The San Francisco call., 1896-01-16
System of Education Along
the Lines of Rural
Economics.
CREAMERY VS.. DAIRY BUTTER
The Consensus of Opinion Was il
Favor of the Formers Keeping
Qualities.

PETALUMA, CAL, Jan. 15.-The Cali
fornia Dairy Association held meeting
here to-day in connection with meeting
of Pomona Grange. This was in keeping
with the plan recently outlined by the
Dairy Association to hold monthly meet
ings throughout the State.
The meeting was addressed by Professor
E. ]. Wickson of the State University,
who explained that professors from the
institution took part in such meetings
when requested as a system of education
along the lines of rural economies practi-
cally university extension. Such work
had been very useful in the East and had
been prosecuted here as far as the means
at hand would permit. The university, he
said, derived benefit by having its pro-
fessOrs become acquainted with the condi-
tions, Improvements and obstacles existing
in practical dairying, and hoped TO aid
dairymen by showing to them the chemis-
try of food constituents.
The matter of feeding, the speaker
thought, was one of the most important
before the public. One could prescribe a
ration for COW as accurately and effect
lively as physician prescribes medicine
for 4 sick person. 1t has taken genera
tions TO bring the matter to its present
state of development, but the existing
knowledge as to foods and their constitu-
ents was valuable and practical. Liebig
about fifty years ago. presented his theory
as to nutrition, and, while time has shown
that he was not correct in every detail, his
theory has led to demonstration, and to it
IS due in great degree the present knowl
edge concerning the matter.
1t was clearly seen that the animal could
not take to its use directly the elements OF
the earth. They must first be taken up
and assimiated by plants. However, the
animal makes direct use of the elements
in the form they assume in the plant by
means of the digestive process. The fibrin,
albumen, cassein, ETC., all closely resemble
those elements as found in plant life Since
Liebig's time exact analysis, careful ex-
periments and exhaustive investigation
have determined not only the exact pro-
portion of elements in the plant, but the
per cent which is assimilated, and its rela-
ton TO that which is wasted. The result
of the experiments means right feeding
and economical production of desired re-
suits.
Professor Wickson was followed by NJ.
Z. Jaffa, chemist of the agricultural de-
partment of the State University, who
illustrated his remarks upon feeding and
the analysis of feedstuffs by frequent
references to a chart or table presenting
the result of an analysis of various things
used as food for COWS, as hay, bran, beets,
clover, etc. The nutritive ratio, the
speaker explained, meant the proportion
of flesh-forming ingredients. After learn
ing the elements Of food it becomes neces-
sary to learn just what proportion of each
is needed. Then the proper ration could
be supplied. If insufficient milk-forming
food is given the COW draws on the other
nutriments in order to live, and the milk
supply deteriorates.
Joseph Mailliard the president of the
association, was not present, but an essay
which he had written was read by the sec
retary, S. E. Watson. Mr.. Mailliard said
that the great principle of dairying was to
produce for every ton of food used the
largest amount of butter at the least cost
The nearer dairyman attains to this idea
the greater financial success he Will
achieve. Many dairyme get the idea that
"a COW is q cow" whereas there are thous-
ands OF COWS which do not pay for their
keep, to say nothing of the labor required
to attend them. 1t is evident that it will
pay every dairyman to work into some
tirst-class breed as soon as he possibly can.
The reading of Mr.. Mailliard's essay
was followed by a general discussion of
dairy methods by the members of the as
sociation. The main points brough: out
were that the use of the separator gave an
increase of about 10 per cent in the product,
and that creamery butter had better keep
ing qualities than butter made by the old
dairy system. L. Tomasini, manager OF
the Dairymen's Union, was very pro-
nounced upon the latter point. He said
that he had once sent large shipment of
dairy butter to customer and it all came
back in a few days, and the butter offered
its own explanation as soon as he opened
the first box.