S86 MODERN FARRIER. 



price of the cow. Sir John Sinclair states the net 

 profit of a milk cow, in the neighbourhood of Edin- 

 burgh, at 23/. per. annum. Where the breeding 

 system is followed, the profits of the dairy, in butter, 

 cheese, and milk, are allowed to be very inconsider- 

 able, and cannot, on an average, be estimated at 

 more than about two guineas per cow annually, 

 when the calves are reared. But, including the 

 value of the calves themselves, when sold at the age 

 of one year, the net profit of each cow may be stated 

 at from 8/. to 10/. 



54. Milking. 



The operation of milking, as well as many other 

 operations in the dairy, require the most minute 

 and unremitthig attention. Hence, a small dairy is 

 usually more profitably managed than a large one ; 

 for the farmer's wife and daughters can more readily 

 superintend, or perhaps perform a great part of the 

 dairy operations themselves, when the farm is of a 

 moderate size, and this is always better done by 

 them, than we can ever expect it to be by hired ser- 

 vants. Sir John Sinclair justly remarks, that no 

 branch of husbandry requires such constant and un- 

 remitting attention. ' If,' says he, a few spoonfuls 

 of milk are left in the udder of the cow at milking ; 

 if any one of the implements used in the dairy be 

 allowed to be tainted by neglect ; if the dairy-house 

 be kept dirty or out of order ; if the milk is either 

 too hot or too cold at coagulating ; if too much or 

 too little rennet is put into the milk ; if the whey is 

 not speedily taken off; if too much or two little salt 

 is apphed ; if the butter is too slowly or ^oo hastily 

 churned, or if other minute attentions are neglected, 

 the milk will be in a great measure lost. If these 

 nice operations,' continues Sir John, ' occurred only 

 once a month,* or once a week, they might be easily 

 guarded against ; but as they require to be observed 



