106 BOAED OF AGRICULTUKE. [Jan. 



is a growing belief, among those Avho have most carefully 

 studied the subject, that the question is not one of warm or 

 cold water, but rather of warm or cold barns. If the ani- 

 mals are well housed in good, warm stables, warming the 

 water will be of no advantage. But if the barn is full of 

 cracks, and the animals are compelled to drink out of doors 

 and stand shivering in the cold afterwards, everything in 

 the nature of warmth whjch can be gotten into them will 

 show an effect. It would seem, then, to be more econom- 

 ical, as well as more humane, to spend the money that a 

 heater would cost in putting building paper and clapboards 

 on the barn. 



The farmer, having now his cattle in the barn and his feed 

 on hand for them, is confronted by the question, " How 

 shall I mix the fodders so as to get the greatest return from 

 them?" If we were to examine the rations of a large 

 number of dairymen who are successful in their calling, we 

 would find a wide diversity in the character and amount 

 of the various articles used for fodder. But a closer inves- 

 tio-ation would show that there was but little difference in 

 the real feeding value of these rations. Externally they are 

 different, internally they are alike. To teach a person to 

 feed properly, it is not necessary to teach him all the possible 

 combinations of all the various feeding articles. The princi- 

 ples are the same for all kinds of feeding, and when the 

 farmer has learned these principles, it will be easy for him to 

 make his own combinations and suit his own circumstances 

 out of whatever materials he has on hand. It is then to the 

 principles of profitable feeding of form stock that we will 

 now give our attention. 



Success in feeding depends on several things, no one of 

 which can be said to be the most important, because each 

 one is necessary, and if any one is lacking no success can 

 be obtained. 



Among these necessary considerations may be noticed ; — 



1 . TJie Feeding must he Healthful. — This stands to 

 reason. The cow is a machine, and to get good results this 

 machine must be kept in good running order. But more is 

 included under this head than mi^ht be at first thouo;ht. 

 Feeds which are usually healthy may be improperly fed and 



