CHAPTER XIV. 



TESTS AT EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



Several of our agricultural experiment stations have, within the last few- 

 years, undertaken experiments designed to test the relative methods of some 

 of the different breeds of dairy cattle. Of these experiments that of the New 

 York Station at Geneva, which is still in progress, both in the number of cows 

 engaged and in the length of time devoted to it, is by far the most extensive. 

 I have, says Ernest Hitchcock, recently made a somewhat careful examination 

 of the report of this work contained in the Eleventh Annual Report, and the 

 results, owing to defects in the methods employed, seem to be disappointing 

 rather than convincing. While in many respects the work is most valuable, 

 yet so far as the specific aim of the experiments is concerned, namely, "the 

 investigation of the several breeds of dairy cattle with reference to their rela- 

 tive value in the production of milk, butter and cheese," I fear it must be 

 pronounced a failure. While this judgment may appear premature, in view 

 of the fact that the experiment is not yet completed, nevertheless, as there is 

 no indication of a change of methods, I think it is not unfair. 



The most serious objections to the character of the work referred to may 

 be summarized as follows: 



1st. The character of many of the cows used in the test is not such as to 

 entitle them to be considered fair representatives of their respective breeds. 



2d. The use of "periods of lactation" instead of calendar periods renders 

 many of the comparisons grossly unfair, and, further, renders a clear under- 

 standing of the merits of the different individuals much more difficult. 



EUNICE CLAY, No. 1007 H. F. H. B. 



Winner of first prize at Ohio State Fair, 1893, for solids not fat and milk prize, producing in 

 twenty-four hours 84 Ibs. 10 oz. of milk, which contained 7.66 Ibs. solids not fat. Butter record 

 23 Ibs. 9 oz. in seven days. Winner of butter test at Toronto, 1894, with record of 130 Ibs. milk 

 in two days, yielding 3.18 Ibs. fat and 14.42 Ibs. solids in same period. 



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