THE MILK MACHINE 321 



the four oak leaves stamped on each mould was 

 a sufficient guarantee of excellence. My city 

 grocer urged a larger product, and I felt safe in 

 promising it; at the same time, I held him up 

 for a slight advance in price. Heretofore it had 

 netted me 32 cents a pound, but from January 1, 

 1898, I was to have 331 cents for each pound 

 delivered at the station at Exeter, I agreeing to 

 furnish at least 50 pounds a day, six days in a 

 week. 



This was not always easily done during the 

 first eight months of that year, and I will con- 

 fess to buying 640 pounds to eke out the supply 

 for the colony ; but after the young heifers came 

 in, there was no trouble, and the purchased 

 butter was more than made up to our local 

 grocer. 



It will be more satisfactory to deal with dairy 

 matters in lump sums from now on. The con- 

 tract with the city grocer still holds, and, though 

 he often urges me to increase my herd, I still 

 limit the supply to 300 pounds a week, some- 

 times a little more, but rarely less. I believe 

 that 38 to 44 cows in full flow of milk will 

 make the best balance in my factory ; and a 

 well-balanced factory is what I am after. 



I am told that animals are not machines, and 

 that they cannot be run as such. My animals 

 are ; and I run them as I would a shop. There 

 is no sentiment in my management. If a cow 

 or a hog or a hen doesn't work in a satisfactory 



