KEEPING ONE COW. 45 



refuse and bedding, all of which go into the compost heap. The 

 item of labor alone remains, and as all that has been hired (includ- 

 ing the plowing of the garden) was paid from sales of surplus 

 roots, no further account is taken of that ; my own time was well 

 spent, as the balance sheet shows. Last August, we fully deter- 

 mined that it would be better for the family cow to be fresh in 

 September than in the spring. The heat of summer is the time 

 when it is most difficult to keep a cow properly fed for a good 

 flow of rich milk on a little place like this. It is the time when 

 milk is plenty and cheap, if one wants to buy, and most difficult 

 to manage or dispose of if one has much on hand. It is almost 

 impossible to make good butter in dog-days, living as we do, with 

 no special appliances, and it is not worth while for us to get a 

 patent creamer and a supply of ice. In the spring, we don't want 

 a dry cow, but are willing to have one in August. July, with its 

 increasing heat and decreasing pasturage, is a favorable time to 

 dry off a cow. The keeper of one cow can not afford to have her 

 dry more than six w r eeks in the year, and may manage to have 

 this period four weeks, or even less. Accordingly, I have arranged 

 for " June " to come in next September, and shall in future practice 

 " winter-dairying." Indeed, we have done so the past season, for 

 with liberal feeding of a succulent character, the cow has held out 

 well in her milk. She is now giving between five and six quarts 

 a day, while not yet on grass, and her total yield for eleven 

 months, since June first (or rather for the year), is found to be two 

 thousand seven hundred and forty-six quarts. Here is my third 

 year's annual account with " June : " 



EXPENSES. I RETURNS. 



Interest at 7 per cent, on cost of |685 qts. Milk sold at 6c. . $41 . 10 



cow $ 4. 55 464 qts. Skim-milk sold at 2Jc... 11.60 



Rent of H acres of land 30.00; g a ] es S52~70 



?/tUfof f H?v 1 boS r 28 ffi6TOqt 8 :iiiiku84d@fic'::::*.'.':. 40:20 



otr IK ?J bought ......... -88 50 127 ] os But ter made 30c 38 . 1 



350 Ibs. of Cotton-seed Meal and 



freight 6.80 



1591bs. Corn-Meal 1.50 



2GO Ibs. Bran $1.15 per cwt .. 2.30 



Year's expense $75 65 



Year's return .8131.03 



Memorandum 



Cost keeping $75.65 



Less sales 52.70 $22.95 



Plus purchases 



55qts. Milk@6c 3.30 



53 Ibs. Butter @30c 15.93 



Cow products cost family $42.15 



An absolute profit of fifty-five dollars from the cow is shown, 

 and a still larger saving in family expenses, besides nine hundred 

 quarts of skim-milk and butter-milk used in the house and poul- 

 try-yard and given away. The yield of the cow shows " June " to be 



