Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-09-06
Farm and Household.

AASiANNtNhN L-ttt sCtUCH llCIUVU
having asserted that whenever it was
stated tibet pound of butter was made
from less than seven pounds of milk,
mat there was either mistake or a
1alsehood. Judge Hayes, of Clinton,
Iowa, comes to the front with the asser-
Ton that he would not keep a Jersey
COW on his farm that, during the winter
months, would not do better than that.
He further says, that six pounds of milk
from his COW Hagar, H r. 1898. in Win
ter, Will make a pound of butter. 1t is
pretty safe TO accept any statement that
Judge Hayes may make upon such mat
tiers, as he is a strictly reliable gentle
man, and one who, from his legal train
ing, as we'll as from his native honesty
and intelligence, would not make state
ments of this nature without being fully
assured of his premises.
HORSES AND Mules EATING DIRT.-A
correspondent of the New York Tribune
asks why horses and mules eat dirt when
turned out of close stables, to which
Prot. Law replies: Most commonly the
habit Is an indication of acidity in the
stomach, and to be corrected by improv-
ing the digestive functions. Horses are
at special disadvantage in the matter
of stomach complaints, inasmuch as
they can not rid themselves by vomiting
of anything that disagrees, and are I'M
able even to belch up accumulated gas.
Then the stomach is much too small to
allow of heavy feeding or the formation
of much gas without injurious overdis-
tention; hence, of all domestic animals
the solipeds should be fed with the great
est care and judgment. Like human
beings they have their period of acidity,
or heartburn, and having no opportunity
of taking soda or magnesia, they lick
the lime from their walls or the earth
from their pathway. For temporary
relief piece of chalk may be kept in
the manager, but we should seek to re-
move the radical evil by giving better
tone to the stomach. Feed sound grain
and hay in moderate amount and at
regular intervals, and don't drive or
work hard an hour after each meal, lest
digestion should be impaired. Give a
few carrots, turnips, or other roots, if
available; water regularly, and never
just after a meal, and put an ounce OF
common salt in the food or water daily.
Any existing weakness should be cor
rected by a course of tOnics, such as OK
! ide of iron, two ounces; calcined mag
nesia, two ounces; powdered nux vom-
lea, one and half drachms: powdered
/ fennel seed, two ounces; mix Divide
| into eight powders, and give one morn
ing and night The habit has been
sometimes caused by a deficiency OF
mineral matters in the food grown on
very poor soils. but this may be correct
ed by similar treatment.
| DRIVING LIVE SToCK.-The Las Ami
mas, Cal, Leader has the following on
driving live stock in that region, which
Will be of general interest:
! From a conversation with a leading
stakeholder we learn that many of our
large owners of beef cattle are seriously
considering the plan of driving instead
of shipping to market this fall. There
are several considerations in favor OF
this method, the most important OF
which is the large saving made. A fan
estimate of the freight, the shrinkage
and the bruised condition of beef deliv.
cred at Kansas City, is five dollars pei
head, and liberal estimate of the ex.
pense of driving to within one hundred
miles of Kansas City places it at 81 pei
head-and the cattle, if anything, in
better condition than when they started.
With such a difference as this it is to be
wondered at that shipping is not alto
gether abandoned by those having large
lots. Take 1000 head as an example,
two months time for the drive. and ten
men to do the work. The cost of pro-
visions, horse feed and the pay of the
men will not exceed $500 per month, or
81 ZOO for the trip. Thus, counting all
things, a saving Of $4,000 is effected,
from which possible losses might be de-
Quoted, and still hansome balance re-
main. We are assured by the same
authorities that though the high rates of
transportation mainly force men to think
of driving, yet it would be better for
cattle producers to drive than ship, even
if the railroads charged nothing. Look
ing at the matter from the producers
standpoint, the cost of getting to mark
ct Is everything, as, while the market
stands at a given figure, the Transports
ton varies and goes into or comes out of
his pocket. For example, during the
cutting last year all the saving on freight
went to our people. The buyers came
to our doors, and in their anxiety to
take advantage of the low rates added
somewhat of their gains to the prices.
The issue promises to be either cut-rates
or drive.
THE Cow FOR SMALL FARMs.-Do men
who own small farms keep three or four
COWS for the purpose of raising calves
for sale, or for the butter the COWS pro-
duce? Of course the reply is for butter
Then the breed to be selected is that
best adapted to butter-making. Obser-
walton and experience both go to prove
that the Jersey, commonly called Alder
ney, is, above all others, the butter cow.
They are easily kept, very docile and
beautiful, giving milk of superior rich
ness, from which is produced finely
colored, solid butter, having an equal
texture and flavor. As evidence of its
solidity, the butter made in our little
dairy during the hottest weather of this
summer, kept in dry and not a cold
cellar, without the use of ice, has been
In fine, hard rolls, and sold for thirty
cents per pound, while the best ordinary
butter sold at from twelve to eighteen
cents.
Plenty of proof can be given of the
superiority OF the Jersey as butter
producer; for the dairy, grades are but
little superior to thoroughbreds and any
farmer can raise grades with a very lit
tie outlay in purchase of thoroughbred
bull-calf. A four-year-old grade, one
half Jersey, owned by the writer, calved
April 4, 1876. A test made of her milk