MOTHER NATURE'S GOAT 95 



sire of the little doe, or her brother? In hardihood, en- 

 durance, strength, courage and alertness neither of them 

 can be surpassed. How can I go astray in mating them?" 



Not a Dairy Animal. — " And so," says Mother 

 Nature, " here is my little goat. I have done the best I 

 could for her. If you will carefully husband the good 

 gifts I have given her, and add to them out of yom- 

 superior resources, she will prove the greatest treasure I 

 have given mankind out of the storehouse of my moun- 

 tain meadows and upland plains. I know that she is not 

 a milk goat, my little wild doe, but she has it in her to 

 become the most wonderful little milk factory in all the 

 world. It's up to you." 



The story thus presented to us will be found to have 

 a verj' pertinent bearing upon the problems to be dis- 

 cussed in the succeeding chapters on the buck, the kids, 

 and the does. As we discuss in detail the various phases 

 of the care of our dairy goats, we shall have many occa- 

 sions to refer to this chapter taken from the annals of 

 Mother Nature. 



Points of Disagreement Among Breeders. — Before 

 taking up this detailed discussion, it may be well to state 

 that there are many matters involved in the care of goats 

 that are still subjects of disagreement even among the 

 best breeders. The theory and practice of management 

 in one herd may differ widely from that in another, al- 



