n'. A ISOOd Q^W «» feeri s^o «ia^. « ^, G FOR to 15S> IW^TOW^^B' or tlii^ ^^'vi^* ^^.'^ vAv'<^/ POOR ^^ iS>,. -SY AVrs. E. /^. Jo^es ^ BROCK\?IL.L.E, ONT., CAM. ORAMGE JUDi f f^ iiiJT^ ^ BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME FROM THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND THE GIFT OF X891 ..A...£l^^.a :'Y^Pl RETURN TO ALBERT R. MANN LIBRARY ITHACA. N. Y. SF 239.J7T""'""'™''"'"-''"^ 3 1924 003 017 708 ™ 8 V « I ■ HI s u It a s ■0 Dairying for Profit; OR, The Poor Man's Cow. MRS. E. 'M. JONES. New- Yoke. Orange judd Co. By special agreement, the sale of tMs Book in the United States is placed in the hands of theOEANGE JTTDD CO., N. T. "Mrs. E. M. Jones, Brockvllle, Ont., Can., 1892. PREFACE. To the farmers' wives of America this little book is dedicated — to my sisters la'toilj the tired and over-tasked women, who are wearing their livteSj away in work which has little hope and less profit, and to whom the cares of the dairy form the " last straw " which breaks their already aching backs. For many years I have been receiving letters from these weary sis- ters, in every State in the Union, in every Province of Canada, and their burden is always the same. " We are so tired, cannot you help us ? You are a woman like us, but your cattle have won a great reputation, your dairy has been a success, and your butter sells at a fine price. How did you do it ? " Replying to all these letters has grown into a task beyond any one person's time and strength ; and to give all the information asked for I would have to write a little book to each one. Therefore, Ihave resolved that I loiM write the little book, and have it printed, and sold at so low a price as to be within the reach of every one who keeps one cow or a hundred. If I could go into every farmer's house in America, and say, " I can show you : " 1st. How to make J more and far better butter than you do now ; " 2nd. At a less cost for keeping cattle ; " 3rd. With less labor on cattle and dairy utensils ; " 4th. And how to sell your butter for J- more money than you are getting for it now," I would, indeed, be a welcome guest. All this I can do, not in person, but by this little book, and so I send it out to my fellow-women, with earnest wishes for their approval. If I can lighten the labors of even a few tired women and cheer their lives and put some money in their pockets, then I shall not have written in vain. Eliza M . Jones. Brockville, Out., Can., 1892. INDEX. PAGE CHAPTER I. •On Choosing a Cow. 9 CHAPTER II. 'On Feeding and Caring for the Cow 12 CHAPTER III. One Year's Test of a Grade Jersey. ...... 15 CHAPTER IV. Which is the Best Butter Breed ? 19 CHAPTER V. ■Choose the Breed which you are sure suits you best ... 25 CHAPTER VI. Milking and Skimming — Setting the Milk 28 CHAPTER VII. Churning — Salting , . . . . .... 82 CHAPTER VIII. Printing — Preparing for Market 35 CHAPTER IX. Method of Marketing — Print Butler in Gilt E'ige Dairies. , . ,S9 ' CHAPTER X. On Churns 42 4 CHAPTER SI. On Butter-workers — The old Bowl and Ladle. . . . . 4&' CHAPTER XII. Ease and comfort ia churning— " Big little things" m the Dairy— The Man who follows his Grandmother. .... 48 CHAPTER XIII. An answer to Mr. Doherty. — Practical Experience. . . 62 CHAPTER XIV. On the Care of Dairy Utensils. , . , . . . 5T CHAPTER XV. How I Keep my Cattle. . . . . 60 CHAPTER XVI. Farm accounts — Odds and Ends — Some Mistakes. . - 64, CHAPTEE I. ON CHOOSING A COW. In no branch of farming is there such deplorable waste and short- sightedness as in dairying — such a large nmount of labor for so small a result, and that result, too, of a very indifferent quality. Farmers of to-day are barely existing who ought to be in comfortable circumstance.'!; while those are barely comfortable who ougiit to be rich, and this with only the same facilities as they now enjoy. The cause of this trouble is, mainly, misapplied bibor, going the wrong way to work, toiling over things that don't pay. The object in writing this book is to offer to hard-working, practical farmers some suggestions by which they may increase their incomes, multiply their comforts, and better their position ; to present to them facts and figures that will bear the closest scrutiny, and to give them a brief sketch of a life spent in dairying; a life marked by muny mistakes and occasional failures, but also crowned with success beyond my ex- pectations, and cheered by such kindly appreciation and such compli- mentary notices as are far beyond my deserts. Some may ask why I wish to record my failures. In reply, I would quote to them an old Scotch story : — An auld wife remarked that she " didna think the Scriptures were aye a safe guide, for David was held up as an exawmple to us a', when, he was a sinfu' mon." "Hoots, woman," said her neighbor, "David wasna pit there as an exawmple at a' ; he was just meant for a light-house, to warn us aff the rocks." And so, if the record of my failures and mistakes will only serve the same purpose, I shall not have written in vain, and I may be of as much practical use as those who quote only their successes and bury their failures out of sight, making no sign to others to " warn them aff the rocks." Now, I don't mean to divide my lecture into as many " heads and particulars ' ' as one old Scotch minister used to do in Glasgow, for I 2 Missing Page Missing Page Missing Page Missing Page Missing Page Missing Page 10 invariably went to sleep under them, and I am afraid my readers might do the same. But some divisions of the subject are necessary, and they are chiefly three : — 1. The choice of a good cow ; 2. The keeping and feeding of her, to the best advantage ; 3. The most profitable way of caring for and marketing her product. On the choice of your dairy cow, whether you breed her or buy her, depends the whole success of your dairy. You wouldn't wish to use the old-fashioned wooden plough of our forefathers, nor to go back to the flail, for " it's ill working with poor tools." And the poorest tool on the face of the earth is a poor cow. It is not only that she is no profit, it is worse than that — she runs you in debt. Still worse is the case if the poor cow be one of a herd, and for this reason : If a person keeps but one cow he very soon knows if she be good or bad, but if he keeps a good many, the worthless- cow is not so readily detected. She may be a smooth-looking animal, and may even give a fair flow of milk, and yet she may not only fall short of paying for her keep, but be eating up all the proflt made by her neighbor, and so the farmer has not a cent of gain on the pair. And the useless cow is not only deteriorating as years go by, but is perpetuating her worthless kind, to the loss of her owner and to the detri- ment of all the country around. The form and features of a good dairy cow have been so often de- scribed that only a brief mention is needed here, but some points are so essential that they can hardly be too strongly impressed. A good cow must be long, level, and loose-jointed, with a capacious body, short, fine legs, long, light neck, clean cut and intelligent head, thin withers, deep flank, thin, flat thighs, and rich, soft^ mellow skin, showing a deep orange color under any white markings, and inside of ear. As viewed from the side, she must