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Wisconsin - State Agricultural Society. 
ing everything at the right time, good salt for seasoning and pre¬ 
serving, and above all, strict cleanliness must be observed during 
the entire process. 
The majority of our cows are profitable, if well kept, though oc¬ 
casionally there is an extra good one; when such an one is found, 
take extra care of, and keep her; turn off the unprofitable ones for 
beef, which will require but a little extra feed and attention if you 
have done your duty in giving them a fair trial for the dairy- 
Save the heifer-calves from your best cows and sire; those posessing 
the best milking qualities. To test the quality of milk, I have glass 
vessels about the size of a common candle, six inches long and 
standing upon end; these I fill with milk, and if, with a fair trial, 
the cream rises five-eighths of an inch in thickness, which can eas¬ 
ily be seen through the glass and measured, I call the cow pro¬ 
ducing it a passably good one; if less than one-half inch, I discard 
her. I have a cow at this time which gives 'an average of thirty 
pounds a day, whose milk by this test raises seven-eighths of an 
inch in thickness, and I doubt not makes ten pounds of butter per 
week. She came in about two months ago; her appearance would 
indicate a dash of Short-Horn blood; good size, good appetite, and 
good digestion. I consider her product extra, considering her al¬ 
lowance of feed, which is daily about six quarts of bran, one pail¬ 
ful of carrots, two pailsful of ears of corn, and all the clover and 
timotliy-hay she will eat, with an occasional change of corn-stalks 
and corn-fodder, raised specialy for forage. I have no personal 
knowledge of the Alderney and Ayershire or other commended 
breeds for the dairy only as seen at the fairs. To those having the 
conveniences a trial would seem advisable. 
Cows should be protected from'the inclemency of the weather, in 
warm, dry, well-ventilated stables, and right here is where strict 
cleanliness should commence. Eastern writers lay great stress 
upon this point, and are particular to urge washing the udder before 
milking. I would say by all means wash if necessary, and I often 
do it, but in Wisconsin, where straw is in such abundance and 
cheap, which if used liberally renders washing unnecessary—all that 
is wanted is a free use of the card and brush, which removes all ex¬ 
traneous substances, and is much more acceptable to the cow. My 
stable is in a stone building forty by fifty; its side-walls are thirty 
feet high, its basement is about one-half under ground, one-sixth of 
