The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-07-22

and less than nothing, for these laboriously
worked-up yields of special cows Of any
breed. They are utterly delusive and OF
no value except for advertising purposes
for which alone they are got up and pub
lished. By their effect upon uninstructed
farmers and beginners, they temporarily
boom prices, and are often the prime cause
OF slaughter-sales like those of Judge Bond
and Mr.. Cheney. Experienced dairymen,
who are not also breeders and boomers, take
no stock and very little interest in them.
When only one dairyman in many hundred
can get herd of even the best cows up to
an annual average of $50 pounds Of butter
per COW, of what interest can 1t be to the
many hundreds who cannot attain that
point to hear of yields, like this given by
Mr.. Ullery, OF a COW which has boom
record of 1853 pounds and 10 ounces of
butter in a year, or similar great yields of
cows Of other breeds2 These are quite like
the publication of large prizes drawn by
some who speculate in lottery tickets, and
they are put in print for exactly the same
purpose--only the lottery-men pay big prices
for their advertisements, while the cow
men try to work them into the papers
gratis"
Now, as to booming" which means
raising the value of property or stock under
false pretences, we entirely agree with DR..
Hoskins, and sincerely hope that such rob-
bers or boomers may get their deserts,
quickly and surely, as should robbers of
every description. But on the other hand,
it strikes us very forcbly that all progressive
farmers are greatly interested in the knowl-
edge Of what their own farm-stock can do
under the best-tbat is, the most profitable
circumstances. And to obtain such nforma-
tion which, when obtained becomes ex-
tremely valuable to the farming community
at large, it is necessary that careful honest
record be kept of the doings of our animals,
counting, firstly the cost of food and care;
and, secondly, the gross returns obtained
in pounds of butter
Some years ago, before daily records, both
of feed and of milk returns, were kept
under our immediate direction, we had
doubts that even $50 pounds of butter per
COW could be obtained with profit from Or
binary good cows. Now, after several years
of experience with ordinary good cows, pur-
chased at low prices in the open market, in
this province, we have come to the conclu-
sion that every farmer in the land can, if
he so wishes, produce either Is pounds, or
$50 pounds, or even $50 pounds of butter
from the same herd in the year. To obtain
the best results is simply a question of
proper selection of good, ordinary mich
cows, of proper care, Of well-balanced and
well-prepared food regularly, every day and
several times a day through the year. Now,
every farmer can do that; but unfortunately
most farmers do not think it worth their
while to look after and care for their cows
in the regular, intelligent manner which
alone secures success, the year through;
and, therefore, the extraordinary difference
in the results obtained. There are, all over
the country, at the present moment, thou
sands of cows giving-with an abundance of
grass of course-an average of from thirty
five to forty pounds of milk daily, or from
one to two pounds of butter. Unfortunately,
as rule, such yields only last few days,
or weeks, at most and as the grass de-
creases, down goes the yield from day to
day, until the cold rains and the short-day
feed of November will dry such cows COM
pletely. Now, had the same cows received
intelligent, constant, economic care from
their first calving, with sufficiency of food
from meal to meal, we are sure that
most, if not all of them, would have become
standard butter cows, giving an average of
even $50 pounds annually Therefore,
where DR.. Hoskins says when only one
dairyman in many hundreds can get herd
of even the best cows up to an annual av-
erage of $50 pounds of butter per cow" we
would have said does" instead of "can."
We state positively that all farmers could
obtain even the larger yield, had they taken
the necessary means to obtain their pur-
pose-and we add, that when so intent,
they could do so easily, and with great profit,
even when prices obtained for really first
class butter are at the lowest.
Our advice to all intelligent darymen,
therefore, is as follows: ~ Learn how but
ter cows should be cared for and fed (2)
Select the right kind of animals. (3) Do
them full justice, using your brains to OBJ
tain the required result at the lowest pos
sible cost a. Keep strict, honest record,
both as to quantity and cost of feed, and as
to quantity of butter made and price OBJ
tanned. o. Only publish such records as
you can abundantly prove to be true, and
we have no doubt that Dr. Hosl1ins and
many other honest editors OF farm journals
will be thankful for the information thus
obtained, by which much good must follow.
Ed. A. BARNARD.
Quebec, July l, 1891.
REMARKS BY AGRICULTURAL Ed