present a perfect wedge shape exceedingly deep behind and very light in front, and, as viewed from behind, she must show ample room to carry a large, full udder with ease and without chafing. No cow can do this that is of a beefy conforma- tion and that has not a good "arch." The udder itself must be soft and silky, free from warts and from 11 long, coarse hair. , It must extend loeZZ forward and reach well up behind, having nothing of a globular shape. It must be square, level beneath, and not too deeply quartered, with teats of good size, evenly placed, very far apart both ways, and of uniform size. The udder must be very large and handsome when full, and when empty must be loose and soft, the rear .part lying in folds — in fact, as the saying goes, it should almost " milk out to nothing." Such an udder is capable of great distension without discomfort to the unimal, and adds wonderfully, not only to the appearance, but to the intrinsic value of the dairy cow. The milk veins should be exceedingly large and crooked, and the milk yielded pasily and evenly all round. Avoid a cow very hard and tough to milk. She is a continual nuisance . Still worse is the one that leaks her milk. Avoid a very thick-skinned cow, whose hide is inclined to stick to her ribs, or, on the other hand, one whose hide is too thin and paper- like, indicating delicacy of constitution. In an animal that "handles well" there is a peculiar soft, loose, vel- vety touch, that is quickly learnt by experience, and without which no animal can be really thrifty. If, with all these good qualities, you get a cow that is young, healthy, with a soft, silky coat of hair, and one with a gentle, placid tem- per, you may be assured that you have made the first step on the road to success, even if she has cost you a little more than your neighbor has paid for an indifferent cow. Taking the common cattle' of the country as a basis, if you pay $30 for a cow that runs you $10 in debt by the end of the year, and that gives you a calf no better than she is herself, it is a poor speculation. But if, on the other hand, you pay $50 for a ,cow that shows you $30 profit at the year's end, as such a cow should do, that is a pleasure to look at and a satisfaction to own, and that gives you a calf still better than herself, you have made the best and safest investment in a farmer's power. In putting money at interest, you would think yourself very lucky to get $5 a year on $50. From one cow you should get $30 a year on $50, and not only have the cow herself in good order, but a valuable calf besides. And as you spend no more time in milking and feeding the good cow than the poor one, it is easy to see on which side your bread is buttered. 12 CHAPTEE 11. ON FEEDING AND CARING FOR THE COW. Having bought your cow, the next thing is, what to do with her. On no account make any sudden change from her previous food, but let such things be done gradually. If it be summer, turn the new cow into a fair pasture where there is water ; treat gently and milk regnl irly, and she will soon be contented and happy in her new home. If it be winter, put her in a warm, comfortable stable, with plenty of, clean dry straw for bedding, water her and feed her a warm br;m m^sh and plenty of good hay. Then make up your mind what to feed your cow, and gradually work np to that quantity. For :i fresh calved cow, giving 16 to 20 quarts of milk a day, I have found nothing better than the following treatment : — At half-past 5 a.m. the stall is clenned out, and cow cleaned off, rubbing the udder witii a hirge, coarse but soft cloth. If necessary to wash the udder, do it with tepid water, and be careful to dry it thoroughly or it will soon got rough and sore. Give the cow a large armful of hayi and then milk her as quickly and as quietly as you can, taking every drop you can possibly get from her. Of tlie maimer of milking and the care of the milk we will speak hereafter. The next thing is to feed your cow. I will here give the ration we use as a basis, but it is varied accord" ing to circumstances and prices of feed. I also give prices in our local- ity, and these will be found to average much the same everywhere) and to maintain the same value, in proportion to the prices of dairy products : — cte. 10 lbs. ground oats at $20 per ton 10 8 lbs. bran at $12.50 per ton 5 4 lbs. cornmeal at $25 per ton 5 4 lbs, pea meal at $25 per ton 5 16 lbs. hay at $10 per ton S Cost of feed per day 33 13 Some of the hay is run througli a cutter, :ind mixed with the grain which has all been thoroughly mixed together. This is then divided into three feeds, and given at morning, noon and night. The mixture is put in a large stable bucket, with a very little salt, and enough boil- ing water is poured on to wet it all through. It is then covered with an old bag, or rug, and left to steep for an hour. Then add enough water (either cold or tepid, as required) to make a nice, large, warm, comfortable mash, rather thin, and see how greedily the cow will eat it, and how contented she will look afterwards. Now, the cow should be thoroughly cleaned with a card and a good brush, and not one speck of dirt or any stain left on her. Some people boast that they keep the cow's udder clean, and perhaps they do, but all the rest of the animal is left in a filthy condition. This dirt dries into the hair, and then the act of milking shakes it down, like dust, into the pail, rendering the milk unfit for human food. You may now, with a clear conscience, leave your cow to rest and digest her food, and if you have shaken up her bed and removed every- thing that is wet or soiled, you cannot help feeling pretty well satisfied, as you take a parting look at her ; especially is this the ease if it be mid -winter. You think of other unfortunate cattle, out in the barn-yard, or even in the field, knee deep in snow or mud, with a bitter wind whistling around their gaunt frames. You see them devouring part of the manure pile, or trying to drink from a frozen puddle, and a filthy 'one at that. You see the rough, shaggy coat, the arched back, the withered up udder and the general look of wretchedness, and you cannot help wish- ing that death would end the suffgrings of the poor brute. Then, with such a satisfied pleasure, you think of your own cow. After a comfortable night's rest in a warm and dry but airy stable, she has had her good hot breakfast and her feed of hay. Her large, beautiful udder has made it a pleasure to milk her, and the fine pail of rich milk has testified to a good'cow and a generous owner. As day advances, and the sun shines into your barn through large windows, you see your cow lying dowii, chewing her cud, her bedding abundant, dry and clean, her coat spotless, smooth and soft, her nose moist, her large, gentle eyes full and bright, and her whole looks full of placid content. 