No. 4.] NEW ENGLAND FARMERS. 213 



ducer of butter or milk than the animal of hap-hazard breed- 

 ing ? The lifetime of man is too short to attempt to perfect 

 a breed of cattle, and success in that line has been largely 

 the results of work under the direction of the governments ; 

 and then only the specific purpose attempted has been at- 

 tained, although there are many men who have graded up a 

 herd so as to double their production by the use of the 

 pure-bred sire ; but when they have attained their highest 

 perfection they are largely the type of the breed selected for 

 sires, and are bright examples of the opportunity offered to 

 the enterprising breeder to develop a paying herd. And it 

 seems to mo. that the raising of dairy cows is one of the 

 branches of fa'rming that will soon be as profitable as in 

 former years, especially in sections where pasturage is abun- 

 dant and cheap. Cows are now commanding good prices, and 

 the tendency appears to be more and more in that direction. 

 The separator which as a farm machine has come to stay will 

 be found especially useful on the butter or cream raising 

 farm, enabling the farmer to feed his calves the warm skim- 

 milk, which, with the addition of a small quantity of flaxseed 

 meal, makes an ideal ration, and good thrifty animals can 

 be grown thereon ; and thus can the skim-milk be used per- 

 haps to better advantage than competing with cheap corn 

 and transportation of our western brethren in rearing pork 

 and placing pork products on the markets of the east. 



There are some opportunities in regard to the social life of 

 New England farmers that are not taken advantage of as they 

 should be. First, the church, which every farm family 

 should endeavor to take an active part in, not only attend 

 its Sunday services, but also the mid-week meetings as well ; 

 and if the town you live in does not support your denomina- 

 tion, take part in the one it does support ; and all the time 

 the support will be amply repaid, perhaps not in dollars and 

 cents, but with a feeling of satisfaction enjoyed only by those 

 who have endeavored to do their share in making life's bur- 

 dens more easy to bear. 



The farmers' institutes held under the direction of this 

 honorable Board are one of the opportunities that are 

 neglected. Many a farmer might save himself many a day 

 of labor, and money as well, by taking advantage of the 



