146 THE FAT OF THE LAND 



From March 22, when I began to sell, until 

 May 10, when my dairy-house was in working 

 order, I received $203 for cream. Thompson had 

 sold milk from the old cows, from August to 

 December, 1895, to the amount of $132. This 

 item should have been entered on the credit side 

 for the last year, but as it was not, we will 

 make a note of it here. These are the only 

 sales of milk and cream made from Four Oaks 

 since I bought the land. 



The milk supply from my herd started out 

 at a tremendous rate, considering the age of the 

 cows. It must be borne in mind that none of 

 the thoroughbreds was within three years of 

 her (probable) best ; yet they were doing nobly, 

 one going as high as fifty-two pounds of milk in 

 one day, and none falling below thirty-six as a 

 maximum. The common cows did nearly as 

 well at first, four of them giving a maximum of 

 thirty-two pounds each in twenty-four hours. 

 It was easy to see the difference between the 

 two sorts, however. The old ones had reached 

 maturity and were doing the best they could ; 

 the others were just beginning to manufacture 

 milk, and were building and regulating their 

 machinery for that purpose. The Holsteins, 

 though young, were much larger than the old 

 cows, and were enormous feeders. A third or a 

 half more food passed their great, coarse mouths 

 than their less aristocratic neighbors could be 

 coaxed to eat. Food, of course, 's the one 



