diet ; they were fed periodically, in varying proportions and in differ- 

 ent combinations, to notice their comparative individual merits, if 

 an}- should become conspicuous. The same weights of corn meal, 

 gluten meal and wheat bran, wltenever used, were retained through- 

 out the entire experiments ; whilst the weight of the hay, corn fodder 

 and corn ensilage was altered in consequence of being fed either 

 alone or in some particular combination with each other. The entire 

 amount of these articles consumed under both conditions was limited 

 in every instance by the inclination of the animal. The first feed- 

 ing took place between six and seven o'clock in the morning, the sec- 

 ond at noon, and the third at six o'clock in the evening. Corn 

 meal, wheat bran and gluten meal were usually fed, together with a 

 small amount of the coarser feed, during milking, morning and even- 

 ings, whilst the remainder of the coarser feed was offered subsequently 

 three times during the day. The amount left over was weighed and 

 deducted from the previous record. The price which has been 

 adopted in our subsequent valuation of each article of fodder used 

 during the experiments, is based on our local condition of the mar- 

 ket, and does not directly apply to more favored localities. The cost 

 of one quart of milk, as stated below, may vary thus in case of the 

 same kind and the same amount of feed and of a corresponding yield 

 of milk, from that in other localities. Whilst our statements of cost 

 of feed for the production of one quart of milk can only claim a direct 

 application for a limited locality, it will be conceded that the state- 

 ment of relative cost of the milk in case of different combinations of 

 fodder articles for its production, may fairly claim a more general 

 consideration. The following rates of prices have been adopted in 

 our subsequent valuation, per ton of 2000 pounds: Corn meal and 

 wheat bran, $23.00 ; gluten meal, $22.50 ; hay, $15.00 ; dry corn 

 fodder, $5.00 ; corn ensilage, $2.75. Tne price of the latter isbased 

 on the following circumstances : well dried corn fodder contains 20 

 per cent, of moisture and 80 per cent, of dry vegetable matter ; green 

 corn fodder adai)ted to the production of ensilage, contains from 18 

 to 22 per cent of vegetable matter and 82 to 78 per cent, of moisture. 

 Four tons of such green fodder corn will produce one ton of 

 dry corn fodder, as described. Counting one ton of green corn 

 fodder worth $1.25, and the cost of converting it into en- 

 silage equal to $1.50 — a rather liberal allowance — one ton of corn 

 ensilage would be worth $2.75. As the relative nutritive value of a 

 fodder article — in case of the same kind and condition of the animal — 

 depends, aside from its general adaption, on its actual percentage of 

 dry vegetable matter, and on the particular relative proportion of 

 its nitrogenous (protein) and non-nitrogenous constituents, the total 

 amount of dry vegetable matter contained in the entire daily diet 

 during each feeduig period has been stated, alongside of the daily 

 yield of milk. The relative proportion of digestible nitrogenous and 

 non-nitrogenous constituents of the feed is expressed by " Nutritive 

 Ratio" — taking Nitrogen=-l. This mode of reporting our observa- 

 tions has been adopted for the purpose of assisting the reader in tlie 

 recognition of the amount of dry vegetable matter consumed daily 



