328 FEEDING ANIMALS. 



to the economical yielding of milk that it actually takes 

 less food to produce 100 Ibs. of milk with a cow of equal 

 merit, weighing 1,000 Ibs., than one weighing 800 Ibs. In 

 accordance with these experiments, then, we may infer that 

 Mr Israel Boies' dairy produced milk at a less cost of food 

 than Mr. Blodgett's ; but we cannot pronounce on the 

 question of the cost of butter, for that has not been as yet 

 tested at least we have seen no well-authenticated experi- 

 ments reported which settle it. Mr. Blodgett's Jerseys 

 may possibly yield milk so much richer than Mr. Boies' 

 large grades as to make up the difference in quantity ; but 

 the probabilities are, even here, against the small cows, as 

 the difference in quantity of milk must have been very 

 large. The argument of the writer of the article com- 

 paring the three dairies mentioned, is to show the probable 

 waste of the food of support in keeping cows of 1,200 Ibs., 

 as the 400 Ibs. above the weight of the Jerseys he supposes 

 to be mere surplusage, and maintained gratuitously. Those 

 European experiments given, utterly overthrow this sup- 

 position, and show that the heavier cows require less food 

 in proportion to production of milk. We may, therefore, 

 assure the dairyman who keeps large cows, of good milking 

 quality, that he is not throwing away food upon size. 



Yet we do not think the large cows are necessarily the 

 most economical for all purposes. The Jerseys and Ayr- 

 shires are peculiarly adapted to large districts of this 

 country hilly regions, rough pastures, but bearing grasses 

 of the finest quality for dairy products. We could pro- 

 fitably use twenty times as many as we now have of Jerseys 

 and Ayrshires. Besides, the Jerseys yield a highly-colored 

 butter, of such fine quality and great popularity as to bring 

 the highest price in market. 



It will have been noted in this discussion of the best 

 cows to feed for dairy purposes, that cows of poor appetite 

 and small eaters are not wanted that cows which have 