14 And you have tlie comfort of feeling that it is not a costly pleasure to see her so, for that your cow not only pays you b:ick every cent you lay out on her, but is putting a good profit into your pocket in hard cash every week of lier life. I have often thought that over every cow's stall should be written three lines : " A good man is merciful to his beast.'' " Cleanliness is next to Godliness." " IT PAYS, IT PAYS, IT PAYS." And write the last line in capital letters, for on it hang all the law and the doctrines in the farmer's mind. At noon your cow gets as much water as she likes to drink, and in very cold weather, if the chill be taken off it, and a handful of bran stirred in, it will be so much more money in your pocket. Then she gets her mash and a small feed of hay. In the evening she gets watered and fed, and is milked ; any dirt on her skin is removed, the stall cleaned out, fresh bedding added, and, with a good feed of sweet hay before her, she is left for the n^ht, and her owner may go to bed and sleep the sleep of the just. 15 CHAPTBE III. ONE year's yield OF A GRADE JERSEY. In my last chapter I gave a generous feed ration for a cow in flush of milk, said ration costing 33 cents per day. " Thirty-three cents a day to feed a cow," I hear some hard-fisted farmer e? claim ; " that ends the business. Only rich people can go in for lom-foolery like that, we poor farmers can't afford it." Neighbor farmers and friends, you can afford it, as I will prove to you. The money is not spent, sunk out- of sight; it is only invested, put out at interest, and it speedily comes back to you, doubled. This book is not written for rich people, who can afford to overfeed, or to underfeed, a cow, and never ask or care whether their fancy farm pnys. It is written for people who, like you and me, have got to make it pay, or else give it up. Jt is the poor man who can't afford to keep a poor cow. Arid it is the poor Kiln, above all others, who can't afford to be slip- shod in this matter, but who has got to know exactly just what every cow on his plnce consumes, and what it costs. Also,, just what every cow produces and what it sells for. Then the profit or loss is at once apparent. The profits can be steadily increased to their utmost limit, and the losses promptly and effectually stopped, showing a satisfactory balance sheet at the end of the year. But in order to do this an account must be kept. You don't want a gilt-edged note- book, nor an intricate system of bookkeeping, nor much extra labor, after a long hard day's work. But you do want to know what you are doing, and how you stand. What on earth is the good of slaving and toiling, from daylight to dark, if you don't make anything by it? And how can you stop a leak if you don't know where it is ? 16 Of course every farmer will tell you that he has a " sort of" idea, he " kinder keeps the run of it ;" but that won't do. It reminds me of a story I read not long ago : A newly married couple started housekeeping, and the husband urged the wife to keep an account. She gladly consented, and he gave her a little book, telling her to put down on one side what cash she received, and on the opposite page to enter what she spent. Long afterwards he asked her how the book balanced, and she promptly replied that " it balanced exactly " Somewhat surprised, as the little wife was neither experienced nor accurate in money matters, he asked to see the book. On one side, under the correct date, appeared this entry : '' Rec'd. from Larry— $500." On the opposite side was simply one entry, in good big letters, " Spent it all I " Now, we can't afford to balance our books in that way. On one side we must enter every cent received from our cows, in any way, and must also put down, as closely as we can estimate it, all milk, cream and butter consumed in the family, and put it at market prices. On the other side appears every bit of feed consumed, whether pur- chased or raL-^ed on the place. And, just here, let me caution you against one error. You will often hear a farmer say, wlien accused of keep^g a poor cow that doesn't pay for her keep, " Oh well, she don't cost me much, to keep ; we grow all the stuff ourselves." My friends, that is one of tlie biggest mistakes we make. It is not the question, " What did it cost us to grow this load of hay ? " but " What cash price can 1 get for this hay in the market f " And whatever is its market value (less the cost of drawing it there), that is the value of the hay you are feeding to your cow, that is what it costs to keep her. Now, figure on that basis, and see if she pays. Sometimes she does, and sometimes she does not, but it is mostly not. What are the reasons ? Poor cows, poor keep, poor butter. I have endeavored to meet the first difficulty, by showing the impor - tance of choosing a really good cow. 17 And in this book I shall try to prove to you the economy and wisdom of feeding her well, and shiiU try to prove that it pays. I cannot do better than to give the actual figures, taken from my own books. A splendid cow was put in my stable, just fresh in milk, the 1st of October. She was in grand condition, and had always been well fed and cared for. Consequently she was able to go on to a splendid piece of after-grass, and to take a goodly ration of grain as well. Now, in making out my estimate, I am leaving out fractions as being easier for me to write and for others to follow me, and yet sufficiently accurate for all practical purposes. During October I fed my cow besides grass : 5 lbs. ground oats per day ", 5 cts. 4 lbs. " corn " 5 cts. 4 lbs. " peas " 5 cts. Total 15 cts. per day. She needed no hay, as the grass was so good. During November, December and January I fed lier daily : 7 lbs. ground oats 7 cts. ' Slbs.toan 5 cts. 4 lbs. ground corn 5 cts. 4 lbs. ground peas , 5 cts. 16 lbs. hay Sets. Total .SO cts. a day. During February, March and April, I fed her : 4 lbs. ground oats 4 cts. 2 lbs. " corn 2J cts. 2 lbs. " peas 2| cts. 4 lbs. bran 2| cts. 16 lbs. hay , 8 cts. Total 19J cts. per day. During May and June she was on grass, requiring no hay, but she had daily : 2 lbs. ground corn 2^ cts- 2 lbs. " peas 2j cts. Total 5 cts. per day. As she was now only three months from calving, all grain was taken from her, but as grass was good, and the cow in splendid order, she gave a good yield of milk and butter (as will be seen in next table) through July and half of August, when she was just dry, and had six weeks' rest, and then calved again. 18 It need hardly be said that the butter from this cow was exception- ally fine. During seven months, from 1st October to end of April, I sold it for 30 cents a pound, and the rest of the time for 25 cents. (This was before I kept registered Jerseys.) Now, we can soon see how my cow and I stood at the end of the year, by referring to the annexed table, giving her monthly yield and eost of her keep : Cost of keep in addition to Pasture. BMti lbs Price. October $4.50 60 at 30 cts. |18.00 November 9.00 60 " 15.00 December 9.00 40 " 12.00 January 9.00 40 " 12.00 February 6.00 32 " 9.60 March 6.00 32 " 9.60 April 6.00 30 " 9.00 May 1.50 30at25cts. 7.50 June 1.50 30 " 7.50 July 20 " 5.00 August 8 " 2.00 September .. .... $52.50 372 lbs. $107.20 Pasture 5.00 57.50 $57.50 Profit $49.70 I considered this a good showing, but I assure you it was not my first attempt at dairying, I had worked up to it by degrees, acquiring experience as T went. And I could have made no such record with a poor cow, but I will speak of this point in my next cliapter. 