MEMORIES OF THE 



Butter was made in the spring, so as to have plenty of milk 

 for the feeding and raising of calves; also considerable fall 

 butter was made after the flow of milk was not sufficient to war- 

 rant making cheese. The thought of that old, red, revolving 

 churn makes me tired. Often the churning was put off until 

 evening, or, if possible, until a rainy day. The churn turned hard, 

 and sometimes it seemed as if the butter would never ''come." 

 Father's inventive genius finally helped us out of this trouble. 

 By an ingenious arrangement with two wires he carried power 

 for churning from the mill. Then the contest was between 

 the creek and the cream, and the butter could "come" when it 

 got ready. 



Just why it is that farmers cannot now make anything with 

 cheese at from eight to ten cents, and butter at twenty-five 

 cents, I cannot understand, for I know that we made money — 

 at least, saved money — when much lower prices prevailed. 



There were many things of interest in the dairy work. The 

 cows all had names, and each had her peculiarities and habits. 

 Some were good-natured and always patient, kind, orderly, and 

 honest, easy milkers, and great favorites; others were quick- 

 tempered, unruly and treacherous, kickers, jumpers, and gener- 

 ally disagreeable. Their traits were very surely inherited by 

 their calves, and on the standing and reputation of its mother 

 the calf was judged, with little or no care as to its sire. The 

 old adage that *' a bad cow may have a good calf" was not con- 

 sidered safe to act on in selecting calves to rear, and many a 

 poor, innocent-looking, little bossy was deaconed because its 

 mother had a bad reputation. The calves not required for 

 raising were wasted, being killed when five days old, and noth- 

 ing saved but their skins and rennets. Their carcasses were 

 sometimes used as bait to shoot crows from, down back of the 

 long, barnyard shed. ^ ^q 



