The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-02-13

If we would keep the cattle clean mt
any cost, then how should we have them
clean at least cost. 1t is fancy farming,
it seems to me, to reach our ends at too
high cost. Best farming, that which
meets our ends with shortest purse. The
old time stanchion is better than the
chains see in some new barns. The
old style was not chains, perhaps be-
cause chains could n0t be made ut home,
and had TO be paid for in money, but 1
find the old style here, shows common
sense, as it often does, that the present
is wanting in. In going to cattle show
once, driving, the cattle along that road,
they ran into door-yard, as cattle will.
found the farmer, q gentleman from
the city, who was completing u new
barn, explaining to his carpenter how
he should have his cows fastened. Mr..
S., called upon me to wait moment. /
let my boy go on with the cattle, and
went into the barn. The carpenter was
explaining the stanchion he put up last.
Said Mr.. S., 81 will have none of this.
Put In chains. Who would put their
cows necks in stocks? No, must have
modern barn. My cows must be COM
Portable. I'll not have them stiff with
standing ia one place, like half-frozen
calves / sometimes see. Cows, to do
well, must have space to move freely,
step back and sideways, turn the neck
to lap themselves. How say you, neigh
Dor pn
at is we'll cows should be comfor-
table" replied, land cows must have
exercise. Chains will allow them some
exercise in the standing place. But it
seems to me, could not afford to give
my COWS exercise in my barn. think
it best to turn them out into the yard for
this, and find they can be very COM
Portable and not get stiff If they have the
yard to sun themselves in two or three
times week. have them in the yard
most all the pleasant days. They can
not be out too much when they are
more happy out than in. If l did not
do my own work, or cared not for ex-
pence, but only wished to see my cattle
most comfortable, then might have
chains as you propose" ''How so,'
said he, "do you then think chainsmore
comfortable, and yet like stanchions be
cause they are cheaper simply Y' ''No;
but because the old stanehion is comior-
table enough If COWS are not kept tied
up longer than they should be. There
is economy, l find, in keeping cows from
stepping back or forward, because they
IL II
and il they have much play of the neck,
it is well enough so long as the animals
are pleasant. But let one get cross, she
gives poke with her horns, and very
likely her next neighbor may slip calf
Some of the fine modern conveniences
have their off side. Then again chains
break; stanchions do not.'' The carpen-
ter, saw, felt he had gained point by
my presence, and 1 remember the heincident
the better since Mr.. S., came to see me
the next day, to look at my barn, and
said that although the books were all on
one side, he believed grandfather's times
were at too great a discount sometimes.
This sometimes came in with twin
kle la the eye. A trench just back of
the slightly inelining floor upon which
the cattle stand, some four or fiveinehes
deep and twenty inches wide, is large
enough. Every little distance. say for
every sixth COW, there should be lift-up
to let the manure down through into the
cellar. Back of this trench it is con-
venient to havea a passage way for the
cows to walk on in coming to their tie
ups from the yard. This is preferable to
their walking up through the trench
One thing more to cleanliness. Dust the
floor beneath the cattle each day with
sand or loam or saw dust, and if you
have straw for them to lie on, as / have
not, it is all the better
ioa H. noisa