4 BULLETIN 32, V. S. DEFABTMENT OF AGBICULTUEE. 



practically one source put upon that factor the entire burden of the 

 farm expenses. Labor was poorly distributed and was of necessity 

 frequently emploj^ed on unproductive enterprises in order to hold 

 it for the dairy work, and this was unsatisfactory both to employer 

 and men. No definite system of crop production was in use to pro- 

 vide the right proportion of each crop with the proper distribution 

 of labor. The maintenance of fertility was expensive. All these 

 tilings it was determined to remedy. 



The first step to be taken was the improvement of the dairy. The 

 performance of each cow was studied and the unprofitable ones dis- 

 posed of. The next most important step was to increase the sources 

 of income by growing such other crops as the labor necessary for the 

 dairy could handle without extra expense, or, in other words, to 

 diversify the farming. The third, but by no means the least im- 

 portant step, was to be the development of a rotation that would 

 improve the soil, furnish the maximum feed for the stock, and pro- 

 vide a cash crop. These were at once taken up and carried out as 

 rapidly as possible. 



IMPROVING THE DAIRY. 



A herd of 50 fairly good cows was purchased with the farm, and 

 at the start dairy products were about the only source of income. 

 Gradually this has been changed, and at present, even though the 

 dairy is an important part of the farm, attention is given to several 

 lines. One of the chief purposes of this paper is to depict the meth- 

 ods of change and to show that the readjustment and the substitu- 

 tion of other lines in place of part of the dairy were justifiable. 



A pure-bred sire was included in the farm purchase. Several 

 cows also were pure bred, but the certificates of registration were lost 

 at the transfer of the property and the owner has never had' them 

 reentered. 



It has been the policy at all times to keep a pure-bred sire of good 

 quality in the herd. The heifer calves from the best producing 

 cows were grown and tested out for dairy production, the best being 

 kept and the others discarded. In this waj^ the quality and produc- 

 ing power of the cows have been constantly increased. 



The herd to-day is uniform and able to produce results. Several 

 cows have produced 60 pounds or more of milk a day and have main- 

 tained this record for continuous periods of from four to six months. 

 In addition to the cows which are produced on the farm it is the 

 practice of the owner to buy a few each year. Mr. English buys cows 

 just fresh, or those which will become fresh soon, at a nominal 

 figure. They are fed in his dairy for production during one year. 

 By this time they are in good condition for beef and are sold to a 

 butcher for at least as much as their purchase price and in the 



