FEEDING HAY. JQl 



mcnts that aro made upon their premises yearh', is a paying l)nsi- 

 ness. But tliis l)ranch of dairying can be engaged in by only a few 

 of the farmers compared with the whole number in the State. The 

 butter dairy in many sections can be made a specialty, and from the 

 present outlook of the dair3' business, co-operative butter making 

 presents certain conditions which call for a most thorough examination. 

 A large part of our State is adapted to dairying, and we think one 

 cannot find a farmer, or a community, that has adopted dairying as 

 a regular business, and pursued it with energy, but has made it 

 pay large i)rofits. It is with the dairy, as with all branches of busi- 

 ness, we must be read}- for all the new departures that arise. It is 

 only a few years since our June butter was wanted in September, 

 and the September in January*, but at the present time the market 

 demands a new butter that has a sweet, cream}-, delicious flavor. 

 This cannot be found in that which has been kept any length of 

 time, and i^o other l)utter at the present time will command the 

 highest market price. 



There are man}- farmers that say their cows don't pay their keep- 

 ing, and the on!}- reason why they keep them is for the sake of 

 having some milk and butter to use in their families. If the farmers 

 would look after their dairy with that interest, and give it the care 

 the mannfiicturers and merchants do who are successful in their 

 business, we should not hear so many of the farmers saying the 

 dairy can't be made to pay. The most skeptical would be surprised 

 at the income they would receive from their cows. To illustrate 

 wh}- so many complain that their dairies are not paying, can be done 

 by comparing the income of two small dairies in my neighljorhood. 

 During the summer of 1881, both put their milk into the same 

 cheese factory four months. One sells all of his best ha}-, and pre- 

 tends to keep ten cows. He says he keeps them to eat his poor hay 

 and straw, and he never feeds any grain to them, because " it won't 

 pay ; " and he claims it has not cost him over ten dollars apiece to 

 winter them. If we were to judge by their looks in the spring, we 

 should not dare to contradict him. The returns from his ten cows 

 for the year were : for milk delivered at the factory four months, 

 $185; calves sold, and butter made the rest of the year, $115; 

 making the total income $300, or thirt}' dollars per cow. The other 

 keeps four cows, docs not sell any hay, says it costs him §30 

 to winter each cow, and the meal and pasture amounts to S20 

 more, making the cost of keeping each cow through the year $50 ; 



