Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-10-11
Waste Not. Want Not.

MMtN millions nave been wasted by
Era-- ID become worthless for food by
remaining uucut til the dog-days? This
-atie.t o. waste should be Investigated al
-l tac pl0wing und9r of good clover as a
nlaure. Tn advocates of this plan Of dis
posing Ol food for cattle have more sense,
though. than some of the farmers who cut
It for hay, fJr they say it does the land much
less good when turned under after it is in
full bloom, for the stems become woody, and
o not dccOmpose so as to furnish food for
the plants A quantity OF sticks may al
most a. well be plowed IN, says one writer.
But great bulk of the stOck-raisers have
not the same regard for feeding their cattle,
and for their having dige>tible food, which
Will nOurish the system, promoting luXuri
ant growth and health; they will let their
clover and grass become all sticks and ,ycu. III
er-beaten rubbish, which their poor, unfortu-
nate animals are obliged to have torture their
stOmachs or die of starvation. it would be
blessing if these men, having no bowels of
compassion, were compelled to eat stale food
Of all kinds Vegetables that were going to
seed, and meat from animals Just passing to
the very last stage of dried. withered old age,
being like the hay, al but dead before the
cutting of the last thread of life.
Waste is a term often misapplied, and too
much frugality proves very often waste in
cattle at milking times during the summer
of 1865, and to induce them to eat AZ
much as possible, put more before them
than they could clear up, leaving perhaps
about eighth, which was given to other
stock. This millet. Hungarian grass,
and sOwed corn, which was abundantly
grown, there being plenty coming on all the
while The cows gave double the milk they
had done the previous summer, and were often
fed IN the shade in hot weather, in addition
to the feeding at morning and evening, the
superintendent well rs the herdsman feel
ing interested in producing much butter
as possible. One day the proprietor visited
the cow-sheds while the man was removing
the refuse, and using the expression at the
top of this article. ordered the cows should
only have rs much as they would eat up,
which OF course was complied with, as he
was gentleman not disposed to be argued
with The consequence was. shrinking of
two and quarter pounds of butter each cow
per week, and slight depreciation in tile
quality of the butter. as all the coarse and
rank heritage had to be eaten, and they did
not fill Themselves so full as when they could
pick out all the sweet and tender portions.
Now here was mistake, and there are many
such, for even if there is no rough store cat
! tie to clear up after, not only milking cows,
but beef, cattle and calves, ETC., it would be
better to put unpalatable food for bedding,
and make manure Of it. Yet the same man
who had been blowing under fifty tons of fine
clover, would cry shame, and preach SER
mon from the text, So W aste not, want not, -
if he saw any under the cattle. There is a
medium in all things, and it is well for peo-
pie to reckon up and consider on every ap-
pearance Of waste, before they begin preach
ing too much. Look at the barnyards and
see the juice of the dung running away, and
every shower taking off the essence of all
lying in the RECONSTRUCTED receptacles-look
at the food lot of farm hands will waste
when inferior goods are bought. A good
wholesome article of diet is the cheapest to
them with good management there need be
no waste.-Country Gentleman