320 THE FAT OF THE LAND 



much raw material as the Holsteins, and turned 

 out rather less than two-thirds of their product, 

 while they occupied an equal amount of floor 

 space ; consequently they had to give place to 

 more competent machines. They were to be 

 sold during the season. 



Why dairymen can be found who will pay 

 $50 apiece for cows like those I had for sale 

 (better, indeed, than the average), is beyond my 

 method of reckoning values. Twice $50 will 

 buy a young cow bred for milk, and she would 

 prove both bread and milk to the purchaser in 

 most cases. The question of food should settle 

 itself for the dairyman as it does for the factory 

 farmer. The more food consumed, the better for 

 each, if the ratio of milk be the same. 



My Holsteins are great feeders ; more than 2 

 tons of grain, 21 tons of hay, and 4 or 5 tons of 

 corn fodder, in addition to a ton of roots or suc- 

 culent vegetables, pass through their great mouths 

 each year. The hay is nearly equally divided be- 

 tween timothy, oat hay, arid alfalfa ; and when I 

 began to figure the gross amount that would be 

 required for my 50 Holstein gourmands, I saw 

 that the widow's farm had been purchased none 

 too quickly. To provide 100 tons of grain, 125 tons 

 of hay, and 200 or 300 tons of corn fodder for the 

 cows alone, was no slight matter ; but I felt pre- 

 pared to furnish this amount of raw material to 

 be transmuted into golden butter. The Four 

 Oaks butter had made a good reputation, and 



