250 



seven to ten lbs. In Reading, in the best of the season, one 

 pound of butter per day. In Billerica, for three months, six 

 lbs. butter per week. In Wilmington and Billerica, the yield 

 of a cow for the season is rated at one hundred lbs. of butter. 

 In Bedford, the yield is rated at four lbs. per week, or one hun- 

 dred lbs. per season. The above are similar to returns given me 

 in other parts of the county, which need not therefore be re- 

 ferred to. 



I will subjoin a few particular results. 



1. In Framingham, the farmer had twelve cows. The calves 

 were fatted and sold to the butcher. 



From April 1 to January 1 ensuing, there were sold, as the 

 produce of these cows, 1627 lbs. The cash received in the 

 same time is for butter sold, ^328 43 ; and for milk sold in the 

 same time he received $46 48 — total, $374 91. 



The cows were wintered upon coarse feed ; in the spring 

 they received English hay. The expense of pasturage in the 

 summer was fifty cents per week for each cow. The commis- 

 sion for selling the butter in the market was two cents per 

 pound. This is the statement of a farmer distinguished for his 

 general exactness, and yet the amount of butter and milk con- 

 sumed in his own family, from these same cows, is not reck- 

 oned ; nor what amount of pork ought in justice to be carried 

 to their credit. 



2. In Waltham, at a dairy to which I referred in my second 

 report, the owner made a trial of his cows for thirteen weeks. 

 He had two cows in milk the whole time and two heifers, two 

 years old. The whole of the milk of one of these heifers was 

 taken by a calf during six weeks out of the thirteen, and be- 

 sides, this milk was used for the family, but the amount not 

 ascertained. In fairness, therefore, the stock cannot be consid- 

 ered as more than three cows for the thirteen weeks. The 

 cows were soiled in the barn-yard upon green feed cut for them, 

 and were never out of the yard in the time. They had like- 

 wise three pints of meal each per day. From them were made 

 in that time 389 lbs. butter — one additional pound would have 



