- Take entire care of a cow and the milk of one cow for one month, keeping record of quantity of each milking.
- Make butter at four different times, and submit statement of amount made and of the process followed in making.
- Make pot cheese; give method.
- Name four different breeds of cows. How can they be distinguished. Which breed gives the most milk? Which breed gives the richest milk?
- What are the rules for feeding, watering and pasturing cows? What feed is best for cows? What care should be given cows to keep them in perfect condition? What diseases must be guarded against? Why is it so imperative to have a cow barn, all implements, workers and cows scrupulously clean?
- Of what is milk composed? How is cream separated from milk? Name two processes and explain each. How and why should milk be strained and cooled before being bottled or canned?”
As Miss Mason concluded reading the article, the girls looked at each other, and one of them said: “Who can answer those questions?”
Then it developed that three of the girl scouts of Solomon’s Seal could not only reply correctly to the questions, but could give more valuable information than was expected of them. Miss Mason knew they had been born and reared on farms, but the girls under Mrs. James’s care were not aware of it.
“That simplifies our troubles with the cow, right off,” declared Janet. “We’ll ask the three wise ones to show us how to do things right.”
“And Rachel and I will umpire the contests of milking and churning,” added Mrs. James.
“Now that we have decided to form a corporation do you not think the three village scouts should be invited to take a share in the cow, if they so desire?” suggested Miss Mason.
“Oh, of course! We forgot all about them,” said Natalie.
“We’ll invite them to join us when Frances drives to Four Corners this afternoon,” added Janet.
“Those girls can milk a cow like anything! And they all can churn butter, too,” announced Norma.
“If we keep on adding members to our stock company the poor cow will be divided into minutest pieces to enable each stock owner to hold a share,” remarked Mrs. James laughingly.