No. 4.] DAIRYING. 109 



advantage of the dairymen ; or, in exceptional circum- 

 stances, the experiment station at Amherst may handle the 

 samples. With, then, weights of milk and tests of milk in 

 liand, the simplest mathematics will indicate the relative 

 standing of the various animals ; and, more important, 

 ^vhether or not any are failing to make adequate return for 

 the investment in food, care, etc. 



It needs to be remarked, however, that a single year's 

 trial is not always to be depended upon. There may be 

 reasons for an otherwise good animal doing poorly in some 

 given year. In other words, the information thus obtained 

 needs to be interpreted with judgment. 



These procedures are not difficult to put into efl'ect ; and 

 they do this much, — they give, within limits, a fair notion 

 as to the dairy worthiness or worthlessness of the sundry 

 animals. Granted that, as our editorial friend claims, there 

 may not be ' ' superior cows enough in existence to meet the 

 wants of all who realize the advantage coming from their 

 possession," — is that a justification of the harboring of cows 

 whose milk yields do not sell for as much as their food 

 costs? If some Anna Eva Fay could pass through a herd 

 and unerringly point out the unprofital>le animals, and if 

 the owner were convinced of the infiillibility of her verdict, 

 would he not cull out such cows at once? So should he 

 when weight and test point out the " cow boarder." 



The results of a cow census carried out with 100 herds in 

 Vermont this past year is suggestive in this connection. 

 These herds were located in three difierent counties. Thirty- 

 eight of the herds were Jersey grades ; 2 were grade Hol- 

 steins ; 4 grade Ayrshires ; 1 was a Guernsey herd ; 1 a 

 Normandy ; in 1 Ayrshires and Guernseys predominated ; 

 in 1 other Ayrshires and Holsteins ; in 3 others Jersey 

 and Holstein or Jersey and Ayrshire, probably grades in 

 most cases ; and the rest were mixed lots. The herds 

 ranged in size from 5 to 70 and averaged about 20 cows. 

 The estimated cost for food of keeping a cow varied from 

 $32.90 to $41. The average incorne per cow ranged in the 

 several herds from $15.82 to $63.57 ; the pounds of butter 

 sold per cow from 84 to 315 pounds ; the price received for 