19 CHAPTEB IV. WHAT IS THE BEST BUTTER BEEBD ? I think I hear many of my readers ask this question, and I will answer it as honestly as I can. I experimented for years with many different breeds, having no prejudice in any way, either for or against any of them, except in one case. Hailing, as I do, " frae the land o' caikes," or, as I like better to put it, from " the Land o' the Leal," I must confess to a life-long fond- ness for a good Ayrshire cow. Their beauty and docility, their great yield of milk, and their hardy constitutions place them almost the first on the list of dairy cattle, in my opinion. * With all my heart, I wish I could write them first, but it would be false to my convictions. They are a truly magnificent breed, but there is one cow in the world that I think is still better in the dairy, and that is the little Channel Island cow, be slie Jersey, Guernsey, or Alderney. They are all, vir- tually, the same breed, raised under the same rules and restrictions} and by reason not only of their marvellous yield of butter, but from the wonderful quality of that butter, the Jersey cow stands to-day in the proud position of queen of the dairy. If I didn't keep Jerseys I would keep Ayrshires, but I have gotto confess that the Jerseys are ahead, for one situated as I am. I don't mean to detract one bit from the merits of my favorites, the Ayrshires, — no, indeed, "It's not that I love Jemima less, but I love doughnuts more," and now I will give my reasons for it : I faithfully tried Ayrshires, Shorthorns (of good milking strains), native cows, and different grades, and, while attaining good results, I found there was still much to be desired, a good deal in quantity, but more, very much more, in quality. And so, after many years' labor and testing, I at last got a grade Jersey, which is the cow referred to in my last chapter, and every one, 20 I think, will admit that the butter yield is grand, especially in view of the food coDSuoied. But she had a large share of Ayrshire blood in her, besides being haU' Jersey. I plainly state, that for every one who makes butter, I think the Channel Island cattle the most paying, not only on account of quantity, but much more on account of quality, which is, certainly, superlative. But everyone must be their own judge in this matter. Now, as to my preference for Jerseys, I will give a few reasons, so that the public may know why I like them. Some people object, that tbe Jersey gives so little milk as compared with other cows. This is entirely different from my experience. Not only does a good Jersey give a fine mess of milk, when fresh, but she holds to it tlirough- out the year in a way totally unknown to other breeds, and some Jerseys never go dry for years. It is i\x\s persistent milking of such rich milk, and this lar^e and eontinuous yie#i of butter of most exquisite quality, that renders the Jersey, par excellence, the family cow. Perhaps I can better con- vince my readers by giving a few figures. The grade cow referred to in the previous chapter was not only tested for butter, but every milking was weighed, all through the year, and she gave exactly 7,756 lbs. of milk in eleven months. This sold at the usual average price would bring in $200 a year, less the cost of keeping the cow. Being so pleased with grades, I resolved to purchase some pure Jerseys, which I did, seventeen years ago, and every succeeding year since then has only confirmed and strengthened my opinion, that the Jersey, for both milk and butter, is the most profitable cow in all the world. A two-year old heifer, well cared for with me, will make more butter than those of same age of any breed I ever knew. For instance, here aie some tests in my herd : Orange Delia, 2 years, 9J lbs. par week ; Miss Daisy Delle, 2 years, 10^ lbs. per week; Cliarlotte Hertedy, 2 years, 8^ lbs. per week; Topsey of Malone, 2 years, 14^ lbs. per week ; Bessie of Malone, 21 monthi', 10^ lbs. per week; Jetsam's May, first prize 3-year old at Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, also sweepstakes, as best of any age, 21 at Montreal, and in my first prize herd at the Montreal Exhibition last September, made me, the year before, at only 2 years old, 14 lbs. 5 oz. a week, thus pretty well endorsing the judge's opinion; Belle Temple 2ad, 2 years, 14 lbs. a week ; Charming of St Lambert, 2 years, 15J lbs. a week; Lilium Excelsium 2nd, 2 ye:irs, 10^ lbs. a week. These are only a very few of tlic two-year-old tests I have made, and most of these heifers, after milking for nine months, were still making 1 lb. per day of splendid butter. In older cows a few of the tests are : Eugenie 2nd, 14 lbs. a week ; Imported Mulberry, 14^ lbs. a week ; Brown Mulberry, 14 lbs. a week ; Silver Delle, 17^ lbs. a week ; Belle Stenben, 17 lbs. a week; Lilium Excelsium, 17^ lbs. a week; Princess Clothilde, 17J lbs. a week ; Sibyl's Lass, 14 lbs. a week ; Rioter's Queen, 17J lbs. a week; Lisgar's Ella, 17J^lbs. a week; Diana of St. Lambert, 16 Ibn, a week ; Bertha Black (at rate of), 23 lbs. 10 oz. a week ; Maggie Rex (at rate of), 21 lbs. 7 oz. ,i week; Miss S:itanella, 20 lbs. 6 oz. a week on second calf only. Now, these are all sworn tests, made either under my direct super- vision, or made entirely by myself, in person, and they are only a very few of those I could report. Is it any wonder, thoo, that I should prefer the Jersey cow ? I don't say that no other breed will make the same quantity of butter on same quantity of feed. But I do say, that I never could get them to do it, or nearly to do it, and I think I understand the matter pretty well. In conclusion, it has been urged that Jerseys are delicate and soon wear out. I can offer no better refutation than to submit the test of my grand old cow, Massena, after she had entered her sixteenth year, and then leave farmers to draw their own conclusions. In her sixteenth year Massena has yielded, in six months only, 5413^ pounds milk, from which has been actually churned 416 lbs. 10 oz. spkndid butter. 22 \sn. March March March March March March March March March March March March March March March March March March March March March March March March March March April April April April April April April April April April April April April April April April April April April April April April April Milk. Butter. lbs. lbs. oz. 6.. 28 7. .30 8..30J 9. .31 10..31J 11..30J 12. .30 13.. 32 J 14. .32 15.. 33 16.. 33 17..33J 18.. 34 19..33J 20.. :m 21..32J 22. .33 23.. 32 J 24..31J 25..33| 26.. 34 27.. 33 28.. 33 29.. 33 30.. 32 J 31..26J 1..33 2. .31 3.. 30 J 4. .32 5..32J 6..32i 7. .31 8. .31 9. .31 10.. 29* 11. .29 12..27J 13. .28 14.. 29 15..29J 16. .30 17. .29 18. .29 19..29J 20;.29J 21.. 30 22.. 29 23.. 28 24.. 23 J 3 8 3 9 3 11 4 4 4 9 4 11 5 2 5 5 6 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 2J 1 h 2 4 11 4 15 4 14 4 16 4 15 4 15 4 12 4 8 1891. April April April April April April May May May May May May May May May May May May May May May May May May May May May May May May May June June June June June June June June June June June June June Milk. Butteb. lbs. lbs. oz. 25. .22 26. .20 27. .22 28. .26 29.. 26 J 3D.. 26 J 1..26 2..26i 3..26i 4..25J 5..28i 6..29J 7.. 29} 8.. 30} 9.. 31 10.. 30} 11.. 30} 12.. 30} 13... 30} 14.. 30} 15.. 30} 16. .30 17. .30} 18.. 30} 19.. 30} 20.. 30} 21.. 29} 22.. 29} 23.. 30} 24.. 30 25.. 30 26.. 30 27. .30 28. .31 29.. 30} 30.. 30} 31.. 30} 1...30 2. .29 3. .30 4. .30 6.. 30 6.. 30 7.. 30} 8.. 29} 9. .30 10. .30 11... 