Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-11-27
DAIRYMAN'S WAY OF FEEDING.

Mr.. Editor: Having desire to learn
from one of our best dairYmen, of his meth
cd of feeding his cows. directly from himself,
aud having heard of his doings from others,
your correspondent made him visit at his
farm for the purpose Of looking over his
farm to see his crop of roots before they
were harvested, and to get his views and ex-
perience rehearsed by himself as to the crops
cultivated, manner Of feeding, and such
other items as are interesting to look at and
talk about on such occasions. Time Of visit
one Of those pleasant October days last week
that Yankees in York state call Indian
summer Your correspondent found the
gentleman at home and at leisure to show
his crop of mangolds and turnips, which
were both good, although | was told not
equal to last years crop, and the cause OF
deficiency was thought to be the unusual
amount Of wet weather in the early part Of
the season, that interfered with the working
of the land while the crop was in the early
stages Of its growth, the ground was not left
as light as usual, yet there were no weeds in
the crop the ground was clean, and both
turnips and wurtzeIs were looking very we'll
The COWS on this farm are housed nights
the year round, aud fed with the bost the
farm affords, with view to the production
of large flow Of milk which is sent to a
cheese factory about mile distant, thus re-
leving the wife and daughters of the labor
of its manufacture at home. Clover aud
fodder corn were the main dependence for
green feed in their season while clover hay
Tod hI.aro llt in win
with wheat shorts, oats and corn meal mixed
together with the roots, after they have been
run through Oot.cutter, so there will be
no danger Of choking the COWS while eating
them. Clover is the first green feed that is
used in the spring green oats have been
used to limited extent, but sown corn is
the main dependence as soon as it can be
grown of sufficient size for feeding till late
in the fall some of the fodder was standing
in the field at the time Of my visit, aud that
would be fed out now in few more days
then roots with early cut clover hay will
take its place. There are various times OF
sowing the fodder corn during the season so
as to have a continued succession from its
first cutting, the last of July or first Of Au-
gust, till winter sets in when frost is con-
sidered near at hand, all is cut aud bound
up and shocked in the field to be used as
wanted.
The manner of feeding is in the stable at
evening, and as much as the cows can con-
sumo the practice of feeding in tho field,
and in the morning, as some do, is consd-
cred of no benefit to the COWS, as such farm
ers do not usually feed enough to give their
COWS all they will eat and what they do get
takes away their appetite for eating in the
pasture in the fore part Of the day; couse-
quently the bad reputation that fodder corn
gets with some is here thought to be in the
manner Of feeding, and not the lack Of good
qualities in the corn itself
Orchard grass has been sown with a view
of testing its merits as forage plant for
soiling nights, as is the practice On this farm
but as none has yet been used, no opinion
was given Of its merits that will be tested