30 ON THE DAIRY. . 



well fatted calf a month old, nearly half the money, and fodder 

 and feed must be abundant and cheap when the farmer can af- 

 ford to keep such an animal two winters and three summers for 

 six, eight or even ten dollars. 



Like every other part of the farmer's business, the dairy re- 

 quires attention : the cows must have a constant supply of nu- 

 tritive food and pure water and salt ocasionally ; the dairy 

 room should ;be clean and sweet and used exclusive- 

 ly for that purpose ; the pans and other utensils should be 

 carefully scalded, and neatness and order should pervade the 

 whole department. We forbear to give particular directions for 

 making butter and cheese, referring you to the annexed state- 

 ments of the competitors, whose success in obtaining the Socie- 

 ety's premiums is the highest recommendation of the method 

 pursued by them. 



Although the dairy is comparatively profitable, and although its 

 products are a component part in so many of the comforts and luxu- 

 ries of the table, there are some farmers of our acquaintance who 

 have been obliged to abandon it altogether, or to conduct it on a 

 smaller scale, on account of the difficulty of obtaining skilful and 

 experienced dairy women. And here we have opportunity of pro- 

 posing to fathers and mothers the question, whether in the varied 

 and refined education of their daughters, some of the most useful 

 and important branches have not been neglected ? Whether the 

 more fanciful and ornamental attainments have not been substitut- 

 ed for the lessons of the kitchen and the dairy ? Whether some del- 

 icate hands have not been so long occupied with the pencil, the 

 embroidering needle and the piano, that they have forgotten, or 

 never learned, the cunning of the skimmer, the cheese tub and 

 the churn ? Whether specious elegance has not been more stu- 

 died than substantial usefulness ? The former, indeed, should not 

 be wholly neglected, but the latter are indispensable to the com- 

 fort and happiness of the community. An English writer, more 

 noted than esteemed, but who, on some subjects is good author- 

 ity, in his Cottage Economy, observes : — " I must hear a great 

 deal more than I ever have heard, to convince me that teachinj; 

 children polite accomplishments tends so much to their happiness, 



