290 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



desirable. For long distances mil'k should be shipped in re- 

 frigerator cars and all cans filled with milk should be sealed 

 and remain sealed until they reach the dealer. 



To surrmiarize the conditions necessary for the production 

 of clean milk : Be sure that the cows are healthy to begin with 

 and make their surroundings such that they will remain so. 

 Feed only clean, fresh foods that will not affect the health of 

 the animal or the flavor of the milk. Prevent the entrance of 

 bacteria into the milk as far as possible by keeping the cows 

 and their surroundings perfectly clean and sanitary. Cool the 

 milk quickly to prevent the development of bacteria which have 

 gotten into the milk in spite of the precautions 'taken. 



MY IDEA OF PROFITABLE DAIRYING. 

 By Earl Clement, Good Will High School, Hinckley. 



(Prize Essay.) 



Profitable dairying depends upon the man, the cow, the farm. 

 To be a successful dairyman one must first of all be a good 

 business man; he must be a good general, able to command 

 without friction; he must love a cow and know a good one 

 when he sees her. 



The cow must be bred for dairy purposes; she must be a glut- 

 ton for food and have the ability to place the greatest good 

 from it in her udder instead of on her back. She must not only 

 be a good producer of milk, but she must have the power to 

 transmit her own good qualities to her offspring. 



.'The farm should be located near a good market; its soil 

 sHiould not be too heavy and it will always be found more profit- 

 able to buy la run down faum than one that is in a high state of 

 cultivation ; on account of the price this will usually hold tru? 

 because then the dairyman will have a good market for his ma- 

 nures and he can plan the buildings to suit himself. 



MANAGEMENT. 



The Coiv. The cow should be pure bred because she not 

 only will be more apt to be a good producer, but her offspring 

 will be so much more valuable. She should belong to one of 

 the four dairy breeds. The breed selected will depend first 



