26 EARLY USE OF CATTLE 



than others and that these were naturally selected to be the 

 mothers of other cows who were to work in a dairy way and thus 

 gradually, almost unconsciously, the fundamental change took 

 place. 



The cow, for the pioneer (Fig. 8), especially on the frontier 

 in this country, has been, and is, a God-send. For nearly 400 

 years in this country the home-maker with small means has, by 

 the use of a few cows, been able to provide milk, meat and shoes, 

 from these patient creatures. Among the stumps of the northern, 

 cut-over timber country, or on the winter wheat pastures of our 

 western prairies, she is still being used, not only as a provider of 

 food direct for the family, but as a means of cash income as well. 



QUESTIONS 



1. What is our oldest record of the use of cows for dairy purposes? 



2. From what old time word is our word "dairy" derived? 



3. From what Greek words is our word 'butter" derived? 



4. What place did the cow and the ox hold during our pioneer days? 



5. Why is not the ox more used at present? 



