagreed. Many practical farmers 

 adduce proof from their own experience that warm water 

 pays. It is at least a noteworthy contribution to the litera- 

 ture of this subject, that, out of four stations that have tested 

 the subject in the most careful manner, three have found no 

 gain by warming, and the other a gain which, at the utmost, 

 amounts to less than fifty cents per cow per winter. There 



