St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1890-01-25

Or her butter Is flrst-class. J: nay seem
1t first thought that this statement il
ridiculous, but one thing we know: We
never have seen q butter-maker who
thought there was any body living who
could make . better article Of butter
than he or she made. Some of the most
horrible butter we ever saw W IS thought
to be most excellent by the maker.
Now what we would like to have every
butter-maker and every cheese-m aker
in this country do, is to find out whether
or not they really are producing as well
rs they think. The dairy has been re-
duced to considerable Of science, ami
the scientific principles that are applica'
bic in it, Must be understood, or at best
our work is the work Of chance. 1t will
not answer to say or think that our
methods are good enough because our
mothers adopted them. 1t makes no
difference what our mothers did. Tho
question of making butter and cheese
ian not he settled by attempting to de-
eide it by what our parents did or did
or did not do. IL We are not getting as
good price for our butter as any body
else gets, there must be reason for it,
and what reason can there be, except
thai our butter is not as good as that
which brings better price in the very
same market to which ours is taken?
why is it not? Now such questions
should cause US to pause and investi-
gate. 1t is no disgrace to learn: and to
any one who has not kept abreast with
the progress Of the dairy there is very
much to learn. Such person will be
astcnished at the progress that has
been made. We would like to have
every one who is engaged in making
dairy products. and who has not investi-
gated new methods and the application
of new principles, to begin the study OF
them. throwing aside all prejudices
and starting out with the full determine
ton Of learnings all there is to learn.
Tho study OF merits Of the
different breeds Of cows, ought
to be the first thing to do.
The loss to the dairy from keeping poor
cows is incalculable. A poor cow is
mighty poor property; and il those who
are keeping poor cows would take the
trouble to compare their profits, II they
have any, with the profits Of those who
are keeping good cows, it would require
but very short time for them to see
what = very great mistake they are max
ing. 1t is this want of investigation IS
to the merits Of cows that is one great
drawback to the dairy. In fact, it is the
neglect to keep a debit and credit ac-
count with the herd that is the cause OF
some people going on for years with.
out making any thing from tho
dairy. As matter Of fact there
should be such an account kept
with each individual COW, for it is by 40
means an unusual thing to find upon n.
vestigation that q herd contains indi.
viduals that are not worth keeping.
But they are retained there from year
to year because the average Is satis-
factory. and the good cows are hiding
the defects of the poor ones. The dairy
and our livestock enterprises will never
be what they ought to be until we keep
detailed account Of our outgoes and
incomes. If the man with an unproiit-
able herd could he induced to keep such
an account, nothing would be needed to
induce him to get better herd, fol
every man wishes to make money, and
no man will do business at a loss, il hs
can prevent it.-American StOckman