THE FAMILY DAIRY. 4^5 



with a wet cloth and tbea with salt, and the edges of 

 the cloth turned back and pressed down closely to the 

 edge of the jar. Some air-tight covering is then put 

 over the jar, which is put away in a cool place for safe 

 keeping. Good butter, well packed and kept in a sweet 

 place, will go on improving in quality for six months, 

 when it will be in the best condition for use. 



The family cow should be docile, easily handled, and 

 free from vices and tricks. Such a cow is more easily 

 reared than purchased. Hence it is desirable to rear 

 one's cow from a calf, either by breeding the calf or by 

 purchasing one when weaned and raising it. In this 

 way a gentle and most serviceable cow can be procured 

 and trained to her special life and purpose through all 

 the gradations of calf and heifer up to the point of use- 

 fulness. In breeding cows it is well to know that the 

 ninth day after calving is the surest time to breed the cow 

 for the next calf; after this, the cow will go for six weeks 

 without becoming in breeding condition, and after this 

 the periods recur at intervals of twenty and twenty-one 

 days. Thus the time of the arrival of the next calf can 

 be arranged to suit the convenience of the owner. In 

 general, the cow which is fresh in September or October 

 will be the most useful in a family dairy, as the supply 

 of butter can be saved for use in the late summer, and 

 the troubles incident to dairying in the hottest months 

 of the year are avoided. If two cows are kept one should 

 come in in March and the other in September. 



