The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-10-10
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Feeding Cows with Grain.


When our farmers learn to look upor
a cow as piece Of wonderful and deli.
cate mechanism for the production Of
milk, and when they can realize that the
product of any improved machine de-
bends upon the quality of the raw mate
rial furnished for manufacture, then we
may expect revolution in the matter oi
feeding dairy COWS. A manufacturer Of
frst-class wooden fabrics cannot feed hls
looms with shoddy. A manufacturer OF
extra family -four cannot fill his hoppers
with sprouted wheat; neither can q
manufacturer of prime milk, butter and
cheese obtain the best results by feeding
his COWS with hay and grass alone. Hhe
experience of many intelligent dairymen
goes to prove that the additional profit
resulting from the feeding of COWS with
reasonable allowance of grain far ex-
ceeds the whole profit Of feeding from
grass and hay alone, while other impor-
tant elements in the reckoning are in
creased value of manure, and the dimin-
ished quantity of hay required. The
average yield of all the COWS IN Massa-
chusetts (and this is higher in quantity
than the yield throughout the United
States) is but four quarts, showing OF
course that there are many COWS that give
even q less quantity. Now we lave in
mind herd of twenty grade COWS that
gave 1873, ,562 pounds of milk during the
year 1878, averaging daily yield to
each COW of 8. so quarts; las, ,296 pounds
in the year 1874, averaging each day
per COW 9. 16 quarts; 141, ,976 pounds in
1876, averaging 9.05 quarts; while In
1876 they gave 1873, 1906 pounds, yielding
daily average to each COW of $50
quarts. To produce this remarkable
yield the COWS were fed for ten months
in the year with q daily allowance to
each of one peck of bran and two quarts
of cob meal, costing for the year $494
Note the result: twenty ordinary COWS
fed in the usual way, according to Mas
sachusetts average, giving four quarts
per day, and calling the average value
of the milk to the farmer two and half
cents per quart, would yield gross re-
turn of $3.50, or $36. so to each COW; while
on the other hand our more intelligent
manufacturer, by the use Of better cows,
and $494 worth of grain food (without
estimating his gain in manure and saw
ing in hay), gets from his twenty COWS,
at eight and one-half quart per day,
and at two and half cents per quarts, q
gross result of about 81, $50, or $77.5O to
each COW; or deducting the cost of the
grain food, $494, from the total yield OF
81 $50, we have 81, ,O56 rs the gross pro-
duct of the milk of twenty cows, as
against $72O product from the COWS
fed without grain, or clean profit OF
1886, on an investment of $494 in grain,
with the original outlay returned. Nor
is this all. If the product of these
twenty grain-fed COWS was converted into
butter instead of being sold as milk, ii
would yield twenty per cent. more cream
or butter than the milk from the poorly
fed animal, and command at least ten
per cent. higher price on account of its
superior flavor, color aud grain. Results
as compared with the average return
would te 5,310 pounds of butter at thir-
ty cents per pound, equal to 81 ,593, as
against 2,40O pounds at twenty-five
cents, equal to $500, or showing differ
ence in favor of the COWS that consumed
$494 worth of grain of 1898 III the sale OF
butter. Since it may be claimed by
many farmers that their COWS are far bet
ter than the average, and hence the
above comparison is more striking than
would appear in their case, we have only
to advise such to make the experiment
Of carefully feeding grain to one cow,
and test the difference in the quantity
and quAity of her milk with the average
of the herd, and if result of only one
quarter the gain claimed in our illus.
tration is obtained, that of itself would
increase the present average income of
the dairy fully seventy-fve per cent.
This important matter of feeding grain
is worthy the careful investigation OF
every dairyman.-Anaerican Cultivator.
Household Hints.
To POLISH FLAT-IRoNs.-n fat-irons
are rough or smoky, lay little fine salt
on fiat surface and rub them well. 1t
will smooth them and prevent sticking.
To CLEAN FURN1ruRE.-A shovelful
of hot Goals, held over furniture, will
take out spots and stains. Rub the place
while warm with flannel.
To PREVENT DooR-HINGEs CREAK1Na.
Rub them with soap.
To Colon PICKLES OR PRESERVES. -
Use grapevine leaves and little pow
dered alum.
To KEEP MILK SWEET. "A spoonful OF
horse .radish in pan of milk will keep it
sweet for several days, either in the open
air or in cellar.
To CLEANSE JEwEIRY.-Use hot water
and clean brush; rub very little soap
on the brush, then dip it into powdered
borax and scor,r well; rinse in hot water,
and rub dry with clean to? ell, OF
chamois is better; silver bangles are
frightened quickly IN the same way.
BAKED APPLE DUMP11NGs. - Each
dumpling is formed with single apple,
which should be peeled and have the
core removed. Put into the place of the
core piece OF butter and little sugar
and spice. Cover each apple with pie
crust as smoothly and securely as posi-
Die. Dlhc LII u luouSAdeo o'SAS oeAAN'
them frequently, and eat hot with sugar
and cream, or what is called "hard
sauce"
Opthnlmin In n Mare.
G. NJ. F. s., Kenton, KY, writes: 81
have a mare that has very weak eyes.
One of them has turned that white, milky
color that usually attends very weak
eyes, (that is, when the eye is almost
gone, J and the other eye has similar
speck in one corner. Can the eyes be
made all right again? If SO, please give
the remedy. The mare is only foul
years old, and is all right in every other
way. If you will give remedy it viii
be received with many thanks"
RepW.-The disease is opthalmia, anc
is doubtless constitutional. Many ol
such diseases occur through the very
frequent and very injudicious practice
of breeding from unsound mares. That
"any mare is good enough for colt,
is very wrong though prevalent idea
and the effect of it is seen in the vas
number of horses with diseased eyes OF
limbs, predisposed that way hereditarily