Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-02-26


animal was fortunate to get the lee side Of a
barn or fence even, TO shelter them from the
northern blasts. l presume others have the
same recolections. l have now in my
minds eye the stock on the farm where
spent my younger days.
The manager was considered very good
farmer for the times, keeping some thirty
head Of cattle and from one 10 two hundred
sheep. The oxen and some ten COWS we're
permitted to enjoy the luxury Of stable on
the northwest end of the barn and standing
eight feet from the ground all open UNDER
meath, also open between the cattle and barn
floor with nothing TO prevent the free use of
the fork. The remainder Of the stock being
young cattle from three years old downward
were allowed the FREQ use Of the yard with
large open she'd, where the strong would
drive the weak into the wind and storm
many were the cold nights that the hired
mau was required to 60 to the barn and
drive up the cattle, not excepting the cows,
to start their blood into circulation to pre-
vent them from freezing.
fancy that the renowned Jerseys Of the
present day would succumb to such treat
ment. and that the Durhsms would fail to
put on such outlines and finished proportions
as we see at our fairs if compelled to buffet
against the cold and storms to which cattle
in those days we're exposed
But times have changed, not only in the
manner of breeding and keeping of stock, but
in the business Of the farmer, which requires
different management.
In those days the raising of beef cattle
was of as much, perhaps more importance
than of cows for the dairy. All contracts
we're made payable in neat stock, grain or
store pay, perhaps partly iu each, and the
store bills were payable in stock or grain.
The common practice on the farm to which
have alluded was to kill annually from
three to six head and sell perhaps as many
more. Those slaughtered were to pay the
mechanics and other bills, those sold on the
foot were to pay the merchant aud hired
help.
As times have advanced the young stock
finds shelter in the barn, warm stables take
the place Of open sheds.
The settlement OF the West and increase
of their facilities for raising and fattening
OF beef drives the eastern farmer from COM
petition, aud as a consequence he enters
more largely into dairying, nearly all who
have few cows making cheese part Of the
season. Then the question arises as to what
breed is best?
The answer depends on knowledge of
what is to be the product If exclusively
cheese, should say decidedly, the Ayr
shires or their grades, these being the arg-
est mixers on the same keeping but for
~ oE Il IL
from nay knowledge of the breeds select the
natives first, then the Durhams and grades,
although the Durhams are more inclined to
make beef and require better keeping to pro.
duce the same amount.
Let me here state what understand by
the term native. Nearly all our stock is
more or less impregnated with some of the
foreign bloods bred without any particular
regard to quality. l consider that the na-
tive is as much of an Independent breed as
any other, and when bred in and in for
twenty years without the introduction of any
outside blood, it is as pure as most of the
thoroughbrcds Of the present day. know
of but few cattle beside one entire dairy
that can claim to be pure natives.
found that the introduction Of the Ayr
shire blood greatly increased the amount of
milk and at the same time decreased the
amount of butter. For example, grade
Ayrshires with me gave their own weight
in milk in twenty days in the best Of the
season, and made but about nalf the amount
Of butter which was obtained from the par
ent stock.
But as time advances factories control the
manufacture and market Of cheese; the conf
mon farmer resorts to the exclusive making
requirements. Now we come to the main
question.
Although, as said before, l have never
known native COW to be excelled IN the
daily product Of butter, and we have many
instances Of great results, still do not con.
slider individual cases as proper test, but
rather take the average of dairies, consider
ing all the peculiarities, conditions, and de-
sirable points and 10 so doing should select
the Jerseys or Jersey grades, so far as my
knowledge or information extends. They
are more uniformly up to the standard, with
less poor mixers in proportion to the num-
Der in the dairy.
believe it will be conceded by all that
not more than fifty per cent of our common
cows which are raised ever attain to be av-
erage mixers, while twenty per cent do not
pay their keeping as compared with good
butter cows. believe that not half Of the
common cows in the state will average one
hundred and twenty-five pounds of butter per
season.
Who has known of Jersey coming TO
the shambes on account of a deficiency in
butter qualities after a fair test ? They
| give fair amount of milk, rich in butter,
come to maturity early, and are remarkable
to hold out their milk at the close Of the sea-
sen, all of which are prime qualities, aud
with our improvements in care and keeping
they will endure and thrive equal to any
known breed, taking on flesh when not in
milk, attaining lit is claimed) when fitted for
the shambles large amount OF meat of the
best quality. Also it is claimed by many
that they are comparatively small eaters, not
producing like the Ayrshires a large guam
tity of milk, but large amount Of butter,
| for the amount consumed. Besides all this
the product is superior, the cream is thick
and elastic, the butter is hard, being as cas-.
| lily handled in hot weather as that from the
common COW with the assistance OF ice, re-
tanning its form aud mould when so warm
that that Of other breeds will become fat
tened mass, and when the butter comes to
the palate it possesses that waxy, fine grain
and ribh flavor so desirable to epicures.
1t is said by some that they are small
mixers. only suitable to produce little
cream for the genteman's table. Facts
prove them to be fully equal to the average
Of common dairies aud superior 10 the prod
uct of butter, as witness every known in
stance, sometimes exceeding all others. See
statements in recent papers Of the production
of milk and butter, the fsrmer having at
taiLed the enormous amount Of 1000 pounds