30 12.. 29} 13. .30 4 2} 4 3 4 n 4 8 4 7 4 8} 4 9* 4 8} 4 7 4 7 4 6} 4 8 4 7} 4 8} 4 11 4 10 4 8} 4 9J 4 7} 4 8} 4 n 4 bh 4 8 23 1891. Milk. Butter. Ibe. lbs. oz. June 14.. 30 . ^, June 15..29J * ^^ June 16.. .SO ■ Qi June 17.. 30 * ^^ June 18.. 30 , „, June 19.. .BO * **J June 20.. 30 , „, June 21..28J * ''^ June 22.. 30 , ,, June 23..29J * ^* June 24.. 29 . ., June 25.. 29 * *>« June 26..28i . „ June 27.. 29 * ' June 28.. 291 . „ June 29..28J ^ ^ June 30.. 291 . „ July 1..28| * ^ July 2..29J . „, July 3..28| * «* July 4.. 29 , iy, July 5.. 28 J ^ ^2 July 6.. 29 . a July 7..29J * ° July 8.. 30 . „ July 9..30J * ** July 10.. 291 , ,1 July 11.. 29 * ^* July 12.. 30 .. ,, July 13..29J * ^ July 14.. 291 , ,,, July 15..29J ^ ^5 July 16.. 29 . „, July 17.. 32 * *>* July 18..28J , ,, July 19.. 29 ^ ^^ July 20.. 29 , o July 21.. 29 * ** July 22.. 30 . » July 23.. 29 * ' July 24.. 28 . ci July 25..27J * ^^ For 6 consecutive months Massena thus averaged over 29 lbs. of milk a day, and for 6 consecutive months she has averaged 16 lbs. of "butter every week. If any cow but a Jersey will do this, I have never seen it. But this is why I keep Jarseys. 1891. Milk. Butter. lbs. lbs. oz. July 26.. 28 . ,, 27.. 27 * ^i July July 28.. 28 . (., 29.. 28 ^ ^^ July July 30. .28 , » 31..28J * ' July Aug. Aug. 1..30 , . 2. .29 * ^ Aug. Aug. 3. .30 , „, 4..28J * ^^ Aug. 5. .29 4 ^ Aug. 6..28J * ' Aug. 7. .29 ^ g Aug. 8. .29 * ^ Aug. ll'.ili * ^i Aug. Aug. 12..27J * '* Aug. Aug. 13..28J 4 61 14. .27 * *** Aug. Aug. 15..27J . „, 16.. 28 * «^ Aug. Aug. 17. .28 4 ^ Aug. 18..28J * ' Aug. Aug. 19. .28 , „ 20. .29 * ^ Aug. 21..27J 4 5, 22..28J * "^ Aug. Aug. 23..27J 4 g Aug. 24.. 28 * '^ Aug. 25.. 28 . „, 26.. 28 ^ ^^ Aug. Aug. 27.. 28 . ,, 28..27J * ^^ Aug. Aug. 29. .28 , K 30. .28 ' " Aug. Aug. 31..27J 4 7 1..27J * ^ Sept. Sept. 3::28 4 4J Sept. Sept. 4..27J 4 4 Sept. 5..27J * * Total lbs. Milk. 5413J 416 10 24 The next month her yield was estimated only, as she was away at the Fairs. We took the average yield of August, the month before she went away, and of October, the month after she returned, to arrive at her yield when away. On this basis her whole year's record was as follows : Milk. Bdtter lbs. lbs. oz. March fth to Sept. 6th, inclusive, just 6 mos., the cow actually yielded .5,413^416 10 Sept. 7th to Oct. 6th, estimated 751J 61 4i Oct. 7th to Nov. 6th, actual 629 54 8 Nov. 7th to Dec. 6th, actual 590J 51 15 Dec. 7tb to Jan. 6th, actual 505J 43 IJ Jan. 7tli to Feb. 6th, actual 3.33 21 4 Feb. 7th to 15th, 9 days, actual 67J 5 5 Total for 11 mos. and 9 days 8,290J 654 J From February 15th her milk was thrown out, till the morning of the 28th, when she dropped a fine heifer calf sired by her own son, Massena's Son, that had such a glorious success at our exhibitions last fall. To return to Massena's test. It was made during her sixteenth year ; she had_. dropped two mature calves inside of a year. She had traveled over 1,100 miles by rail, within the year, and stood three weeks on Fair grounds. She had been in no way forced, as being far too valuable; for nearly two months before calving she had no grain whatever. During the[nineteen weeks previous to calving she averaged over 9J lbs. butter a week, and for the whole periodi, until the last seven weeks (when she was only eating thin bran) it tookibut ll|^lbs. of her milk to make 1 lb. of butter. What cow of her age can beat the record ? 25 CHAPTER V. OHOOSE THE BREED WHICH TOU ARE SURE SUITS TOUR WANTS BEST. — IMPROVING OUR DAIRY STANDING. Do not, however, think that I am blind to the merits of any cow but a Jersey. Far from it. "A GOOD COW ^'S^ A GOOD COW, ALL THE WORLDOVERBESHEWHATBREEDSHEMAY" It is not the object of this book to advertise my Jerseys, I have no need and no wish to do so in this way ; it is better done in the proper channel. My sole aim in writing this is to induce people to select and to keep only the veri/ best cattle of their kinds ; to show them (as far as I know myself) how to make more butter and far better butter thai» ever before, and also how to market it to bfctter advantage, so as to net them more money ; to awaken Canadian farmers to the fact that they are not keeping up with the procession, and to show them that every year thousands of dollars which ought to go into their own pockets are pnid out by England to Irish and Danish dairymen. We don't make half enough butter, in view of the number of cows in the Dominion, and what we rfo make is not nearly as good as it ought to be. And there is no excuse for this state of affairs. There is more thoroughbred stock in the country than ever before, and at lower prices. The economy and advantages of the silo are now so well understood, that farms can carry at least one-third more stock, and at less expense. If, with all these advantages, Canadians cannot put the dairy product of their country on the footing that really belongs to it, they have no one but themselves to blame. To return to the sort of cattle kept. It is folly to exalt one breed at the expense of another, and to deny the good qualities which they undoubtedly possess. 3 26 People so narrow-minded will never make much progress, either in dairying or in anything else, and even their favorite breed will soon deteriorate in their hands, because they are not open to oooviction, they refuse to compare notes with their neighboBS, and they won't keep up with the times. They are like the egotist who said that there were only two kinds of dog in the world, the dogs that he owned himself and the curs that every one else owned ! Do not be so prejudiced, but recognize merit wherever you see it, and give it its due. It is my honest conviction that the Jersey is the best paying cow in the world, and that she will make far more and better butter than any other on the same amount of feed, or less. If I did not think this, why should I keep them ? However, I want no one to pin their faith to mine. Look about you, make tests and experiments, and then bring com- mon sense to bear on the matter. Only, let me warn you about one thing, carry your experiments far enough to be perfectly sure of your ground, otherwise you may be greatly misled. " One swallow doesn't make a summer," neither does one experiment prove a thing. In fact, the second experiment often contradicts the first. Why is this, you ask ? Because experiments are so largely affected by circumstances, some of which we know nothing about, and others that we know all about but cannot control. A great many experiments, however, will soon determine a point beyond a shadow of doubt. I wiU now give you this advice : Having carefully determined which is the best breed of cattle for you, and which will best suit your surroundings and best pay for their keep, then get the veri/ best specimens of that breed that you can pos- sibly procure. Don't waste your money, but don't haggle about the price of a really first-class animal. One dollar saved by purchasing an inferior animal is generally one hundred dollars lost before the year is out. 2T If you can start with a small but choice herd of thoroughbreds you are fortunate, and are on the high road to success. If you can only buy two, buy a pair, the very best you can get, and your thoroughbreds will gradually increase, while the rest of your herd will be graded up by degrees till your pleasure and your profit will surprise you. If you can only buy one animal, let it be a thoroughbred male, and then you will soon be able to afford a choice female of the same sort, and will have made a good beginning. 