Our Farm of Four Acres

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: 20 CHAPTER III. OUR SECOND COW. Having succeeded so well with our butter-making, we thought that, as we had to perform the duties of dairy- women, we might as well have the full benefit of our labour. We, therefore, purchased another cow; but, before doing so, were advised not to have a Welsh one this...
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Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: 20 CHAPTER III. OUR SECOND COW. Having succeeded so well with our butter-making, we thought that, as we had to perform the duties of dairy- women, we might as well have the full benefit of our labour. We, therefore, purchased another cow; but, before doing so, were advised not to have a Welsh one this time, but to give more money and have a larger animal. This we did, and bought a very handsome strawberry-coloured one, for which, with the calf, we gave 15Z.; and here it will be as well to say that we think it was 51. thrown away, for in no respect did she prove more valuable than the black one, for which we had given but 10Z. For a small dairy, we think the black Welsh cow answers as well, or better, than any other. The price is very small, and, judging from our own, they are very profitable. They are also much hardier than those of a larger breed, and may be kept out all the winter, excepting when snow is on the ground. From experience, wo may add that the Ayrshire cow, with which we made acquaintance afterwards, is one of the best sort of cows for a small farm. They are gentle, docile, easily satisfied with their rations, and so affectionate as soon to become household pets. With our second cow came a new trouble. It had only been in our possession a week, when one morning we received the unwelcome intelligence that the new cow was very bad.We went into the meadow, and saw the poor creature looking certainly as we had been told, very bad. We asked our factotum what was the matter with her. To this he replied that he did not know, but that he had sent for a man who was very clever in cows. In a short time this clever man arrived, bringing with him a friend, likewise learned in cattle. He went to se the patient, and returned to us looking very profound. ...