158 THE BEEF BONANZA. 



In this case the profit was undoubtedly put too low 

 by Mr. Curly, but it was impossible to estimate it very 

 exactly, as the herd had not been long enough in hand 

 for that purpose. 



To substantiate what I have asserted as to the adap- 

 tability of our Western grasses and climate to that 

 branch of industry, I will close this article by some ex- 

 tracts from letters written by practical dairymen in the 

 West. 



Mr. Franklin Ketcham, of Cheyenne, Wyoming 

 Territory, writes : " I have been engaged in dairying 

 near Cheyenne, in Crow Creek Valley, for years. I 

 started by milking five cows, and carrying the milk on 

 foot in a pail to my customers. I added more cows to 

 my number from time to time as the profits allowed. 

 The second season I was milking 52 cows, all bought 

 from the business started by the first five cows. I have 

 found that a good dairy-cow will make as much but- 

 ter or cheese from our wild grasses as in any country 

 on tame grasses. Our cool climate is finely adapted to 

 making both butter and cheese. I am now milking 

 32 cows, which are not fed either hay or grain, but 

 graze in the valley of Crow Creek on the old dry grass. 

 They give from thirty-six to forty gallons of milk per 

 day. I shall add 125 cows to my present number the 

 coming season." 



Mr. W. D. Pennock writes : " I have been engaged 

 in dairying near Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory, on a 

 branch of Crow Creek. The first season I milked 15 

 cows, the next summer 32, the next year 35, and the 

 following year 45. We sold our milk for the first six 



