DAIRYING, THE HORSE, AND BEES . 263 



great advantage of retailing in this way to one also en- 

 gaged in growing vegetables and fruit, is that these prod- 

 ucts may also be sold on the same route. 



Raising Calves. 



For the past quarter of a century raising calves has 

 been on the decline in many dairying sections, this being 

 more largely done in districts outside the milk produc- 

 ing limits and the cows shipped to dairying places. 

 With the increasing prices of all dairy products there 

 should be some profit in raising the female calves of our 

 best cows, even by the milk producer, and at the same 

 time our herds would be greatly improved thereby. 



The labor of rearing calves by hand, as must largely 

 be done with the present price of whole milk, is consid- 

 erable, but the cost of feed for the first two years is 

 comparatively small and a good two- or three-year-old 

 will often sell for from $30 to $50, according to her 

 promise. This work should be done for the pleasure of 

 it, as well as for the profit. The young members of the 

 family will take great interest in the "Bossies," and 

 may help in the feeding, and the calves soon become 

 great pets and playmates when properly handled. By 

 careful selection of the stock from which " Bossy " comes 

 a higher standard will soon be established, and many a 

 fine herd has been built up from' a single high-grade 

 animal. When one can obtain skim milk, this with the 

 addition of a little well-cooked "fancy middlings," or 

 linseed meal, will make a good food for several months. 

 If skim milk is not obtainable, a porridge made of the 

 above meals or some of the calf foods will keep the 

 calves in good growing condition. 



If reared during the winter they are ready to go to 

 pasture in the spring, when they will require little or no 

 care for about six months. 



