No. 4.] DAIRYING. 47 



But, remembering that "like begets like," it is the part 

 of wisdom to endeavor to perpetuate the qualities of the 

 satisfactory cow by raising her female progeny. With this 

 course in mind, the dairyman should be most critical in the 

 choice of a bull ; only thoroughbreds should be considered, 

 and the one selected should be from an ancestry that has the 

 milking qualities desired to be perpetuated in the herd. To 

 decide whether a cow is in all respects satisfactory, a record 

 of daily yield should be kept through the entire year, and 

 the quality should be ascertained. The Babcock test fur- 

 nishes a simple, inexpensive and reliable method for testing 

 the quality of milk. By regularly testing the product of his 

 dairy, and eliminating the cows that give poor milk, the 

 milk farmer may be saved from anxiety about the visits of 

 the agents of the Dairy Bureau and State Board of Health, 

 and also enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that he is furnish- 

 ing his customers with what they pay for. 



The raising of calves goes naturally with butter dairying, 

 as the skim-milk is a waste product that can be profitably 

 utilized in feeding the young animals. With the present 

 demand for cows and the prices that good ones command, 

 this incidental to butter dairying may become a large factor 

 on the credit side of the business. A regular system with 

 careful attention to all details may easily provide a yearly 

 income from the sale of cows, and not the least advantage 

 will come from the opportunity to retain the best in the 

 home herd after trial shall have proved which are superior. 

 My experience has proved that skim-milk, with suitable 

 additions of flaxseed, either in the form of seed or meal, 

 wheat middlings and bran, oat and corn meal, will grow 

 calves creditably, and produce better cows for dairy pur- 

 poses than new milk nursed from the mother cow. The 

 young heifers will not be as fine show animals, but will be 

 all right for a working dairy. 



The milk-selling dairyman is at a disadvantage in raising 

 calves, because the skim-milk is lacking. In most cases he 

 could not profitably raise cows for market ; but I believe he 

 would find it to his lasting advantage to raise nearly or quite 

 a sufficient number to keep his herd at the maximum, and 

 thus escape the disappointment and loss he must meet in 



