MARKET MILK IN VERMONT. 6 
The field agent also verified the records of feeds that were being 
fed on the inspection day, recording the kind, quantity, cost, and de- 
scription of each, and compared them with the quantities recorded by 
the cow tester in the cow-testing- association books. 
The quantity of milk sold and receipts each month were obtained, 
and the whole milk used by the proprietor and his help or fed to 
calves which were being raised was measured or weighed and used as 
a basis for determining the amount kept on the farm during the 
month. 
Each dairyman kept an itemized account of expenses which were 
incurred between the monthly visits, and these items were recorded 
by the field agent. A monthly record was also kept of the purchase or 
sale of cows, calves, and hides. Outside bull service and other mis- 
cellaneous information relating to the herd were recorded. The field 
agent also noted the condition and methods of handling the manure 
and reported it each month. . 
When all the labor operations about the dairy had been completed 
for the day at the first farm, the field agent drove to the next farm in 
time to observe the labor operations connected with the evening chores. 
This program was followed each day until Saturday afternoon, when 
he returned to his official headquarters and finished his reports for 
the week's work. The same program was followed each week, so that 
each farm under observation was visited for a working day every 30 
days throughout the two years. 
WINTER AND SUMMER FEEDING. 
Since the winter and summer seasons have a marked influence on 
the principal factors entering into the cost of producing milk, the 
results have been computed separately for those periods. The 
months from November to April, inclusive, represent the winter 
season, and from May to October the summer season. 
The various tables found in this bulletin are based upon figures 
obtained during the two years of the studty, and the weighted average 
of the two-year records was used whenever it would more accurately 
express the result. The weighted average was obtained by giving 
each item a different weight in the average according to its relative 
importance. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE HERDS. 
The principal dairy breeds were well represented by grade and 
purebred animals, but the Holsteins were most numerous. During 
the first year records were obtained on 17 herds having an average 
size of 26.1 cows, with an average annual production, per cow, of 
5,415 pounds of milk, testing 4.0 per cent butterfat. Eighteen herds 
were studied during the second year. These herds had an average 
