THE MILK QUESTION. 25 



State, which show an average yield of 2,500 quarts, or 5,446 

 pounds of milk per head for several successive years, counting 

 every animal in the head, which ever gave milk. The little 

 Jersey is not usually considered the milkman's breed, but simi- 

 lar records of Jersey herds show an annual average of 4,987 

 pounds per head, or 2,300 quarts. I am now in charge of a 

 herd of Jerseys myself, kept for butter and breeding, not for 

 milk, but which have averaged 4,714 pounds apiece the last 

 twelve months, one-third of the number being heifers with first 

 calves. A year ago last October, I saw a promising heifer at 

 the agricultural fair in this tow^n (Northampton), and soon 

 after purchased her for $150. She was not pure bred, and this 

 was considered a high price, but she gave 8,434 pounds of 

 milk, or 3,905 quarts in twelve months, with first calf. It has 

 cost less to keep this cow than two of average quality, together 

 giving less milk. The examples are cited merely to show that 

 profitable cows are quite numerous, can be obtained at fair 

 prices, and none others will do for the milk producer. 



Let us assume, then, that no cow is fit for the business, that 

 does not give 2,200 quarts or 4,768 pounds of milk annually. 

 If this amount of milk per cow is sold whole from the farm, 

 its manurial elements will consist of 28.63 pounds of nitrogen, 

 w^orth $6.01 ; 10.71 pounds of soluble phosphoric acid, Avorth 

 $1,07; and 7.03 pounds of potash, worth 42 cents, — in all 

 $7.50. 



This sum of money being expended in manures of any kind, 

 by way of restitution, they cannot, l)y the closest economy, be 

 obtained and applied without a further cost of fully half a dollar. 

 This makes the round sum of eight dollars ($8.00) i)er cow, 

 and when all other considerations of waste and losses from being 

 unavailable are taken into account, it is reasonable to conclude 

 that the sale of all the milk of a 2,200 quart cow removes from 

 the farm on which she is kept what will cost at least ten dol- 

 lars a year to make good again. 



This item of expense in selling milk has been dwelt upon at 

 length, because it is so often overlooked or under-estimated, 

 notwithstanding its importance. How many milk producers 

 are there in this State, who make it a rule to expend annually 

 for every cow kept, from eight to ten dollars, for manure from 



