8 



pecuniary benefit, as also through the publication of results and 

 discussion of the principles of fertilization, practice far greater 

 economy in the saving of home supplies now largely wasted, as 

 also make more intelligent use of these valuable fertilizers, which 

 this wise provision of the Legislature has made possible. 



But in the matter of economy, I must not fail to call your at- 

 tention to the great economy possible in feeding our animals. 



Do not understand me as referring to any limiting of rations. 

 Do not make the mistake of supposing that profit begins except 

 when the maintenance ration is exceeded, and such profit increases 

 with the rate of such excess which may be properly utilized by the 

 animal either in the production of milk or the increase of growth. 



Let me indicate the possibilities, yes, the probabilities which 

 lie in this direction for the intelligent farmer. Two of our lead- 

 ing New York dairymen secure practically the same average pro- 

 duct in butter from their herds, and their results are nearly three 

 times the average results secured in the state. But one of these 

 feeds a ration costing 14 cents daily per cow, the other, getting no 

 better result, feeds his cow a ration costing exactly double, 28 cents 

 per day. But one cent a day saved upon the dairy cows of this 

 state means a saving of over $16,000 a day, a saving of nearly 

 $6,000,000 a year upon our cows alone. This is one of the prac- 

 tical problems upon which your Experiment Station is engaged. 



And in this connection I cannot forbear mention of a friendly 

 criticism of one of our recent bulletins in which these very im- 

 portant matters were discussed, for while this editor was pleased 

 to say that "this report is of more than ordinary interest to breed- 

 ers of cattle ^ he adds that "this book of tables requires the 

 most careful stud} r for at least a day for the reader to begin to ob- 

 tain an idea of its contents and teachings." 



I recall the case of the Irishman, who, after prolonged ab- 

 sence was revisiting the old country, and being shown the great 

 changes and improvements which had taken place during his ab- 

 sence, at last having had pointed out a new church just com- 

 pleted, he exclaimed, " Well, that beats the very divil I" when his 

 companion replied: " Ah, Pat, my boy, that was the very intintion." 



Here is a bulletin confessedly crammed with information of 

 the greatest practical value to our dairymen, whose capital is in- 



