8 



under a variety of conditions plainly shows that excellent results 

 may be obtained by the use of quite wide ratios ; a liberal supply 

 of digestible matter in the rations of cows that are good producers 

 is of importance, irrespective of the proportion of nitrogenous 

 nutrients found therein, if the rations contain a minimum of pro- 

 tein, which may be placed for different cows at from 1.3 to 1.5 

 Ibs. At the same time it should be borne in mind that the cows 

 are most likely to produce milk of the best quality of which they 

 are capable, on rations that contain a fair amount of protein, and 

 have nutritive ratios not wider than about 1.7, for cows in full 

 flow of milk; under ordinary conditions in the north central states 

 a somewhat narrower nutritive ratio than this will, generally 

 speaking, prove profitable, where the permanent effect on the pro- 

 duction of the herd is kept in view." 



It is with great satisfaction that I note how the scientists 

 are nearing the view of practical feeders. 



It behooves every dairyman to take stock of his available 

 feedstuffs and inform himself as to the cost of various commercial 

 feeds and then calculate the most economical ration for his cows, 

 under his conditions. 



Until the younger generation of farmers is educated up to 

 the necessary calculations, it is a simple matter to write to your 

 Experiment Station and state what feed stuffs you have and their 

 selling value as well as local prices of bran, oilmeal, etc., and ask 

 for suggest ; ons as to proper rations. Or, if you are as you ought 

 to be SL subscriber to Hoard's Dairyman you simply write to 

 that paper. 



But, and a very large BUT, we must always bear in mind that 

 chemical analyses of feeds are averages and may not fit your case 

 exactly, and that the practical farmer, while taking hints from 

 the chemist, will feed his cows with one eye on the milk pail and 

 the other on the excrements. Give your cows a variety of sound 

 feed, and if stabled, provide a succulent food, either roots or 

 silage, and remember that where corn will grow no cheaper food 

 basis exists than well-preserved silage. 



In summer the most common mistake, which increases the 

 cost of production, is to allow the cows to shrink in yield when 

 pastures are getting poor, instead of supplementing them at 



