The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-10-24
THE DAIRY.
Inquiries regarding Dairying ch~eerfully an
sWered,
s0MR THINGS I HAVE LEARNED.

1 SUM IE94ENGS ! LAVE |GG3G&8NGO H.
Correspondence Of the Progressive Farmer.
IL has been said that we only thor.
oughly know what we have learned in
the hard school Of experience. While
we may get many good suggestions
from the writings and the talk of others
who have been longer in the way that
we ourselves have, still we not more
than halt believe what they tell US IN
less we have tested their statements
personally. In the course OF a some
what lengthy and varied experience, I
have had a few things quite forcibly
impressed up n my memory. l pro
pose to note some of these for the help
of any who may not yet have gone
along this way.
Early in my life on the farm l 8 Mt
several tubs of good butter to a CON-
mission merchant in Nav York city. I
knew nothing OF the man, except that
he advertised 10 leading farm journal
and promised great things. I waited
a long time and then wrote TO the
house. The answer was far from sat
isfactory. Another long wait and l
wrote again. This time my az yer
came from an attorney. The finn to
which I had ssnt my butter, it was
said, had made an assignment. Time
went on and at last I received the mag
nifcent sum Of ninety cents for three
tubs of butter. Lesson No. 1: Don't
chip goods to anyone without knowing
positively that he is reliable and doing
an honest business.
It took me q good while to learn that
men who carry OF public creameries
are not always fair with their patrons.
They are, some OF them, inclined to
read the test ia their own favor. S)me
men are also shortsighted enough to
weigh the milk sent them, carefully
I use this mild ter m charitably-aDd in
making their returns they give them
selves the long end. I never have been
able to understand why these things
should be so, for surely no man can
aft Jrd to do business in this way. He
is simply cutting eff the head of the
goose which lays the golden egg. So I
have learned to discriminate between
creamery men.
In these things. I could not help
blaming others rather more than I did
myself; but l now come to some points
wherein l myself was obliged to bear
the brun6 OF the criticism
For a good many years l la6ored
under the impression that any COW is
a good COW it you treat her we'll Ad
uniting that we may help a poor COW
to do better things than she is natur
ally inclined to do, still it il q great
mistake to think that we can make a
good COW out of one with vhjch
nature has dealt sparingly. I5 is pos
sible to make a whistle out Of q pigs
tail; but l never have learned that am
one has successfully followed the bus
ness up to the present time.
Then, too, I wa3 slow to learn that
the best way to make my dairy pay is
deal with my herd as II its memb re-
were not simply machines, but patient,
humble and very faithful servants, de
pendent upon me for their care and re
turning honest bricks for the straw l
g ave them to work with This lesson
M that I must give my COWS
YARN quarters, good food and enough
OF il, KIND treatment and as careful
oversight IS a man would give to any
other kind Of business.
Ia the same line with these lessons
have &C others relating to milk uten
5ils, such as churns, cans, porsable
ream2ries, pals, etc. These may
seem 60 be small affairs; but I have
that llfe is made up of deci
small matters anyway, aud who
ever neglects these dee 80 to his own
discredit and his own pecuniary loss,
E L. VINCENT.
Boone Co., N. Y