28 CHAPTER VI. MILKING AND SKIMMING. — SETTING MILK. — SHALLOW PANS.— CEEAMERS. — SEPARATORS. Having got the very best cow possible, and fed her in the best man- ner, the next step is to make the finest quality of butter, and theo to market it in the must advantageous manner' I have often been asked how I made such good butter, and my answer is, 1 don't go too much by any given rule. It is not possible to have full control over atmosphere and other sur- roundings, therefore we must bring judgment and common sense to bear upon the matter. On a bench in the barn should be placed large tin cans, with covers, one of them having a large round tin shaped like a steamer fitted to the top, ;ind then the cover placed on that. Of course the bottom of this is a wire strainer. Milking is done as quickly and quietly us po-sible, care being talfcn to do it thoroughly and in a most cleanly manner. Such a tiling as wetting the hands or the teats of the cows is never permitted ; it is a filthy h:ibit, iind is most unntcessary. Each cow's milk is strained into the can immediately, and covered at once, and as quickly as one can is filled it is taken to the dairy, and there strained again. In some places shallow setting is still practised, in which case the pans should be set in a cool dairy, or in a cellar that is used for nothing but milk. Keep this place as pure and sweet as possible ; in hot weather, keep the windows open at night and closed during the day, and have wire screens over them constantly. Now, some people will tell you to skim at the end of 24 or 36 hours, or to skim regularly, night and morning. Do nothing of the kind if you want to work to the best advan- tage, but skim exactly when the milk is fit. I know it is a little hard to go to your dairy, prepared to skim the milk and get the pans washed up and out of the way, and find the milk not ready for skimming, but it can't be helped. Leave it alone, and go back at noon, when it will probably be ready. 29 The best time to skim shallow pans is when the milk is just begin- ning to lopper or thicken in the bottom of' the pan — has just com- menced to sour. A little experience will soon teach when this is the case. Then, with a spoon, loosen it all round t !ie edge (never, never do this with your finger, as is the disgusting habit of some people), set the pan on the edge of your deep cream can, tip it a little, and the whole thick sheet of cream, guided a little with your spoon, will slip ofif, quiek and clean, t;iking hardly any milk with it. This is by far the best and quickest way of skimming shallow pans, and time is money in a large dairy. Never skim two milkings at the same time. If one is ready to skim the other is not, or else one is too ripe. In deep settinir, things are different. With plenty of ice, the cream is supposed to be all up in 12 hours in any of the good creamers now in use, and no doubt it generally is. As the milk, by this method, is almost entirely protected from atmospheric influences, and is held at a steady temperature, the process is much more uniform, and it is possible to have regular hours for drawing off the cream, without any fear of mis- take or loss. This is worth knowing. I cannot imagine any one who has a bit of feeling for the females of his household doing without a creamer, for the labor it saves is truly surprising, and, to put it on no higher grounds, it is generally cheaper to take care of one's wife than it is to hury her. And, besides, it is money in the farmer's own pocket, for more butter and very much better butter can be made from a creamer than from shallow setting. I confess to a love of the old way — the rows of shining pans in the cool, quiet dairj', the rich hue of the golden cream, and most decidedly to the thick cream that will hardly pour out on my porridge or my strawberries, cream tbat can be got in no other way than by shallow setting, and I have made just as much and just as good butter from shallow settin^e or bruise in the pail, making an uneven surface. I was in despair. I knew I spent more time and trouble upon my tins than most people, and yet I was ashamed to have them scea. At last I unburdened my mind to a dear old lady, and how she did laugh at me, to be sure ! " Why, child," she said, "you have coolced the milk on to the sides of your tins by pouring in boiling water, and you will find it harder to get off than the bark off a tree." And it certainly was. But I did get it off at last, and then was most careful to do as my friend told me — only to use lukewarm suds, at first, till all milk and butter were thoroughly removed from pans, pails, churn and but- ter-worker, etc. ; then to rinse ia clean warm water, and then to bring on my cherished tea-kettle, and scald all I wanted to, and the more the better. Since then I have had no trouble when doing it myself, but the difficulty is to get hired girls into the right way and to keep them there. I remember one that I had who wanted two dozen more kitchen towels. I thought I had a large enough supply, till I found that she was faithfully washing and drying every pan and pail u^ed in our large dairy, as though th^ were so many cups and saucers. • 5 m She was quite surprised when I told her that tins would dry th&n- selves if scalded with water that was actually boiling. I showed her my method when I had 30 or 40 shallow pans to scald. After they were well cleaned, I turned one upside down on the platform of sink, and scalded the bottom, and then turned it up again, and put about two quarts boiling water in it, and ihen put another pan inside that, and two quarts water in it, and so on, till I had a pile as high as convenient. As each pan settled down with weight of the others above it, the water rose and flowed over the edges of the under ones, so every part of every pan got well scalded, and the whole pile was smoking and steaming. The top one I filled to overflowing, and then, alter a few minutes, I took them all down, and laid them in rows on the benches. Some people just put them in piles, but I never do this, as theyjon't dry, but just sweat, and get cold and clammy. I turn the first pan upside down on the bencli, taking care to let it project over the end a little, so the air can get inside. Then lean the next pan on it, resting partly on the first pan and partly on the bench, so it is on a slant, and then another and another, till all are done. In this way they dry at once, and are thoroughly aired, and as sweet and clean as new tins. Nor do I ever turn a pail or can upside down, so the air cannot enter, or cover a churn or any similar vessel. Abundance of scalding hot water and then lots of air and sunsliine, will tell the tale in the butter beyond mistake. Of course, looocZew tilings must not be left out in the sun too much till they warp and crack j a little care will prevent this. Butter will stick like tar to woodenware that is not properly taken care of, and I know of few things more annoying, There is no remedy but to begin again. Thoroughly wash your priatj or butter-worker, or whatever it is, being careful to get every particle of grease away. 1\ini thoroughly &(ia.