No. 4.] NEW ENCiLAND AGKICULTUliE. 107 



It is ouaidiui!: the milk from the udder to the separator and 

 cream bottle which insures (juality, and nothing else can 

 do this. 



Question. How long will it remain in good condition? 



Dr. TwiTCHELL. I know one lot shipped which was nine 

 daj^s in the expressman's care, and the day after the same 

 was received by the consignee, he came to Manchester to 

 inspect the farm, and contracted for all the cream he could 

 get. He said it was as sweet as ever when it reached him, 

 and this was in June. 



Question. How do you account for impurities getting 

 into milk? 



Dr. TwiTCHELL. It is the dust in the air and on the cows, 

 the odors of the tie-u}) and particles of dirt on the clothing 

 of the milker, carried into the milk. It is surprising how 

 much of these impurities there will be, even with the care 

 usually taken. 



Question. What is absorbent cotton ? 



Dr. TwiTCHELL. It is such as surgeons use. A roll cost- 

 ing twenty cents Avould last a month or more. It is put up 

 like ordinary cotton, only treated so as to cut the fibre, and 

 permit it to absorb more readily than ordinary cotton. 



Question. Do not most cows give in accordance with 

 what they are fed upon ? Would not all cows be good cows 

 if fed well ? 



Dr. TwiTCHELL. No, there is and must be a difference. 

 Some cows pay a good profit, others do not ; but we lose in 

 that too often we do not open the way for them to do their 

 best. Individual tastes differ among cows as well as men, 

 and the largest yield folloAvs conformino- to the ta;^tes of 

 individual animals. The study of rations must be to com- 

 bine palatability and nutrition with economy ; to find the 

 ration which wdll best satisfy, and at the same time enable 

 the cow to do her best. The study of by-products is all- 

 important, as related to health, comfort, productiveness and 

 economy. The dmin on eastern farmers for western grain 

 can be greatly reduced by a study of what can be more 

 cheaply grow^n at home, and then growing all that is possible. 



Mr. A. H. KiRKLANu (of Reading). I believe we are 



