The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-04-14

w luc Cbf0 utsVIe cltcu, anu SlO per
head for extra labor. interest, etc., we
then have balance OF 500 per COW
profit.
Allow me TO recnpitulate, and contrast
the financial results OF the two ventures.
The man OF muscle receives in gross
S32.50 per COW, or $3.50 from herd of
20 cows. The man who combines brain
work with his muscular force receives
$3.50 per COW, or the round sum of
$4,000 from u herd Of 90 COWS While
the man of muscle mas lost his labor and
the interest on the money invested in his
herd, the man of brains has received the
same amount Tor keeping, and has sur.
plus Of $3.50, with which to pay for his
extra keeping and care. AS the cost OF
this can not reasonably exceed $3.50 10
Vermont he receives a clear compensa.
ton Of at least $4,000 per annum for the
brain work alone which he has put into
the business. Shall we admit iu view Of
these facts that tho calling of the dairy.
man is worthy to be followed only by the
mentally weak and the ignorant?
You will doubtless say that have
cited extreme cases. admit that the
latter is now an extreme case, and that it
will be a long time before any considera
bic proportion of the dairymen of Yer
mont can obtain such results But it
has been repeatedly accomplished. If a
few can accomplish it, why can not the
great mass of Vermont dairymen, with
the same intelligence and enterprise ?
Those who have attained such results
have by no means reached perfection.
Shall we say that 800 pounds per COW is
the ultimate limit reproductive capacity,
while We have wel.authenticated evil
dence that individual Vermont cows have
produced tour and even fire hnadred lbs,
per annum ?
That all can get SO cents per pound
for their butter is not so clear. That is
n question OF supply and demand. How
large an amount of prime butter would
be required to overstock the market, we
have no means Of knowing. That ques-
ton we may as well leave for the next
generation to discuss, for the prospect
now is that it will not affect US.
IF ! have cited extreme cases, and
shown extreme results trust that |
have thereby presented a great Fact in a
strong light, viz: that the great essen
tia to improvement in the dairy business
I is Me application Of morc train ,cork IN
its Development.
Any dairyman of ordinary ability.
who has not already applied himself to
the work of Improvement, if he cannot
reach results as in the case last named,
may. if he will, at least double his pres.
ent profits. To DO this we have often
only to add slightly TO our present gross
receipts, for, be it remembered, large
sum must always be allowed, whether we
manage well or not, for the cost keeping
and care Of the stock, and the necessary
tools with which to conduct the business,
for the unavoidable depreciation in the
value of these, for labor, interest, salt,
ireights, commissions, etc, etc. and when
we have deducted this large aggregate of
outgoes, with bad management we find
the sum left is very small. but such as it
is it represents our profits. This com.
paratively small balance is delicate 10.
dex by which to determine the amount OF
thought and industry which we put into
cur business. Like the mercury 10 the
delicate thermometer tube, it rises or
falls obedient to the slightest change in
the condition Of that on which it rests in
the bulb below.
Every improvement We make adds di.
rectly to our profits. with few. if any,
extra deductions for outgoes. lie who
BY his superior intelligence and skill has
doubled the productive capacity Of his
cows, has done so only by the cpplica-
ton Of great natural laws, whether he is
conscious Of it or not. And to SO un.
derstand those laws and their application
that one can uniformly produce such re.
suits, is to possess a degree of scientific
knowledge worthy of the best scholars in
the land, 1t is as assuredy mental
triumph as is the legal code OF Black.
stone over the legal absurdities of the
dark ages, only varying in degree a
triumph OF vastly greater practical i'm.
portance to the world than usually results
from the acquisition Of knowledge Of
all those branches embraced in the curri.
culums Of some Of our literary institu.
/ tions.
Thomas Bates, the renowned breeder of
Shorthorns, used to say that "hundreds of
men could be found fit to be prime min
lister of England, for one that was quail.
fed to be good breeder of Shorthorns "
Perfect success depends wholly upon in.
teligent, systematic effort. 1t cannot be
accomplished by hard work uncombined
with mental application, by the adoption
Of whimsical notions, irrational modes, or
traditional practices. 1t depends upon
many conditions Of which the operator
must have clear conceptions and the de.
tails Of his practice must be in accord
ance with them.
Ask the engineer in what consists the
superiority Of his engine and he will an.
swer you, "jA tie pertection IF all aS
parts." Just so with systematic dairy.
iug-success depends upon the perfect
execution Of all its details.
| will name some of the more import.
ant Of these, and endeavor TO point out
the field for mental application which
this calling presents.
1t will be found in the selection OF
stock in the breeding of that stock in
acquiring a knowledge of the dietetic re.
quirements Of the COW, especially when in
milk, that we may with certainty supply
her with just the amount and kind Of food
which will stimulate an abundant and
healthy flow of milk, and that of the
richest quality. A knowledge of sys.
TEN Of farming must be acquired, by
which we shall be enabled to provide this
food in abundance, the most cheaply, and
at all seasons Of the year it will be
found in the study and application Of
thnse hpuienic laws unon the ohservonoa