No. 4.] ECONOMICAL :MILK PRODUCTION. 113 



The Chairman. I make it fifty-six. 



Mr. Wild. That is very gratifying. It will be, I know, a 

 matter of great encouragement to the Farmers' Bureau of 

 Worcester County to know that there has been a start made in 

 this direction. 



Question. I would like to ask one question in regard to 

 this morning's lecture. It is not exactly in keeping with the 

 present topic. As I understood the speaker this morning, he 

 would sell a cow after she was eight years old. I think that 

 would depend something on the production, wouldn't it? 



Professor Eckles. ]\Iy feeling would be, if she were a good 

 cow, not to sell her. 



Question. As I understand it, the lecturer advocated 

 selling a cow at eight y.ears if she w as fat. He was advocating 

 in that way turning beef into the market. 



Mr. Bartlett. I would like to add one point along that 

 line; that is, if a man is raising five or six or a dozen young 

 cattle every year and keeps the heifers he will have something 

 to turn every year, and then of course it would not be profitable 

 for him to turn the best cows, but to turn the ones to some- 

 body else that he did not care for. 



Professor Eckles. I would like to ask a question myself of 

 some one. I do not know whom to ask it of. I would like 

 to ask how much milk a cow should produce in the State of 

 Massachusetts to be a profitable animal. 



Mr. S. E. Smith. I can't afford to keep a cow that gives 

 less than 6,000 pounds. 



Mr. Epps. My milk is sold at 8 cents a quart, and I keep 

 records, and I don't consider that I can keep a cow unless she 

 gives me 8,000 pounds of milk. 



Question. I should like to ask that gentleman what kind 

 of cows he keeps. Holsteins, I suppose. 



Mr. Epps. No, sir, I have got a herd of mixed-bred cows, 

 some Jersey blood, Guernsey, Holstein, • — none of them 

 thoroughbreds. For the grade of my milk I would refer you to 

 the inspector's test. I guarantee it to test from 4 to o per 

 cent butter fat. I have no trouble in getting from my herd 

 between 8,000 and 9,000 pounds. I have a small herd of cows, 

 eleven or twelve, and I am not getting rich at that. 



