174 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc 



first time all received me kindly and showed me everything, and 

 wanted a report of what I found. Before I took samples, I told 

 them, all but one, that I thought they would be disappointed in 

 the report, and pointed out several things that were spoiling every 

 thing else they are doing. They didn't agree with me, so I said : 

 " I'll take samples, so and so, and if there is an increase of bac- 

 teria at this or that point, it will prove my point, won't it ? " And 

 they all said yes'. Every case came out as I expected. In all 

 cases, with their modern barns and clean cows, etc., the bacterial 

 content was from 50,000 to 500,000 bacteria per cubic centimeter, 

 and that of milk sampled at 4 p.m. and plated at 6 p.m. or sooner 

 of same day, and counted in thirty-six hours. When I reported, all 

 save one were wroth. I didn't try to find out whether with me or 

 themselves. One, though surprised and disappointed, has set about 

 to remedy the defects. 



Winter Dairying. 

 Experience has shown to the experienced that there is a 

 great advantage in having the cows come fresh in the fall, 

 rather than the spring. These advantages are : — 



1. Larger production, in consequence of more and better 

 feed, exemption from flies for eight months, and less ex- 

 haustive exercise in ranging over barren pastures. 



2. Increased price for the product. 



3. Greatly increased quality in the calves. 



4. Better conservation of the manure. 



A comparative experiment was carried on for two years 

 by Superintendent Robertson of the Maritime Experimental 

 Farm of Canada, with eight cows, divided into two groups 

 of four each, and of as equal dairy potentiality as possible. 

 This experiment demonstrated that the fall-calving group 

 gave a direct cash profit of $10.65 per cow more for the 

 year than did the spring-calving group. 



This experiment coincides fully with my own judgment. 

 Many farmers find it somewhat difficult, however, to effect 

 such a change with their cows. They will find it compara- 

 tively easy to start the heifers in that way. Breed them in 

 December or January, and even as late as February, and 

 they will thereafter all the more readily bring their calves 

 in the fall. In this way, in a few years the herd will be 

 made up almost entirely of winter dairying cows. 



