The Question Box. 63 



factories. When they do this, they can control the price; not 

 until then; because they will be able to hold back the surplus milk 

 and turn it into cheese and butter. But, Avhen the price of milk 

 is advanced to a point above its value for butter and cheese, the 

 farmers desert the factories and flee to the stations, whereupon 

 down goes the price for shippers' milk. At $1.24 per hundred 

 pounds for milk, the Cheddar cheese factories cannot afford to take 

 it. The Five States Milk Producers^ Association is trying to devise 

 some system by which milk producers can get a better price for 

 their milk, and not increase the price to the consumer, which ought 

 not to be done. 



A Farmer. — • Milk is worth at least $1.40 per hundred for mak- 

 ing Limburger cheese. 



Mr. Smith. — Possibly ; I do not know anvthino; about the local 

 Limburger market; but, for Cheddar cheese for export or home 

 market, milk is not worth now $1.24 per hundred pounds. In 

 some localities the sharping stations put up the price and then 

 close up the factories and creameries ; afterward they dropped the 

 price. 



Question. — Is it desirable to dishorn cattle ? It so, at what 

 season should it be done? 



Mr. Cook. — How many of you believe it is desirable to take 

 the horns off? 



A large majority favored the operation. 



Mr. Cook. — We take the horns off our cows before they drop 

 their first calf — doing the work in winter or before the 1st of 

 April ; using clippers instead of the saw. The secret is in getting 

 down close to the head. 



Dr. Smead. — Prejudice goes a long way. I was once greatly 

 prejudiced against dishorning, but have got over that. The pain 

 experienced by the cow is no greater than yours or mine when a 

 tooth is drawn, merely momentary. There is no pain in the hem- 

 orrhage which follows the operation. To stop the flow of blood 

 saturate a little cotton with tar and spread it over the stump of 

 the horn ; do not turn the animal out when the weather is cold, 

 until the wounds are nearly healed. 



Mr. Cook. — It will take about six weeks to heal the wounds. 



To Mr. Gould. — Would you advise the crossing of a Durham 

 cow with a Jersey sire? 



Answer. — 'No. Why should one do that? The two types are 

 too wide apart. 



