THIRTY-SIXTH ANNUAL CONVENTION. 371 



Present conditions show that after all of the years of scien- 

 tific research, investigations, and agitation in the dairy press, the 

 possibilities of milk production are realized by but few investiga- 

 tors, or the best practical men engaged in this occupation. These 

 are strong statements, but they are nevertheless true, as must be 

 realized when we stop to consider that the cows milked in the 

 United States average only 150 pounds of butter fat, when they 

 should be producing twice this amount, and so little is being done 

 about it. Herein lies that great waste of human energy, which 

 is astounding, and so few have awakened to a realization of this 

 fact. ^ 



The Twenty-Acre Demonstration Dairy Farm. 



A consideration of these conditions led to the starting of a 

 twenty-acre demonstration dairy farm at the University two 

 years ago, the sole object being to produce the maximum amount 

 of milk and butter fat per acre, at the least cost, producing all of 

 the feed upon this land. Briefly stated, this is a demonstration 

 of what may be accomplished by saving the tremendous waste 

 of energy on our dairy farms. 



To Produce tlie Most Milk Per Acre. 



Let no one get the erroneous idea that this is a "cow per 

 acre" demonstration. As was stated before, a cow per acre means 

 nothing, and has nothing to do with it. The object is to show the 

 possibilities in milk production. It is much too early to draw 

 definite conclusions, as it will require the average of several years 

 to obtain results from which such conclusions can be drawn, but 

 the present indications are that if every acre of the farm is made 

 to produce a good crop every year, and this crop well harvested 

 and saved in good condition and fed to the dairy herd every in- 

 dividual of which is a good, economical producer, it would multi- 

 ply the present profits in milk production on our dairy farms 

 about five times as the combined results of good tillage, good 

 seed, good crops, well harvested and saved and intelligently fed 

 to efficient dairy cows, are astonishingly great. 



