No. 4.] IMPEOVEMENT IN DAIRY STOCK. 165 



ing, costing an average of $54.90 each. Our milk scales 

 soon told us that 4 of them were unprofitable, and as soon 

 as seemed desirable Ave sold them for beef, leaving 18 cows, 

 at an average cost (allowing for the loss on 4 sold) of 

 $61.50. These cows presumably calved in August, 1901, 

 and I find by our records they average to be due again in 

 December, 1902. 



We had 34 heifers born between Aug. 1, 1898, and 

 April 30, 1899, which came fresh with first calves in 

 1901 ; and it so happened that they averaged to calve in 

 August, and they also average to be due again in Decem- 

 ber, so we have here a good basis for comparison. 



The 18 cows averaged, for the eight months from Jan. 1 

 to Aug. 1, 1902, 4,048 pounds of milk; the 34 heifers 

 averaged for the same time 4,431 pounds of milk, — nearly 

 10 per cent more than the cows. And let it be understood 

 these were not selected heifers. Included in this list is. 

 every heifer on the farm that came fresh for the first time 

 during the year 1901, whether properly calving or abort- 

 ing, — and 4 or 5 of them did abort. Six of them had 

 their second calves during the time covered by these 

 figures ; but eliminating them would not chanige the result, 

 as all averao;es would remain the same. The averag-e ao-e of 

 these heifers at calving was 31 months, the youngest to 

 come fresh aborting at 21 months, and the oldest being 38 

 months. They were all by our own thoroughbred Jersey 

 bulls, and most of them out of grade cows ; those out of our 

 thoroughbreds showing little, if any, above the average, 

 either as to quantity or quality of milk. Many of them 

 were, of course, out of cows of our o\vn raising, they.being 

 b}'^ our bulls out of grade cows. 



Seven of the smallest milkers (mostly aborters) were not 

 brought from Barre to the home farm, and were not there- 

 fore tested for butter fat; but the average of the other 27 

 was 5.05 per cent. 



As to the cost of raising these heifers, I am unable to 

 give exact figures. Realizing the necessity for raising our 

 own stock, and appreciating the fact that to do this 

 economically on a large scale it must be done in a good 



