The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-11-23
How to Improve the Cows.

-.3--I7J. = .>-'N tsNAstAA A1OA Inv yOuI
paper for it seems to be the only
one in existence that is run BY men
who are studying the same prob
lens we are. I have always been
struck with the close, practical
character of your replies to cor
respondents. That is worth a
great deal to the subscriber. Now
| want to see if you can cut out a
piece of advice that will fit nv ne
cessitles. [ have been keeping a
limited number of COWS for some
years: They are all of that mixed
blood we call natives, some of them
are right good ones too. But the
DG9rymo0ao kept squirting me up
till | thought Iwould see Just how
good they were. So I bought a
Babcock tester, pair of spring
scales, all advertised in the DuS7sV-
man, and went at it, for a straight
SIX months. I tell you it is a great
revelation. Fully a third of my
COWS are not paying for their keep;
one u; third barely pay, and one
third bring me some profit. Now
| see where the leak was and why
| could make scarcely any money.
| want to get into the ri ght track
as soon as possible. Will you
kindly tell me what to do? MY
farm is intervale and hill pasture
like most Of Pennsylvania farms.
SUBSCRIBER.
Westmoreland Co., Pa.
While we appreciate the conf
dence "Subscriber' expresses in
the practical quality of the Dairy
man in its advice, still it is very
difficult to so shape a suggestion
as that the person desiring it can
always make it fit his particular
case.
First, we wish to call attention
to what "Subscriber'' has done for
himself. He has gone at work
like sensible, intelligent man to
find out the truth about his COWS.
No more fooling away of years of
labor for him on a blind leak.
That's sensible. We will wager
he will come out all right without
advice, but we will offer a few
suggestions. There is a great deal
in breed, as much in COWS as in
any other animal.
First you must keep up your
dairy, for that is your source of
revenue. Sell off those poor cows,
two-thirds of the lot. Get what
you can for them, but don't keep
them a week longer than you are
,obliged to. Start out with your
Babcock tester and scales and test
the COWS Of your neighbors; when
you find a good one buy her if you
pay a high price for her. Remem-
Der that money is worth no more
than the interest 1t will bring, and
$5O for a COW is only So annual in
terest in Pennsylvania. She will
be apt to pay you so per cent. on
the Investment besides her keep.
At the same time select a young
registered bull, not less than a
year old, of some one of the speci-
fic dairy breeds-the one you like
best. He should be good animal
individually, but look we'll to the
mother and grandmothers behind
him. A good pedigree is worth a
great deal. You are buying him
for the blood or breeding power
there is in him, and that is very
largely dependent on the blood or
breeding power that is behind him.
Handle him rightly and keep him
long enough to breed to the best
and strongest of his daughters, but
not to his granddaughters. Make
a rigid selection Of the heifers,
just as you would of the COWS you
bought. Give your neighbors a
limited use of the bull, but only
to frst-class COWS, free of cost and
on the basis that if the produce is
a heifer you shall have the privi-
lege of buying it at a fair price.
Keep an eye out constantly for a
frst-class COW, and don't be afraid
OF paying good price for her.
The man that sells her is the loser.
not you. Work along in this way
|