\dt., using plenty of water, and rub well with salt. Next, plunge into cold water and leave to soak for a while, and you will find all go well. If you have a print not in frequent use, it is a good plan to wash and scald it every few days, just as though you were going to use it. This will keep the wood from cracking and leave the print in nice order. The churn, and everything in and about the Dairy should be cleansed at once after they are used. 59 It is nearly impossible to get things sweet and clean if they are left for hours, or perhaps all night, with sour cream or buttermilk or melting butter on them, to be absorbed by the wood, so it will never seem the same again. The floor should be often and well washed, for milk, so sweet and wholesome when fresh, soon becomes one of the foulest things in crea- tion, so quickly does it decompose. I once went to a picnic when I was young, and took a stone jar of milk just drawn from the cow, corking the jar tightly. We were delayed in reaching the island, and did not have tea till eight o'clock, but, on uncorking my jar of milk the odor was so strong .that I threw it all away. Fortunately, some one ehe had broaght milk, so mine was not missed, but it taught me a lesson. To many of my readers this is only the old, old story, but there arc sJways beginners who are glad of such hints. I know that in my young days I would have been pleased indeed to have had instruction from some one who really knew how — who had qLGtually done the work themselves. But nearly everything I know has been learnt by hard experience, and often by repeated and discouraging failures. There are no truer words than those written by Marion Harland, in her Cookery Book. She says the most important thing is " to learn how not to do it." And in no place is that more true than in the Dairy. 60 CHAPTER XV. HOW I KEEP MT CATTLE. I keep them under such diflSculties as I hope few people have to . contend with. We own our house, with a few acres of land, just barely outside the limits of a very large and thriving towp. Our own land is poor enough, but that around us is still worse,, being sometimes' underlaid with rock for whole acres together, and all of it badly run down. Not wishing to part with our home, we had just to do the best we could, and have rented two small farms, in rear of us, of 45 and 65 acres respectively. Not only have we to go nearly half a mile to get to these farms, but we have also to cross the railway track to do so, and what with poor 'and and poor fences, or rather no fences at all, it is uphill work. The walk is too far for both the cows and the men who drive them, nor is it possible for me to be out tbere as much as I ought. Were the lapd under my own eye, things would do better, but with conflicting duties and heavy household cares, I have just got to get along as best I can. The cattle barns, however, are on our own place, just adjoining the horse stable, so that everything about them is under my own supervision. We have a very large barn or stable, capable of holding 30 milking cows, and having two roomy loose boxes. The cows stand facing each other, and have a 6-foot alloy between their heads, this alley being of cement. Each cow has a stall to herself, so there is no crowding or fighting. In rear of each row of cows is the gutter, and behind that again a board walk about 3 feet wide. Just in the middle of the stable a broad cement passage luns across, intersecting the rows of cows, so there are, really, four rows of stalls. Theye are large doors at the end of this cross alley, where the cows' 61 come in and turn to right or left, as the case may be, each cow know ing her own place. After trying many fastenings, and finding most of them good, but needing a deal of bedding, and then not keeping the cows clean with- out more labor than I could afibrd, 1 adopted one of the new stan- chions which are not statipnary, but give great liberty. These I put in last fall, and the longer I have them the more I like them. I have never seen anything-that gives as much freedom and comfort to the animals consistent with cleanliness, and have pleasure in cordially recommending them. In the cross alley is the bench for setting the milk pails on. To me it has always seemed a disgusting practice to set the milk pails on the floor behind the cows, and I have never allowed it. Beside the bench is a high but small desk, the lid of which lifts up and here the foreman can write and keep his papers. Under the desk is a small cupboard where many useful things are kept, a jar of linseed oil, a bottle of castor oil, one of laudanum, one of aromatic ammonia, one of turpentine, and one of carbolic oil. Some ginger and some epsom salts complete the list of simpb remedies kept on hand, and with them and that blessed " ounce of prevention " that means so much, the herd is kept in splendid health. In one end of this barn are the root house and the silo. Above the root house is the feed room, reached by a short flight of steps, and furnished with great bins ; and back of this is the engine room, with a good steam engine. At one time we kept the engine running all winter to cut and steam feed, pulp roots, grind oats, etc., but for many reasons I discontinued this, and we now use the engine only in fall to cut the corn for the silo. Another barn is used for the bulls, of which we keep three, each in a large,, loose box. There is also a place for two yearling bulls (when we have them), and all the south side of the building is divided into little calf pens. , I find this a much better arrangement for the little creatures than being in the cow barn, as it is more easily kept at an even tempera- ture. In the huge barn when the doors are opened and thirty cows let out, to drink or exercise, the temperature falls so much as to chill young calves, besides which the cows are quieter and more content when the little ones are etitirely away from them, 62 In a third and smaller bnrn there is room for 6 or 7 cows or heifers besides two more loose boxes. Everything is of the very plainest description. I have nothing that the poorest farmer cannot have, unless it be the steam engine, and many of them have got that. Also, the gas tliat lights the large barn and engine room. We make this ourselves to light the house, and as a matter of safety and conve- nieuce had it put in the barn. These buildings form three sides of a yard, that has a good well in the centre and a long water trough. Adjoining the yard are two or three paddocks, where calves can be kept, also cows that are near calving. In winter the stalls are cleaned out at 5 a.m., and cows brushed off, and each one receives a feed of ensilage with the proper quantity of meal and bran mixed with it, according to the milk they are giv- ing. They are tliea milked, each gets an armful of hay, and the hands go to breakfast. Next, all animals are well carded and cleaned, all manure wheeled out of the stable, and cilf pen.s and loose boxes thoroughly cleaned out. Towards noon cattle are let out to water. If it be mild and fine, ihey remain out from one to three hours, according to the weather, but never till they get chilled. On returning to the stable each animal finds a feed of sliced