Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-12-05

the programme has been published in your col
umns. A degree of apprehension was felt in
certain quarters when it was proposed to hold the
meeting at Barre, lest, on account Of the want
of railroad facilities, it might be a failure as far
as numbers are concerned. But when the time
approached it became evident that such appre-
tensions were groundlesS, and when the session
was opened the town hall was well filled by the
citizens of Barre and neighboriug towns, who
had turned out TO listen TO the distinguished
gentlemen of the board and others who we've to
address the meeting.
AT three O'Clock the assembly was called to
order by T. P. Root Esq, the member of the
board from barre, who delivered an exceedingly
well prepared and appropriate address of vel
come to his associates, and was followed by DR..
c. G. Allen, a member of the committee Of citi
zCus of Barre, who welcomed the people present
from neiehboring towns in behalf Of the people
Of BARRE, and rendered them the Inequalities OF
our homes.
Hon. Harris Lewis of Herkimer county, N. Y,
was then introduced, and spoke for perhaps an
hour in plain practical style, without much
attempt at oratOry, but there was even of
genuine humor running through his remarks
which rendered them spicy in the best sense.
He said he was practical farmef WHO laBored
daily in the field, and has MIXED his seven cows
night and morning up to day before yesterday,
and hence has had little time to devote to the
preparation Of an address lie had been in
duced to come lily his friend, Mr.. Flint, and
clasp hands with Massachusetts farmers across
the ehasm between Herkimer and Barre.
His topic he announced as summer and win
ter feed and care Of cows. Grass Is the only
food suitable for dairy cows, and nothing else
is necessary for the best success in the produc-
ton of milk. He had tried corn fodder, but
concluded to let it $50 TO grass" and, summer
or winter there was nothing equal to grass for
milking cows. "Grass first, grass last and
grass ill the time, was his motto. But he e8-
planned that by grass he meant cured as well as
green grass. In other words he would have his
grass cut very early, while it was green, before
it began TO grow dry, and in winter he only
added a feed of mangel wurtzels each morning,
which lie said he could produce at a cost of
from four 10 seven cents per bushel stored in
the cellar. With such early cut hay in the win
ter and plenty of good Succulent grass
in summer, he can keep his cows
IN fine condition and produce large
quantities Of milk. For pastures he regards
June grass as the Very best, and white clover as
the poorest. His COWS always gain in the flow
when confined to the latter. lie deprecaes the
practice of having change of pastures, for
various reasons, among Others because it tends
to make the animals uneasy and disconnected,
and the practice Injuries both pasture and cows,
as tine grass is more tender and nutritious when
constantly fed, He believes in turning out the
cows quite early in the spring, as soon as the
weather is warm and the ground dry enough,
so that the feet of the cattle will not sink in the
soil The effect upon the health of the animal
is better than when kept from the pastures till
there is flush feed. Grain is unnatural feed for
md sbp npt ha nj Hp lie
their feed should be uniform from day to day.
They should be fed regularly by the clock, and
the same punctuality should be observed in the
hours of milking. Milking should not be hur-
ried, taking care not 10 milk so fast as to cause
pain or uneasnes to the COW, but it should be
continuous from beginning to end, and care
should be taken to avoid all excitement among
the animals. They should be treated kindly
and kept as quietly rs possible.
In regard to pastures, il is best to seed with
as many kinds of grass as you can get-the
more the better-and make your mowings so
rich by topdressing that they will produce two
or three crops in q season. Cows should be
carded daily in winter, and the stable should be
kept warm, at temperature of 60 to 10 deg, if
this is possible, and yet have plenty Of pure air.
Light is also essential.
Mr.. Hubbard of Brmfied differed from Mr..
Lewis on several points. He thinks the quality
of the food has much TO do with the quality Of
the milk, and proved his position by relating
an incident. A certain dairy had been charged
with adulterating the milk sent to the cheese
factory, but it was found by taking can of
milk directly from the dairy that there was no
difference in quality. He found it better to
change pastures; has one pasture where the feed
is almost wholly June grass, and Others are
largely clover; and his COWS invariably yield
more milk when upon the clover than when on
the June grass.
Mr.. Lewis replied that the reason was that
oo1,t
for few days, the June grass had grown too
large; hence it was better to have but one pas
ture, and so keep it constantly fed. He keeps
about forty cows and makes cheese; the product
is about 800 pounds of cheese per COW.
DR.. Sturtevant OF birmingham said he had
had milk yield eighteen per cent cream, and
again the milk of the same COW upon similar
feed produced only nine and half per cent,
and asked for an explanation of the reason.
Mr. Lewis thought it was owing TO the cOndi-
tion Of the animal; something had caused her to
be unduy excited when the milk was so poor.
DR.. Sturteyant gave numerous statistics tend
ing to prove the superiority of the Ayrshire over
the naive as producer OF milk.
Mr. Wethcrell Of the Cutiyator thought the
natives did not have fair chance in the trial,
and intimated that the Ayrshires were selected
with great care as mixers, while the natives
were collected with less care; but DIR. Sturtc.
want denied the imputation, and said he had
been at as much pains in selecting the "natives"
as the Ayrshlres.
Mr.. Perry of Worcester advocated a change
of pastures as tending to benefit the cows as well
as the pastures. He also prefers clover as Il
pasture grass, and thinks variety of food BEN
efcial.
Mr.. Ward of Brdgewater thought the appa-
rent disagreement between gentlemen in regard
to the comparative value of different grasses was
owing to lack of phosphates in some pastures,
and detailed his successful experiments in feed
ing cows with molasses, bone charcoal and palm
oil.
Mr. Wetherell thought there was msappre-
henson in regard to the June grass question.
The grass described by Mr.. Lewis under that
name was a very different variety from the
June grass of this section, and explained how the
term "blue grass" came to be applied to a GER
tain grass, showing that the name was merely
local.
In reply to a request from Secretary Flint that
Mr.. Lewis would state more clearly his mode of
winter care of cows that gentleman said he pre-
ierred stanchons for combining the animals, be.
cause, while he admitted they were barbarous,
the cows were kept cleaner, less food was
wasted, and less labor was req uired in tying up.
He keeps salt mixed with wood ashes. hone meal
aud sulphur constantly before the cows, Turns
out his cows twice day because he wants Ia
clean the stables, though his cows seldom drink
but once day.
The afternoon session was brought to a close
at about hali-past Ave.
EVENING SESSION.
At hall.past seven the evening session WAS
opened, by a statement OF the programme for
the following day. The hall was filled TO its ut.
most capacity, fair proportion of the audience
being ladies.
Prof Agassiz was the speaker and for an
hour he entertained the large audience with a
lecture on "The structure aud growth Of do.
mcstieated animals" This address WINS how.
"A tn a