ON AGRICULTURE TO DENMARK 



115 



acting animals. These Dutch cows were larger framed than the 

 Danish white and black, and gave every indication of being right 

 good milkers. We found the same methodical system of book- 

 keeping and the keeping of correct records of milk and butter fat 

 percentage as at the other well-managed places visited, and these 

 Mr Soltoft placed in our hands. His books were a marvel of 

 neatness and method. A glance at the milk record for the past 

 year showed some splendid totals : in one case 10,950 Danish 



FARMHOUSE : STENBALLEGAAKD 



pounds during a milking period of eleven months ; another period 

 10,646 ; and others ranging from 7446 to 8909 Danish pounds, 

 the average for the whole lot being roughly 8000 Danish lbs., 

 which is equal to 880 gallons, while the average butter fat test was 

 3"25 per cent. The unanimous opinion formed of this stock was 

 that while the Dutch cows give more milk than the Danish, the 

 milk was slightly poorer in fat. Mr Soltoft rears all his heifer 

 calves, and for those not required to keep up his own stock he 

 finds a capital demand from Sweden, getting from £19 to £20 a 

 piece for in-calf heifers when 2| years old. The cows are milked 

 twice daily, at 4 a.m. and 4 p.m., the average period of lactation 

 being ten months. 



Mr Soltoft impressed the strangers as being a masterful type 

 of man, holding strongly conservative notions in regard to the 

 conduct of his business. He is unconnected with any of the 

 organisations which have proved such a boon to the smaller farmers, 

 preferring to do his business in his own way, making his purchases 

 in the cheapest market, and selling his products on his own 

 account in the dearest market. He has, however, three brothers, 



