332 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



was a very difficult field in which to put any maker, as a co-operative 

 creamery had made a failure and a private individual had made a failure. 

 Nevertheless this young man went among the people with a pleasant smile 

 but with a strong determination to build up the business, and he suc- 

 ceeded beyond expectations, thus showing what the right man will do in 

 the right place. 



Afterwards this young man left to take charge of one of the largest 

 plants in Iowa at $1,200 per year. We did not think we could afford to 

 pay such high wages, so put on a cheaper man. The result has been dis- 

 astrous to our income as well as to the patrons of that creamery. Not 

 many months ago this same young man was offered $1,800 per year as 

 buttermaker, thus showing that the services of good men are usually 

 appreciated and rewarded accordingly. If you have a good maker, do not 

 wait for him to ask for a raise, as a $5.00 per month raise given unso- 

 licited will be more appreciated than a $10.00 raise demanded. The 

 creamery business today needs the best talent that can be secured. Col- 

 lege graduates should not hesitate to take up this line of work, as there 

 is certainly a bright future for highly skilled workmen who are adapted 

 for this business. 



CATTLE IN RUSSIA. 



Peter Jensen in Breeders' Gazette. 



Russian cattle are very much inferior to our beef breeds. The grain 

 fattening of beef is almost unknown. In summer the very nutritious 

 wild grasses of the steppes fatten beef rapidly and in winter the hay 

 made from these grasses alone makes tolerably good fat cattle. 



Meat is not eaten nearly as much or as often as in our own country 

 or in England; in fact the peasant rarely eats it, except on Sundays or 

 holidays, and then in limited quantities only. "Salo," a kind of dry 

 salted pork, is used for the flavoring of his daily soup or "Borshtsh." 

 On the large estate mutton is used mostly. The steaks you get even at 

 first-class hotels are not nearly as savory as those from our corn-fed beef. 



It seems surprising that Russia with her vast resources for grazing 

 and feeding should not supply all of western Europe with meats. One 

 adverse circumstance is the very slow and unsatisfactory railway trans- 

 portation. Although the Russian railways are owned and managed by 

 the government the officials treat the farmer and stockmen of the lower 

 classes very harshly and unless the usual "donation'' is forthcoming, will 

 often delay cattle in transit. I observed this while in Russia a year ago. 

 Several of the small cattle cars, each only containing eight head, were 

 standing on a side track. The cattle were evidently very hungry; they 

 were very gaunt and were bellowing most pitifully. I saw the owner 

 standing near the cars looking very crest-fallen and finally asked him in 

 Russian what the matter was. 



