No. 4.] IMPROVEMENT IN DAIRY STOCK. 167 



Among these 18 cows, the figures of which are here in- 

 cluded, are some good ones as well as some poor ones. 

 There are two that gave over 10,000 pounds of milk each 

 in ten days less than a year, between the 10th of Sep- 

 tember, 1901, and the 1st of September, 1902. The test 

 of one of those giving over 10,000 pounds was 4.45 

 per cent; the test of the other, 4.62 per cent. They 

 gave a very large quantity of milk, but not so rich as our 

 average. 



Now, our breeding is not merely to decrease the first cost, 

 l)ut to improve the herd for production ; and it goes with- 

 out saying that whatever the purpose for which we are 

 keeping our cows, thoroughbred bulls should be used, of 

 the breed best suited for the purpose. In our case we took 

 the Jersey, for the very plain reason that we are located in 

 a Jersey city. Newton was essentially a Jersey town in 

 the old days, and very many were still kept there when we 

 began this plan of supplying milk in the way we are doing ; 

 and in establishing our business, in not a few cases, we 

 bought from proprietors their Jersey cows. Jersey milk 

 was what these people wanted and were willing to pay for, 

 and we have learned to supply what is wanted. If we were 

 making it for contractors, we should not make Jersey milk, 

 but as large a quantity of milk as we could, and maintain 

 the standard, and we should feel that therein we had ful- 

 filled our obligations. 



In raising our calves we try to reduce the cost as far as 

 possible ; but that is not the main thing. The main thing 

 is to kee}) them growing, to get strength, to get size and 

 constitution. Our ration for our calves is sweet milk for 

 some days ; then we introduce skim milk with linseed meal, 

 and keep before them ground oats and rowen, or good hay. 

 When they are from two to tliree months old (if it is in 

 summer) they are turned out to pasture ; but the skim milk 

 and linseed meal, and for a time some ground oats, are con- 

 tinued. We have raised some very good calves on very 

 little milk, and some included in this record were so raised, 

 using oatmeal gruel in place of skim milk. Where one 

 can have skim milk, I should not advise gruel. 



