The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-05-10
for tbe farmers.
Fran the Cotton Plant

49, S,fSS~gNCS "S~S~S
s. Fran tie Cotton Plant
The Swiss Dairyanan--EiisC Cattle, and
moaie of making Cheese, &c.
Many Swiss farmers, like other ca,tle-breed-
ersi in the Old and New World, very often win
stermore cattle than they have food for, trust
ing to Providence Tor an early Spring to save
sgthea cattle from starving. e When the winter
Sis long, and the snow does not leave the val.
leys in season, pine, leaves and moss must take
THE place of hay: Il Is only the stable of the
!. large -farmers,andein the rich cantons, where
the fine colossal cattle, peculiar to Switzerland,
) can tie seen. The Swiss are generally very
Il much ATTACHED, to their cattle-thcy live under
IstbeSs anne roof with them, and have their CON-
I fort at heart. The stables are airy aud warm;
eleanGness,is one of the greatest virtues Of the
= Swiss ard It is not withheld from their cattle.
z Like all mountaincers, they are Of a supersti-
tons nature; they believe III hobgodlins, and the
like; trust in goats and bucks 10 Keep the
witches from the stable, aud what they are not
able to accomplish, ID keeping all supernatural
evil doers at bay, they hope to effect by nail.
ing the portrait of some saintto the stable door.
8 The saints without, and good fodder within,
{ thus make his cattle safe; aud good looking
The Swiss dairyman is very particular about
{ the fodder-it must be sound, fresh, and free
: from impurities; the hay is fed out with salt,
and Salts also used in stacking hay. Clean
iiness, he says, is half the fodder. The dung
= is also removed from under the cattle; the urine
is never allowed to accumulate in the stable;
the water for watering the cattle is kept pure
and fresh; the COWS arereguiarly curry-cembed,
e brushed and rubbed down with woolen rags,
TIL their coats shine bright. He talks with his
cattle as he would to his children;: and his bo-
vine family listens with pleasure to his re-
marks, and seems to understand the meaning
of his words In cases of sickness he knows
. q number ofremedies; and should the disease
take dangerous character, he callsar once for
the aid of the learned veterinary-perha
quicker than he would send for a ply yscian in
case of sickness in his own family.
The work about the stable is altogether per-
! formed by men. The Swiss say that if wo-
man milks COW, the nilk will spoil; others
obiectto women on account of their delicate
fingers being not strong enoug IN to milk cow
perfectly dry, which causes gradual dimnu-
ten of the milk; they pretend also that women
tickle the COWS, which makes them restless and
mischieyous. o,s..-e
The great delight and pride of a Swiss dali
ryman is fine herd of cattle, ornamented with
bells and bands embroidered with all kinds of
figures. This singular taste be enjoys as much
as the rich man does an array Of gold laced
livery servants The vanity OF having better
set Of bells, and the desire to outdo his neigh.
Dor, very often leads to extravaganza. They
Il hoIl ,,b
are in perfect tune and harmony with the note
z of the RAM de Vaches. The largest bells,
nearly foot in diameter, cost from SIG to
$50 a piece; and whole set, with rich bands
from $50 to 800; while the whole dress of the
owner amounts to not more than about S.
The largest bell is always allotted to the larg-
est and finest cow. The bells are used when
the cows 90 to and come from the mountains,
or when they are driven to another pasture or
farm.
When the daryman Of the canton Apenzel!,
for instance, moves his cows to another quar-
ter, he is very particular in his appearance. He
wears fine white shirt, with the sleeves turn.
ed up over his arms; large, red embroidered
suspenders, holding the yellow colored linen
Linexpressibles, and small leathern skull cap,
or large hat, finishes the toilet. Then with
bright scrubbed milk bucket thrown over his
left shoulder, he walks at the head Of his herd,
singing the Ranz des Haches in his best style;
at his heels closely follow three or four goats,
then comes the COW with the large bell, follow.
ed by the others in regular file, with the bull
in the roar, carrying the milk stool upon his
horns. The whole is followed up by >ledge,
with his furniture and dairy fixtures
1t is really surprising with what pride and
Importance the belEcows are inspired. They
are full of vanity and Jealousy; and should it
happen that ore Of them is deprived of her dis
tincton, she at once shows her grief she bel
lows, refuses food and loses flesh; if she has
chance she will attack her rival with perfect
rage and continues deadly warfare until she
glins her bell, or until it is taken from her
rival. Singular as this fact may seem, the ex-
pcrience Of centuries place it beyoad doubt.
When the ti,oe comes to drive to the moan.
tains. uh.ch i, generally about the latter part
of Nav aud the beginning of June, there is
u,uc. bu.to throughout the farm yard5-a'