No. 4.] IMPROVEMENT IN DAIRY STOCK. 171 



— and there is a little extra chance, — you are running a 

 greater risk with the better cow. There is no question but 

 what farmers could better pay $100 to $150 for a 6,000- 

 pound cow than buy the average 3,000-pound coW at going 

 prices. 



Prof. J. W. Sanborn (of Gilmanton, N. H.). I am at 

 the other extreme from my friend the lecturer, I am out 

 in the country, four miles from any railroad. We make 

 milk for the Boston market at about 2^^^ cents. I have 

 adopted the practice of selling any cow that won't make 

 300 pounds of butter fat in a year. 



Hon. S. A. HiCKOX (of Williamstown). I find that it is 

 a very difficult thing to get a herd up to a point of excel- 

 lence ; this year they may do exceedingly well, but may not 

 do so well next year. I cannot account for it. We find 

 there are a great many more crooked sticks than straight ones. 

 We believe in good cows, but it is a very difiicult thing to 

 get them. We are willing to pay the price for them. I 

 would like to know how to weed out or get and keep a 

 herd up to the point of excellence mentioned, — (3,000 

 pounds. - 



Mr. Ellis. You have got to breed them. We don't 

 discard a cow that does not give us a certain amount of 

 milk at once ; we give her an opportunity to come up to 

 the point. 



Mr. HiCKOX. How much grain do you give the first 

 year to the heifers ? 



Mr. Ellis. That depends. We should give a larger 

 quantity to the heifer giving a large quantity of milk. I 

 will ask my superintendent, Mr. Van Norman, to give his 

 figiu-es. I should say from (3 to 8 pounds, so long as she 

 was in pretty full milk. 



Mr. Van Norman. I will say in regard to that, we have 

 no rule. The herdsmen are instructed to ijive that which 

 they need. With a heifer dropping a calf at twenty-four 

 months old, we don't pay much attention to the amount of 

 grain, if she makes use of it for growth or milk. You 

 must bear in mind that a heifer must have food enough to 

 take care of herself, so she may grow and provide milk. 



