I am

they cannot demonstrate it, but it is contrary to theory. not a scientist, in the general acceptation of that term, so when my experience does not corroborate my theory I accept the experience and let the theory go.

I have seen sweet ensi

Ensilage is like canned fruit, governed by the same general laws and subject to the same vicissitudes. It is no longer an experiment, though from its novelty men are disposed to experiment a good deal with it. One fact, however, is pretty generally settled among men who feed it, i. e., a good quality of ensilage will produce richer milk and more of it than any other known feed for the same money. What constitutes good ensilage, is a question easier asked than answered, and yet one familiar with ensilage can tell at a glance whether it is good or poor, whether cows would do well or ill if fed on it. It does not necessarily follow that ensilage is poor because it is sour, no more than it is proved to be good because it is sweet. lage that I should have hesitated to give my cows. Last fall I cut about one half my ensilage corn and shocked it in the field, letting it stand two or three weeks; the other half was taken immediately to the barn and run through the cutter into the silo. The former made what is called sweet ensilage, while the latter was nearly as sour as vinegar, yet I could see no difference in the feeding value. The cows thrive equally as well on the one as the other, while the milk, in taste, odor, quantity, and quality, remained unaltered. In conclusion let me say just a word; if your cows are not paying you for all they eat, and more, too, there is something wrong, either with you, or the cows or their feed, and the first thing for you to do is to go to work with a determination to find out which. That question settled, take the necessary steps to correct the evil. Never for a moment doubt your ability to succeed in what you undertake. There is no climatic reason, there is no geological or physiological reason, or any other logical reason, why New Hampshire shall not become one of the most successful dairy States in the Union. There is light ahead.

27

A FEW days ago I was notified by the president of this association that I was selected to speak upon "Breeds of Cattle and Feeds," but he did not say for what purpose the cattle were designed, and we all know the breed best adapted to one purpose may not be for another. As this is a dairy meeting we will pass the Durhams, with mammoth frame, that with good rich feed will make mountains of beef, and the more symmetrical Herefords, with their white faces and beautiful forms, as well as the Polled breeds, that take on fat with great rapidity, and consider more fully the distinct dairy breeds, the Holsteins, Guernseys, and Jerseys. Brother Goodell will tell us that the Holsteins are all that is desired and that we need not look further, and he has large ground for his opinion; but while a few breeders have produced large milk and butter records, we do not hear anything about feed or amount of milk for a pound of butter, but as he will tell all there is in their favor, I will leave them for him. A few years ago a couple of Yankees took a trip to England. While there they formed the acquaintance of an English farmer, who invited them to visit his place. They accepted and found everything very fine; but one thing they did not like. Whenever he showed them anything he remarked, "You have nothing in your country to equal that." They held their peace till they came to the dairy department, where they found all the

* Prepared for the Granite State Dairymen's meeting in January, 1887.

conveniences that money could buy. They passed through into the storeroom, where there was a row of cheese, and with true English pride he pointed to them and said: "Did you ever put your eyes on such a fine sight? You have nothing in your country to compare with that." Human nature could hold out no longer, and one of the gentlemen exclaimed, "That isn't much; one of my neighbors makes a cheese every day that weighs a ton. Seeing the look of incredulity upon the Englishman's face he turned to his companion and said, “Isn't that so, Jim?" He said: "I don't know as I ever heard the weight of his cheese, but I was up to his place the day before I left home and saw five saw-mills being run by the whey from his cheese." I have heard that that man kept Holstein cows. The Ayrshire is an excellent breed, giving a large amount of fairly good milk, are hearty, and whoever has them will think he has the best there is. Friend Gerrish will tell us there is no use talking, for the Guernseys have all the good qualities of all the breeds combined, so I will let him tell about them, and I will speak for the only breed to keep the rich man's delight, the ladies' pet and pride, the poor man's friend and helper, — the little Jersey, with her graceful and symmetrical form, intelligent countenance, bright eyes, affectionate disposition, rich milk, golden butter, and in the opinion of such sound-minded men as Messrs. Tallant, Daniell, and Hazen, who are known. throughout New England as men of excellent judgment and sound mind, this is the only breed that ought to be kept to any extent. When we consider the wonderful tests of butter made from the Jerseys we can but wonder how any one can be satisfied with anything else, and after people have owned one or more they invariably think they have found a gold mine, and if they work it well they surely have. I have occupied too much time already on breeds, and although my heart, mind, and soul are so firmly fixed on the little Jersey that it is difficult for me to leave the subject, I feel that I must go on to that of feeds. I will first say that breeds without feeds are of little avail. I prefer a poor cow well fed to the best one poorly fed. The man who has a cow and does not feed her well is not worthy the name of man.

Doubtless you have seen Prof. Arnold's description of feeds and their results on scientific principles. I will not go into the science of it but will briefly give my experience. When I started my dairy business I knew if I made it pay, hiring all the work done, it would require much study and thought. I would have to produce a better butter than the ordinary farmer to command higher prices. I found I must devise some means of keeping them well at a less expense than on hay and grain. I have tried nearly all kinds of feed by weighing and testing the results. There is no question but that good, bright clover hay and corn meal will make more and better butter than any other feed except grass. We cannot always get the clover hay, besides it is expensive, and corn meal is too heating to feed alone to cows that are intended for breeding. We have all heard of the Darlingtons of Pennsylvania with their four hundred cows, the butter of which is sold at one dollar a pound. They are constantly buying fresh cows of any breed, feeding very heavy with corn meal and no hay except clover, which they buy in different parts of the State. Their cows are always fat from the heavy feeding with corn meal, and as soon as they begin to reduce the flow of milk they go to the shambles and other fresh cows take their places. This practice could not be adopted by all here, and the question to answer is, What shall we feed? Two quarts corn meal, two of oats, two of bran, and one of cotton-seed in my opinion make the best grain feed for health, profit, and product. For the coarser feed, ensilage is a great saving of expense, and when properly put up will make good butter at a very small cost. I am wintering about sixty of my cows on ensilage at a cost of two and one half cents per day; with the grain feed it amounts to six cents per day. They are doing very well in milk and are in fine condition. I prefer a variety of feed, and oats cut when in the milk are an excellent feed. They will produce a large amount of milk and are a feed that every farmer should have. After regular spring work is done a few acres that will not cut much hay can be selected, plowed, and a few loads of manure scraped up, and enough oats can be raised to winter several cows at a small expense. They can be sowed any time before the first of July.

Few farmers realize the value of bran as a feed. German

chemists tell us that at the wholesale prices of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash, the manurial value obtained from a ton of bran fed to milch cows is $13.03, while our own chemists vary from $11.60 to $13.50. The manurial value of corn is only $3.34 and oats $3.80. This brings the actual cost of the bran very low if we consider the value of the manure.