268 Our Farming. 



partly a matter of habit, as most stock in this section is watered 

 but once a day. I would like to repeat here what in substance 

 has been said before, that in any line of stock keeping in the older 

 States now the profit must largely come from the manure. Not 

 that you get more from the animal than you feed her, nor as much 

 quite, but you can manage so as to save a large part and return it 

 as plant food. And by purchasing mill feed you can get extra 

 fertility for your farm. No matter whether you do this or not, if 

 you waste half of your manure by having leaky stable floors and 

 other careless treatment, much of your profit will be gone. Com- 

 petition is so close that the business can hardlv stand this drain in 

 Ohio now. 



You have often heard it said that if a cow is allowed to run 

 down in her milk, particularly late in the season, she can never 

 be brought up again till she becomes fresh. Well, do not let them 

 run down ; that is right. But they can be brought up again. 

 Good care and dried grass and water only will do it ; this I know. 

 I have done it time and again. When we wintered cows for 

 others they were often brought here almost dry. The owners 

 told us to milk along until they became dry. With our warm 

 stables and care and feed they would come right up in their milk 

 and we have made many a hundred pounds of butter from ' ' dry 

 cows." If they were really good cows it was difficult to dry them 

 off on such feed. It seems to me that not a few could learn a les- 

 son from this. 



Another point : My little success in feeding was in an old 

 barn and sheds destitute of paint and very roughly built, but 

 made warm and comfortable by my own efforts cheaply, as I have 

 told you about. There is no feature beyond the reach of any 

 one. Don't forget and think : "Oh, yes, he could take care of 

 animals in his warm, nice barn and covered yard." You would 

 like it better, of course, but you can do without such improvements 

 until you can earn them, just as I did. It would be a delight to 

 me now to care for some fine animals in my barn, the chance is so 

 good ; but perhaps no more than it was years ago to conquer 

 under no end of difficulties. 



