MILKING. 71 



require time for this plan to work its way to the 

 front, but it is sure, to develop. 



Milking for prizes.— After studying over 

 this milking question for two years trying to 

 devise some plan by which I could interest my 

 milkers in their work, thereby securing better 

 service, I decided to offer prizes to be competed 

 for. I have five milkers and I offered three 

 prizes to be awarded on the percentage of 

 shrinkage for a term of months. The first 

 prize was $10, the second $5 and the third 

 $2.50. My milkers were greatly interested in 

 this work during the whole time of the con- 

 test and the results showed careful work. 



One milker who milked 12 cows had a varia- 

 tion from highest to lowest daily weight of 7 

 lbs. during a week. Another milker who had 

 14 cows to milk had as low a variation as 7^ 

 lbs. in the daily milk of his cows in a week. 

 My total milk, which reached 1,850 lbs. daily, 

 varied less than some of the patrons who had 

 250 to 300 lbs. daily. This was the result of 

 careful, systematic work and work that pays. 

 The young man who won the first prize had a 

 shrinkage of 1.85 lbs. per cow in three months. 

 The winner of the second prize made a shrink- 

 age of 2 lbs. per cow, and the third prize win- 

 ner made a shrinkage of 2.6 lbs. per cow for 

 the three months. These shrinkages figured to 

 percentages are as follows: First prize, .074; 



