40 
ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN’S ASSOCIATION. 
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found to have a sort of frame-work on which the pulp, if we may so call it, develop; 
The stem runs clear through the potato lengthwise, and from it branches run to th 
surface and expand into eyes. One of these eyes, cut obliquely toward the main stei 
and butt end of the tuber, so as to not sever its connection with the central stem c 
core, is found to be preferable to any other form of preparing the seed. If the eye ; 
severed from the core, it lessens the yield ; and the nearer the surface it is severec 
the greater the decrease of yield. To repeat, and use Dr. Sturtevant’s own languag 
—for we are all interested in the potato crop : In every case the eye cut small prc 
duced later formation of tuber and fewer and smaller tubers than other seed usee 
In the single eyes cut larger we noticed an increase in earliness and prolificacy ove 
the eye cut small. In the eye cut large and deep we obtained the greatest uniformit 
of plant, and the earliest, largest and most abundant supply of tubers to the stall 
In those cases where half potatoes, split lengthwise; were used as seed, we noticed 
lack of uniformity in the product of the different hills. An examination has show 
that where the vegetating eye was shortened in its depth, the yield was remarkabl 
inferior to that produced from the corresponding half of the potato where the vegetal 
ing eye was left at its full depth.” These facts led him to look for their reason. II 
says : “ We, therefore, by soaking slices of potato in carmine, succeeded in bringin 
out the interior structure through the staining of the tissues. This distinctly exhit 
ited the tuber as a swollen stem, each eye being a terminal bud on a branch, th 
branches running into a central stem. We thus were able to assign a difference i 
the character of the seed used, whether cut with reference to the quantity of potat 
substance, or whether cut with reference to securing length of the stem enclose 
within the potato substance.” 
It was further found that, no matter how many eyes there might be on a whol 
potato planted, only two or four of the eyes would grow; but if one of these eyes wa 
broken off or wounded, it would throw up a multitude of stalks. 
Now, here are facts, not only of interest, but showing the importance of adaptin 
all the conditions and circumstances to the requirements of the crop—not only in th 
selection of the seed, but in its preparation, the choice of soil, and the mode of plant 
ing and cultivation. 
But now let us come to dairy farming. In the first place, we must select a dair 
farm We must have a farm that will grow sweet grasses and furnish pure water- 
that is, water free from deleterious substances—and it must be in abundance, both fo 
use in the dairy house and for the cows to drink. We need not expect the best o 
milk from stagnant or impure water. Depend upon it, whatever is in the water o 
food consumed by the cows, will show itself in the milk product. 
The farm selected, the next thing is to choose what line of dairying we shall pui 
sue. Shall it be butter? Shall it be cheese? Shall it be both? Or, shall it be milk fo 
market? Which ever we decide upon, we must select our herd, or breed it, accord 
ingly. In the beginning, of course we must depend upon selection ; but we can selecl 
with reference to future breeding. 
What breed? That depends very much on location and other circumstances 
We must not put too heavy cattle on rough, hilly farms, whicn are often the best fo 
dairy purposes. We must have hardy.animals for high northern latitudes. But ver 
much of the rigor of climate m&y be counteracted by proper shelter—and it alwav 
pays to give animals good shelter and good feed. 
In this section, very little depends on breed. You have neither hills nor specie 
severity of climate to be considered. But you do need to look well to shelter. Th 
bitter blasts blowing over your broad prairies cut to the marrow ; and you will fin' 
shelter cheaper than food for preserving a proper temperature of the animal body. 
Select your cows from any breed you choose—for all breeds have good animals 
and all can be bred up to a higher dairy standard by a proper selection of individual 
to begin with. But be sure to select animals suitable for the line of dairying whic 
you choose so pursue. Do not depend upon the breed, no matter what it is, but selec 
the best animals of whatever breed you decide to begin with. Then breed intell 
gently toward the end you have in view. 
Too much dependence has been placed, of late years, on what is called “ bloode 
stock.” No doubt blood tells; but if it ends in sky-blue milk, or a mess so small tha 
a kitten would starve on it, it is not fit to breed from for dairy purposes. The ind 
vidual qualities, as well as the breed, must be right. Then we may expect the goo 
qualities to crop out in the offspring, and even the offspring to improve, if good judp 
ment is used in coupling and favorable surroundings are kept up. But if there is an) 
thing in the prepotency of pedigree blood, why should we expect a degenerate speci 
men to nroduce snnerior offsnrinc* ? In truth whpn vnn t.nlrp t.hp infprinr animal t 
men to produce superior offspring ? In truth, when you take the inferior animal t 
breed from, you begin breeding down, instead of breeding up*; and if you continu 
long enough, you may reasonably hope to get something at least about equal to th 
scrub! 
Breeding has been carried on, since the fashion of getting up booms in breeds ha 
been introduced, more with reference to increasing numbers than to improving th 
