Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-03-27

IOre clted, and $40 per head for extra labor,
interest, &c, we then have balance Of
SlOO per COW for profit.
Allow me to recapitulate, and contrast the
financial results OF the two ventures The
man Of muscle receives in gross S3250 per
COW, or 1850 from herd Of 20 cows The
man who combines brain work with his mus
cular !, rec receives $3.50 per COW, or the
round sum Of $4,000 from herd of 20
cows While the man Of muscle has lost
his labor and the interest on the money in
vested in his herd, the man Of brains has
received the same amount for keeping, aud
has a surplus 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 clear compensation Of
at least $4,000 per annum for the brain work
slose which he has put isto the business
Shall we admit in view OF these facts that
the calling Of the dairyman is worthy TO be
followed only by the mentally weak and the
ignorantf
You will doubtless say that have cited
extreme cases. l admit that the latter is
now an extreme case. and that il will be u
long time before any considerable proportion
Of the dairymen Of Vermont can obtain
such results. But it has been repeatedly ac-
complshed. II few can accomplish it,
why can not the great mass Of Vermont
dairymen, with the same intelligence and
enterpIise2 Those who have attained such
results have by no means reached perfection
Shall We say that 800 pounds per COW is the
ultimate limit Of productive capacity, while
we have well-Authenticated evidence that
individual Vermont COWS have produced tour
and even fire hundred pounds per annum
That all can get 90 cents per pound for
their butter is not so clear. That is a ques-
ton 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 question we may as well
leave for the next generation to discuss, for
the prospect new is that it will not affect us
IL l have cited extreme cases, and shown
extreme results, trust that have thereby
presented great fact in a strong light, viz:
that the great essential to improvement in
the dairy business is the application of more
brain icork TO its derelopment.
Any dAiryman Of ordinary ability, who
has not already applied himself to the work
Of improvement, il he cannot reach such re.
suits as in the case last named, may, if he
will, at least double his present profits To
do this we have often only to add slightly to
our present gross receipts, for, be it remem-
bered, large sum must always be allowed,
whether we manage well or not, tor the
cost, keeping and care Of stock. aud the
necessary tools With which TO conduct the
business, for the unavoidable depreciation in
the value of these, for labor, interest, salt.
freights, commissions, &C.. &C., and when We
have deducted this largo aggregate Of out
goes,with bad management we find thesum left,
sum left is very small, but such "a il is il
represents our profits. This comparatively
small balance is a delicate iudex by which
to dstermiBe the amount Of thought aud in.
dustry which we put into our business. Like
the mercury in the delicate thermometer S
tube il rises or falls obedient to The slight
est change in the condition of thaton which
it rests in the bulb below
Every improvement we make adds di.
rectly to our profits, with few, it any,
extra deductions for outgoes. He who by
his superior intelligence aud skill has doubled
the productive capacity Of his COWS, has
done so only by the application of great nat
ural laws, whether he ls conscious Of it or
not. Aud to so understand those laws and
their application that one can uniformly pro-
duce such results, is to possess degree of
scientific knowledge worthy Of the best schol-
Ars in the land. 1t is as assuredly a mental
triumph ss is the legal code OF Blackstone
over the legal absurdities Of the dark ages,
only varying in degree.-A triumph Of vast
ly greater practical Importance TO the world
than usually results from the acquisition of
a knowledge of al those branches embraced
in the currIculums of some Of our literary
institutions.
Thomas Bates, the renowned breeder of
Shorthorns, used to say that hundreds OF
men could be found 6t to be prime minister
Of England, for one that was qualified to be
a good breeder of Shorthorns." Perfect
success depends wholly upon intelligent, sys-
tematic effort. 1t cannot be accomplished
by hard work uncombined with mental ap.
plcation, by the adoption Of whimsical
notions, irrational modes, or traditional prac-
tices. 1t depends upon many conditions Of
WulCu buC OpCIatOt uuNC ClCdI tOuGtp"
tons, and the details Of his practice must be
in accordance with them.
Ask the engineer in what consists the su-
periority o his engine, and he will reply "in
the perfection Of all its parts" Just so
with systematic dairying, depends
upon the perfect execution of all its details
| will name some of the more Important
of these, aud endeavor TO point out the field
for ment'l application which this calling
presents.
1t will be found in the selection Of stock;
in the breeding Of that stock in aequir-
ing a knowledge Of the dietetic requirements
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, aud that Of the richest quality. A
knowledge of a system Of farming must be
acquired, by which we shall be enabled to
provide this food in abundance, the most
cheaply, aud at all seasons OF the year; 1t
will be found in the study aud application of
those hygienic laws, upon the observance OF
which the health OF our domestic animals
depends; in the study Of the physiological
structure of our animals, that we may care
for them intelligently when diseased, or dis
abled by accident. A field for thought will
be found iDlthe provision of those conven-
iences, by which the COW eau be made the
most comfortable, and her milk secured free
from filth and taints. We should study the
structure aud properties of our milk, aud
learn how We can best Sremove its animal
odors, and detect unhealthy aud impure con-
ditions. In its manufacture into butter or
cheese, we have wide field for thought.
IT into butter, 10 the selection aud lpracticc
of the best system for separating our Ecream
from the milk aud also in separating the
particles OF butter perfectly from the other
Ingredients Of the cream, and in their re-
tention in = pure state, without the loss of
that peculiar favor which we'll manufactured
butter should possess; in preparing that
butter DO that il shall retain its good quali-