roots in the box with a handful of meal or bran sprinkled on. At four o'clock they arc all offered water in pails, then they receive their second feed of ensilage and meal. At five p.m. milking begins, after which each cow receives a liberal feed of hay and fresh bedding, and is then left for the night. In summer, cows are milked at same time in morning, and cleaned. Each milking animal receives a quart of bran and of ground oats, as the pasture happens to be good or poor. If the graes is very poor, all receive a good allowance of green fodder^ either lucerne, green oat.", peas, or corn fodder. They are then driven to pasture, returning before five o'clock, when they get the same feed (if any be necessary), and, after milking, are taken back to the pasture for the night. , Salt is given them as they wish, and blows, kicks, or rough wor(fc are unknown to them. 63 A couple of grade Ayrshires are generally kept to feed the calves, their milk is not so rich, and calves seem to do better on it. Much of our land being in pasture, we do not grow all the feed we need, but buy largely. We generally have 15 to 1 8 acres of corn, which gives us green feed for summer, fills the silo, and leaves us quite an amount of dry corn fodder, stocked, which lasts till near Christmas. We also grow two to three thousand bushels of roots (mangels and carrots), 800 to 1000 bushels of oats, and potatoes enough for family use, besides 20 to 40 tons of hay. We have always a patch of lucerne and one of peas and oats to feed green. Fortunately, there is an 8 acre field adjoining our property which we rent, and here abide the lucerne patch and potato patch ; here also grow the roots, the sweet corn for the house, and all the green fodder used for summer, as well as some to dry. The men kept are : the foreman, who is a thorough proficient at his business, as the healthy condition of the herd, the honors won in show rings, and the excellent quality of the butter can testify. He assists with the milking, feeds the calves, strains and skims all the milk, makes and ships all the butter (thousands of pounds yearly), makes out the invoices, and keeps a set of books the duplicates of which are kept by me. He has, to assist him, an intelligent and industrious young man, who is a capital milker. On one of the small farms lives the farmer, who is busy on farm all summer, and has extra help in haying and harvest. In winter .the farmer helps to milk, night and morning. In the forenoon he helps grooming the cattle, and cleans out the barns ; and in the afternoon draws out manure, or goes for sawdust, of which we use a good deal for bedding. The number of cattle kept averages 54, and a pair of strong farm horses and a few pigs complete the list of farm animals. A great deal of cream is sold to confectioners who send to the Dairy for it, paying 35 cents a quart in summer and 40 cents in winter. People who take but a single quart pay 50 cents for it, and sometimes we cannot meet the demand. 64 CHAPTER XVI. FARM ACCOUNTS. — ODDS AND ENDS. — SOME MISTAKES, Of course it goes without saying that a strict account is kept of all money paid out, or taken in, on the farm. Everything is entered in the general Cash Book, and then all items are posted out into the Ledger, each under its appropriate heading. The two principal headings are, " Farm account " and " Stock account." In I'arm account, on one side appears all money spent for rent, wages, feed, extra help, seed, etc. ; on the other side, all cash received for sales of milk, cream, butter, or pork, also a. fair market value for whatever amount of these things has been consumed in the family. In the stock account, on one side, is entered every animal bought, under its own name and number ; the name and address of the person from whom it was bought, date, and price paid. On the other side is entered, in a similar manner, every animal sold, name and address of purchaser, and price paid. A farm book is also kept, giving date when each calf is dropped, also name of sire and of dam. A Dairy book is also kept, in which are the daily entries of milk, cream, or butter sold, to whom, and what price received. These are all that are really necessary to show how one stands at the end of each year, and they are all I have time for. One thing is very laborious, and that is the large correspondence about cattle. I tried keeping a catalogue of my herd, but 1000 went off in a short time, and, besides, so many changes take place in a herd, as animals grow up, are sold, or replaced by others, that it is difficult to keep a catalogue in shape. I have, however, extended pedigrees, printed, of my chief animals, go it is always easy" to send pedigree of sire and dam of a calf. And if yoiikeep thoroughbred stock, you must make up your mind to answer all business letters promptly, fully, and oheerfuUy, 65 It is a courtesy wkicli your customers have a right to expect, and which you would expect wore you buying valuable cattle from them. Aid, in descriMng an animal, be sure to representit exactly as it is. I know of few greater pleasures than to get a letter saying a customer IS perfectly and entirely satisfied, and finds the animal he has received to be even better than represented. If you have a worthless animal, send it to the butcher, without hesitation, it will be a saving in the end. Keep only the very best. With all your care and skill in breeding you will still find a difference in your herd. If you are fortunate enough to have no bad ones, you will still have good, better, and best ; therefore, in selling, state exactly what each animal is, and if purchase is made by a party who does not see the cattle, but who leaves it to you to choose for him, make it a point of honor to give him even better value for his money than if he were present. In looking back over the past few years, I am sometimes ashamed and sometimes amused at the mistakes I have made, especially in the beginning of my dairy experience. Working without a thermometer was one, and a very bad one it was. Overworking my butter was another. Still another was buying stock without seeing it, from an unreliable party. This only happened to me twice, but it will never happen again. One animal had been good, but her udder was completely destroyed by garget, and I sold her for less than a fourth of what I paid for her. Another had a long pedigree and a still longer price, but I sold her to a butcher for $22.50, and was well rid of her ! So I bought my experience dearly. In fact, there is hardly anything against which I have cautioned you that has not been a rook ahead of me at one time or another. Sometimes I saw the danger in time, and steered clear of it. But sometimes I didn't, and then the result was disastrous. In conclusion, / wish I could have written this little book without talking so much about myself, but it is in answer to hundreds of questions as to " how I do it," and so I can't help the egotism. Nor is that the only fault of my work— of this, I am painfully con- scious, but I can only ask my readers to lose sight of me (if I have .66 left them any chance to do so), to look at the actual facts in my book and not at the imperfect manner of telling them, and to work on steadily to that high standard towards which I am still struggling myself. THE END.