Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-08-21
Do You See the Difference ?

A short time ago neighbor asked me
how it was that some farmers received 9,
s and II cents for their milk, while 9th
ers, who fed literally and whose milk
tested we'll, were able to get only 2, 3
and perhaps 4 cents.
| It's the same principle that makes one
shop a great success and another, where
the same things are sold, failure. The
chap who goes in for dairying because he
loves it, is fond of animals, il clean and
neat by instinct, and has business ability,
| will be the one who will get from to II
cents for his milk. The writer has in
mind two farms where milk is sold as
the main product. Perhaps by describ-
ing these farms will answer my neigh
boris question.
Some twenty miles from Philadelphia,
near a good macadam pike, stands a
large, Old-fashioned farmhouse, sur
rounded by some 200 fertile acres. Here
two young men are engaged in dairying
as source of livelihood. Personally
they are kindly, honest fellows who are
not in the least afraid of work. The
farm, however, has a neglected air, and
the barn whore all the livestock ia
housed is much in need of paint and re
pairs. The herd consists of Is mixed
cows and grade bull. The basement is
used for the livestock, the COWS being
tied in two rows, one of ten COWS and
the other of eight. There are four small
windows, covered for the most part with
dust, and three doors. The floor is of
clay; the ceiling and walls are unwhite-
washed and festooned with cObwebs.
:, kalr o,,t do In,
summer and twice in winter, and piled
in the cow-yard, in which large pool of
water stands most of the time. The live
stock is fed literally and the COWS look
healthy, but dirty. The milk is shipped
in cans to town every morning, and the
price received is cents in summer and
4 in winter. The men milk in their over
alls, and never think of washing either
themselves or the cows.
The other farm is situated some two
miles from town of $4,000 inhabitants
in Connecticut. The house is built on q
knoll, is modern and surrounded with
flowers and trees; at the entrance are
two fine gate-posts, from the tops of
which nasturtiums grow in summer.
The drive to the house is kept hard and
free from weeds, shrubs abound, and the
grass near the buildings is kept moved.
The barn where the cows are housed is
a modern structure, shingled and partly
covered with vines. The first floor is de-
voted to the cattle, of which there are
thirty. The floor is cemented, except
where the cattle stand, and the ceiling
and walls are finished in hard wood.
There are plenty of large windows. Each
two stalls are provided with water, and
the cows are fastened in swing stanch-
ions. The manure is carried out twice
day in summer and three times in win
ter, and is taken directly to the fields or
composted under shed. The barn con-
tains neat milk and refrigerator room,
and wash room.
The men are obliged to wash and put
on white clothes before milking. The
cows are curried every day, and their
udders washed before milking. The
milk is cooled and bottled, and delivered
to the customers in the town by the man
who owns the farm. Everything looks
clean and attractive, and customers are
invited to visit the farm at any time.
The milk sells for s cents the year
round.
Neighbor, do you see the difference ?
1t cost more to produce certified milk,
but it brings twice as much.-E. K. P. in
Country Gentleman.