146 THE FAT OF THE LAND 
From March 22, when I began to’ sell, until 
May 10, when my dairy-house was in working 
order, I received $203 for cream. Thompson had 
sold milk from the old cows, from August to 
December, 1895, to the amount of $132. This 
item should have been entered on the credit side 
for the last year, but as it was not, we will 
make a note of it here. These are the only 
sales of milk and cream made from Four Oaks 
since I bought the land. 
The milk supply from my herd started out 
at a tremendous rate, considering the age of the 
cows. It must be borne in mind that none of 
the thoroughbreds was within three years of 
her (probable) best ; yet they were doing nobly, 
one going as high as fifty-two pounds of milk in _ 
one day, and none falling below thirty-six as a 
maximum. The common cows did nearly as 
well at first, four of them giving a maximum of 
thirty-two pounds each in twenty-four hours. 
It was easy to see the difference between the 
two sorts, however. The old ones had reached 
maturity and were doing the best they could; 
the others were just beginning to manufacture 
milk, and were building and regulating their 
machinery for that purpose. The Holsteins, 
though young, were much larger than the old 
cows, and were enormous feeders. A third or a 
half more food passed their great, coarse mouths 
than their less aristocratic neighbors could be 
coaxed to eat. Food, of course, *s the one 
