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764 ILLUSTRATED WORLD
Murne Cowan. Here are some comparative
figures showing feeding costs and
milk yields as compiled by the United
States Department of Agriculture:
Number ol
Cows
Average Yield per
Cow in Pounds
o! Milt
16 .... 2,349
33 .... 3,648
78 .... 4,596
111 .... 5,450
109 .... 6,445
60 .... 7,514
36 .... 9,049
FEED COST
Per Cow Per 100
Yearly Lbs. Milt
$43.93 $1.87
49.47 1.36
55.00 1.20
59.91 1.10
62.85 .98
70.38 .94
80.45 .89
These figures show that the cost of
feeding per one hundred pounds of milk
decreases rapidly up to about six thousand
pounds yield, after which the decline
in cost is very slight. The lesson
to be derived from this fact (according
to the Department of Agriculture) is
that it is of much greater importance to
increase the milk yield up to between six
and seven thousand pounds than it is to
attempt to get the yield above this figure,
as far as the economy of the use of food
is concerned. It is easier to increase the
quantity of milk when it is low than
when it is high.
These figures also show how impossible
it is to produce a genius in the cow
world merely by stuffing it with food.
It can no more be done in the quadruped
kingdom than it can be done in the
domain of man by stuffing the mind with
learning. Genius, whether among; men
or cows, will out of itself.
Aside from crossing the road, a hen's
function in life seems to consist in laying
eggs. More than one hen has proved
that genius may show itself in the latter
humble field. The most conspicuous instance
of this was the famous hen, Lady
Eglantine. Lady Eglantine was a product
of Maryland. She is one of the few
instances in the world's history where a
physical genius actually was developed.
Her owner went on the theory that fine
feathers do not make necessarily fine
birds. Therefore he discarded poultry
show ideals, and bred for a producer.
He selected a father whose mother had
an excellent reputation as an egg producer.
Both of Lady Eglantine's parents
were of highly inbred stock. She came,
too, of a stock that had been accustomed
to eating and assimilating enormous
quantities of food. Lady Eglantine was
a proof positive that careful breeding of
egg layers pays. In one year she made
the remarkable record of having brought
forth three hundred fourteen eggs. It
wasn't leap year either. A score of her
sisters made a record of an average of
two hundred thirty eggs apiece for the
same period.
Lady Eglantine was white leghorn.
She left at her demise but twelve known
offspring, nine roosters and three hens.
She is the type of fowl that makes the
eugenists clamor loudly as an example
for human beings to follow. But hens
are much easier to breed right than men.
Those with brains won't permit themselves
to be used for scientific purposes
and all others are worthless.
When we are discussing genius among
animals we are on safest ground, apparently,
when we consider the horse.
Here we will find deeds and temperament
going hand in hand. The racinghorse
has all the sensitiveness of the
artist.
Horse racing in America probably
reached its zenith in the year 1903. That
may not have been the year when the
public took the most interest in the sport,
but it is the year that some of the most
phenomenal trotting and pacing records
were made.
Take the case of Dan Patch. Dan