110 TALKS ON MA VIRES. 



Can not it lie avoiileil ? Good iK-cf is rclutively miicii hiirhcr in 

 this Sliite tiian '^oinl ciit'cse. Some of the dairy authorities tell us 

 that cheese is the cheai)est animal food in the world, while beef Ih 

 the dearest. Why. then, should our dairymen eonline their atten- 

 tion to the production of the cheapest of farm |)rodu(ts, and no<;- 

 loct almt)st entirely the production of the dearest? If l»eef is hiirh 

 and cheese low, wliy not raisi- more beef ? (Jn low-priced land it 

 may be profitable to raise and keep cows solely for the prcHluction 

 of cheese, and when the cows are no longer protituble for this pur- 

 pose, to sacrifice them — to throw them aside us we do a worn-out 

 machine. And in similar circumstances we may bo able to keep 

 sheep .solely J"or their wool, but on hijrh-priced land we can not 

 afford to keep sheep merely for their wool. We must a<lopt a 

 higher .system of farming and fee ling, and keep slu-ep that will 

 give us wool, lambs, and mutton. In parts of South America, 

 where land costM nothimr, cattle can be kei)t for their bones, tallow, 

 and hides, but where food is costly we must make belter use 

 of it. A cow is a machine for converting vegetable food into veal, 

 butter, cheese, and beef. The first cost of the machine, if a good 

 one, is considerable — say f 10(). This machine has to be kept run- 

 ning inght and d:iy, summer and winter, week days and Sundays. 

 If we were running a steam-flourini: mill that could never lie 

 allowed to stop, we sliould be careful to lay in a irood supply of 

 coal and also have plenty of grain on hand to gritnl, so that the 

 mill would never have to run empty. No sensible man would 

 keep up steam merely to run the mill. lie would want to grind 

 all the time, and as much as possible; and yet coal is a nmch 

 cheaper source of power than the hay and com with which we 

 run our milk-producing machine. How often is the latter allowe<l 

 to run empty? The m.achine is runinng night and day — must run, 

 but is it alwavs running to advantage? Do we furnish fuel 

 enough to en.dde it to do full work, or only little more than enough 

 to run the maihincry ? 



" Wliat has all tliis to do with makinir manure on dairy farms?" 

 o.sked the Deacon; "you are wandering from tin- point." 



" I hope not ; lam trying to show that L'ood feeding will pay 

 better than poor fecdin.: — and lu-tter food means better manure." 



I estimate that it takes from 15 to IH lbs. of ordinary hay per 

 day to nm this cow-machine, which we have been talking al)OUt, 

 even when kept warm and comfortable; and if exposed to cold 

 storms, probably not less than 20 lbs. of hay a day, or its 

 ccpiivalcnt, and this merely to keep the machine nmning. witlnnit 

 doing any work. It requires this to keep the cow alive and to pre- 



