Homesteading 



ten heifers and steers, wouldn't they be a lot 

 better off ? " 



" They might do a lot better than that," said 

 an older man, whose forbears evidently hailed 

 from the Emerald Isle ; " they might buy two or 

 three good milkers, and if they had wives who 

 could make good butter, would have a living right 

 away, and by working their stock right, could 

 have a lot of young heifers coming on soon." 



" That's the ticket— start a creamery," said 

 Sunny Jim ; and Tom and I pricked up our ears 

 to hear how this suggestion was received. 



Silence, however, followed for a minute or 

 so, until Tom asked, " Don't the Government 

 help in starting a creamery ? " 



" I think they do give some assistance," said 

 Bob, " but I guess we are not far along enough 

 yet ; in the first place, we have not nearly suffi- 

 cient milking-cows in the district to provide a 

 large enough supply of cream all the year round ; 

 and then there is the question of winter feed. 

 Prairie hay and straw are all very well up to a 

 certain point, but for supplying a creamery you 

 want succulent food and silos for storing it, and 

 there are lots of difficulties ; rearing stock for 

 the market is the thing at present." 



" Oh yes," said Harry, " but look at the time 

 you have to wait for any return." 



216 



