PROFITS OF THE BUSINESS. 83 



There are two elements of profit in the dairy business ; one is the 

 saving of a greater portion of the elements of fertility in the soil 

 than an}' other branch of farm industr}- that is carried on iu this 

 State. 1 believe it is a fact that there is no branch of stock hus- 

 bandry that is carried on in the State of Maine that takes away so 

 little of the elements from the soil as the dairy business. 



I intended to have figures from a number of different dairymen 

 in the State; 1 applied to a number, but for one reason and 

 another I have not been able to obtain what I expected to, and I 

 shall rely principally upon the results of my own experiments dur- 

 ing three different years, supplemented b}' a statement from one of 

 the prominent dairymen in tlie State who was expected to be here 

 to-day. The first experiment I shall give you is the last one I 

 made. 



Cost of keeping eighteen cows and heifers in the winter of 1887-8: 



10 lbs. hay per day for 240 days, 2400 lbs. at 810 per ton, §12 00 



"2 quarts shorts per da}', 480 quarts at § cents 



2 quarts cotton seed per day, 480 qts., at 2| cents 



2 quarts corn meal, 480 qts, at 2 cents 



Pasturing four months 



One-fifth of the cows are dry and eat no provender.. 



§89 05 

 This herd of cows and heifers averaged five quarts of milk per 

 day for the year, or 1825 quarts. The general average of milk at 

 the factories is 20 pounds, or eight quarts for one pound of butter. 

 My herd would make one pound from 7 quarts ; but call it 8, and 

 we have 225 lbs., which at the low price of 20 cents per pound, 

 would amount to $45. Allowing for shrinkage, from 1825 quarts 

 of milk we should have about 1600 quarts of skimmed milk, which 

 is worth half a cent per quart to feed to pigs, calves, colts, or any 

 animal you please. That would make $8, which added to the $45 

 would make $53 as the total income. Deducting the $39, cost of 

 keeping, and you have $14 as the net profit per cow. Or, reckon 

 it another wa}', and it gives you $22 per ton for your hay in the 

 barn. Or, reckon it still another way, and your butter costs you 

 13| cents per pound. 



Now bear in mind that this is from nothing but an ordinary herd 

 of eighteen cows and heifers, some in their first year at the pail. 



