86 Thirty-Fifth Annual Report of the 



The average cow has barely saved her entrance and is worth 

 as much as her carcass. 



The fau' cozv has paid an annual profit of $20, and has made 

 it possible to get back an original investment of $60 more than 

 her carcass is worth. 



The good cow, earning an annual profit of $40, repays an 

 advance of $120 above her beef value. 



The choice cow, at $225. is still as profitable as the average 

 cow at nothing, provided their carcasses are of equal value. 



Pieterje II has refunded to the tune of over a thousand dol- 

 lars. 



It may be that we have set a rather high valuation upon the 

 product for this section. It will apply where the wholesale de- 

 mand for milk is strong ; but if we lower the value of the product, 

 we make it still more unprofitable to keep poor cows ; and still 

 more necessary to raise the average standard to live. 



Can the dairy farmer afiford to pay the higher prices for 

 the best cows? Apparently he will be just as w-^11 off to pay 

 $225 for a choice cow as to keep an average cow four years as 

 a gift ; but the market does not make so great distinction between 

 the different grades. To view the situation from another point 

 we may observe as follows : 



The poor cow costs $25 and we sink $30 every time we buy 

 her and keep her four years. 



The average cow costs $30, and if we can sell her even, we 

 have neither gained or lost. 



The fair cow costs $35 to $40 and leaves a small profit for 

 the investment even if we are obliged to sell her carcass for 

 very little. . 



The good cow costs $50 to $60 and returns a profit of $120, 

 besides interest and taxes in four years' time. \W have doubled 

 on our investment. 



The choice cow costs $75 to $100 and is by odds the most 

 profitable and satisfactory of them all. 



Pieterje II at $500 would return her purchaser a profit of 

 more than half a thousand. 



Is there any doubt about great difference in value of cows 

 for dairy purposes ? Is there any doubt that a cow returning an 

 annual profit of $75 for four years is worth a hundred dollars? 

 were it possible for the breeder and dairyman to secure the 

 hundred dollar grade every time, would not their profits be great- 

 ly enhanced? 



One great difficulty in obtaining such cows is the uncertainty 

 of the dairy qualities of cows on the market. They are not 

 graded like corn or wheat or cotton, or even like beef stock, but 

 vary very much and are sold according to the fancy of the buyer 



