154 THE FAT OF THE LAND 



The expenditure for equipment, from separa- 

 tor to sheep, was $354. I made an arrangement 

 with a fancy grocer in the city to furnish him 

 thirty pounds, more or less, of fresh (unsalted) 

 butter, six days in the week, at thirty-three cents 

 a pound, I to pay express charges. I bought six 

 butter-carriers with ice compartments for $3.75 

 each, $23 in all, and arranged with the express 

 company to deliver my packages to the grocer 

 for thirty cents each. The butter netted me 

 thirty- two cents a pound that year, or about $60 

 a week. 



In July I bought four thoroughbred Holsteins, 

 four years old, in fresh milk, and in October, six 

 more, at an average price of $120 a head, $1200 

 in all. These reinforcements made it possible 

 for me to keep my contract with the middleman, 

 and often to exceed it. 



The dairy industry was now fairly launched 

 and in working order. It had cost, not to be 

 exact, $7000, and it was reasonably sure to bring 

 back to the farm about $60 a week in cash, be- 

 sides furnishing butter for the family and an 

 immense amount of skim-milk and butter-milk to 

 feed to the young animals on the place. 



