DAIRY FARMING. 59 



of 1862, that "it is a very important branch of stock husbandry, 

 and well deserving greater attention at the hands of the farmers 

 of Maine than it has yet received." He further says in 1863. 

 that "the extensive introduction into this State of a branch of 

 industry so profitable as this is at the present time, and promises 

 to be in the future, appears to me to be a matter of so great 

 importance, that it is deemed a duty to submit some further re- 

 marks on the subject at the present time." "There can be no 

 doubt that it is at the present time profitable beyond any other 

 branch of stock husbandry." This was said when a pound of 

 wool vfas worth as much as two and one-half pounds of butter. 

 How much more emphatically the statement may be repeated 

 to-day, when we consider the fact that a pound of butter or two 

 pounds of cheese will buy a pound of wool ! 



I know there is a standing objection to the dairy, viz : that it 

 involves too much labor. I cannot admit the force of the objec- 

 tion. No branch of farming can be carried on without work, and 

 hard work too. Admitting the fact that the manufacture of butter 

 and cheese requires a large outlay of labor, it does not necessarily 

 follow that the woman who presides over it should be overworked, 

 especially when we take into consideration the profits of the busi- 

 ness. It then becomes a source of independence and leisure. As 

 it is now pursued, in a small way, in connection with other duties, 

 it becomes a seeming burden ; and all thoughts of increasing the 

 business is associated with an increase of the already overpower- 

 ing burden. The business is not large enough to pay for hiring, 

 so the diligent wife struggles on. But, in proportion as weincrease 

 it and make it a special business, the burden is lessened. I would 

 not increase woman's burdens unnecessarily, neither would I ex- 

 clude her from assisting in the maintenance of the family, and in 

 the accumulation of so much of wealth as is necessary to their 

 happiness. 



Believing the subject is worthy of attention, and hoping some 

 hints have been thrown out which may be the means of inducing 

 farmers to give the subject careful consideration, and that by these 

 considerations they will be induced to put in practice the recom- 

 mendations herein presented, I close this brief essay. 



