836 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



these glasses should be kept in every dairy. They can be 

 ordered through any druggist, as wholesale dealers in surgical 

 supplies keep them. 



The daily record of milk will show whether the cow holds 

 out well in her milk, or begins soon to fail, and by adopting these 

 tests one can soon determine the value of his cows, and decide 

 which to keep and which to sell. 



Breeds. It is not my purpose to recommend any one 

 breed of cattle above all others, for the farmer must judge for 

 himself what will best suit his farm and circumstances. On a 

 hilly farm the smaller breeds will be likely to give the best sat- 

 isfaction, and as a rule they give the richest milk. The Jersey 

 and Devon are noted for the quality of their product. There 

 are some strains of Short-horns noted for their excellence for 

 the dairy, but as a rule they are deficient in the points which 

 make cows valuable for this purpose, as they come from a line 

 of ancestry which has been bred for meat rather than milk or 

 butter. A few Jersey cows in a herd, or an admixture of Jer- 

 sey blood, will often be found profitable, as it will improve the 

 quality of the butter. A single cross with the Jersey will not 

 materially reduce the size or meat-producing qualities of the 

 animals. It is doubtful if it is desirable, or would be found 

 profitable, to attempt to secure a herd for dairy purposes of 

 pure-bred animals. The best results will be attained by careful 

 testing of all, and weeding out of those which do not come up to 

 the standard, and the use of thorough-bred bulls selected from 

 such a breed as possesses the points you wish to improve, and 

 from a strain noted for its dairy qualities. 



When butter is to be sold in the market with no contract as 

 to price, I think a greater profit can be made from cows fresh 

 in the fall. I have known small dairies managed in this way 

 that gave good satisfaction. The price of butter from October 

 to May is usually considerably higher than through the sum- 

 mer, and where one is so situated that calves can be had to put 

 with the cows in the spring, they will often give a greater profit 

 than to make butter through the hot weather, when flies are 

 troublesome, and it is so difficult to make good butter. Good 



