The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-12-11

MANASsHEST OF CoW-HoUsES, &C.-The
following IS an extract from an article In
the Scottish Farmer on "Dairy Cows and
DaiTying": AA"
"Perlect cleanliness in eyery- mart of tbe
coW-house is of essential Importance. To
1 judge from the filthy condition In which
inany-too many-are kept, we would think
that this was not essential. The stall should
be Kept clean, and not only 80, but the walls
Tree from cob-webs and dust and not Iess
essential Is it that the hangers should be
kept clean also. Ii We would only nav A
little attention to the habits of our farm an.
imais 1t would be seen that they are scru.
pulou-ly clcan-almost fastidiously SO.
NJ UGH OF the benefit of good food is lost by
giving 1t badly prepared aud In dirty man.
gers or boxes. We have alluded to the i'm
portance of ventilation, but the benefit of
TINS Will be to large extent lost IL the inte-
| rior OF the house is not kept clean. It IL or
little use to admit fresh air to the interior IL
| it is only there to be mixed with noxlous
emanatlCns arising from the presence OF
| dirt. Another point to be attended to Ia
! the bedding or lttering for the cows, In
| many cases this is grossly neglected, the
animals being kept in very uncomfortable
condition. AS rule, the long straw which
Is generally used is used in q way ANYTHING
but economical. BY far the most efficient
4 ho3S SSouOiulCut way 10 use SCIHW IL 10
cut 1t with the straw-cutter. This may ap-
peDr to be costly mode OF using it, but it
Is quite The reverse. Less straw Is required
in this form than if used long, and 1t not only
admits OF the 'droppings' OF the COW being
lifted easily away without disturbing the
rest OF the bedding, but it is, when done
gwcll, in the best condition for the manure
aor dung heap. Saw.dust also forms an ex.
acellent bedding, as do leaves and fine tan
lner's bark. The ammonia which, in even
Aordinary circumstances, rises from the
sdroppings and bedding saturated with
urine, and is lost, may be fixed by sprink.
ling the bedding and the cutters with sui.
phuric acid-the oil OF yitriol of commerce.
One pound weight will fix the ammonia Of
sixty or seventy gallons OF urine. The LIQUID
should be led ut once from the house to the
sliquid-manurc tank, which win soon pay
for itself. The using Of sulphurlc acid will
raise the value OF the liquid manure, that
being estimated ut couple OF pounds 8
year per cow. The cost OF the acid thus
used will be very trifllng-au authority
puts 1t at one-half penny per cow per week.
1.-The best material out of sight for
making tllors Of cow. houses Is Portland
Cement Concrete 1t is easily made, easily
laid, economical, and gives Surface as fine
and as bard rs stone. Grooves for giving q
| loOENolu, III LnOuHnt necessary, anu cutters,
can be formed in it with the greatest ease.
But not only should the house be kept Gle an,
but it is essential that the animals them
selves be so also. 1t is unnecessary here to
describe in detail the Influence which the
skin has upon the health of on animal suf
flee it to say that it performs most impor
tant functions, which cannot be performed
if the coat OF the COW Is kept In filthy
condition, filed with dust or coated over
with patches of hardened manure. This
condition OF body induces the attacks and
agsrayetes the evil effects Of lice, &c. AL
sorts Of cures are advocated for this plague
Of parasites with which cows are afflicted
put if they were kept perfectly clean there
Awould be fewer occasions when such cases
would he necessary. Prevention Is better
than cure, and by attending to the cleanli
ness OF the cow much would be prevented
Cows should be curry.combed, or at al
leyents rubbed down carefully several time.
day with a wisp Of straw, and Ill manure
removed from their coats. All this may bf
considered troublesome, as no doubt IL Is
but then anything worth doing Is not done
without trouble, and TO make cows pay
cannot surely be called al unnecessary
trouble"