138 /ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



run into trouble with insects and corn rots, which seriously- 

 reduced the crop during two years of this demonstration. 

 Plowing up the alfalfa while still producing well was neces- 

 sary and a serious disadvantage in this demonstration. The 

 farmer by having a field of alfalfa separate from the reg- 

 ular rotation does not need to do this but could get his new 

 seeding started before plowing up the old. 



All these advantages are his because the dairyman has 

 a real farm with other fields besides those devoted exclu- 

 sively to dairying. In many instances he would have broken 

 land adapted only to permanent pasture and this would be 

 an advantage to the cows as well as saving labor, in which 

 case soiling crops need not be grown unless his circum- 

 stances gave some special advantage to it. 



Improvement of Any Factor Helps. 



The ventilation of the barn and comfort of the cows — 

 preferably running loose in the barn — are of the greatest 

 advantage. The best cows the dairyman can get are essen- 

 tial — grade or pure-bred — and this will include the use of 

 a pure-bred sire. 



Any advance in growing the greatest amount of suit- 

 able feed per acre and balancing corn with alfalfa, is in 

 line with this demonstration and its teachings. But alfalfa 

 is essential. The corn silage is essential. To buy none or 

 the least amount of protein feed is a high point of economy. 

 In many cases increasing the alfalfa or legumes ten times is 

 a mountain peak of necessity. 



Although the soiling crops grown were no part of the 

 demonstration plan, but were riised to use the ground 

 where the regular crop had partially failed, they are sel- 

 dom necessary and never economical of labor. 



The demonstration shows a high point of economy in 

 growing all the feeds upon the farm and buying none. It 

 seemed best to hold this test strictly to that rule. But in 

 dairy farming it may sometimes be best to buy some bran 

 or protein feeds for high producing cows. There can be 

 no objection to the purchase of such feeds except the one of 

 economy. Alfalfa and sweet clover will supply the protein 



