The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-11-15
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Improved Method of winter,ns Cows.

Mr.. Linus W. Miller. OF Stockton, N.
Y, nm experienced dairyman, advocates.
in q pamphlet entitled Meal Feeding
and Animal Digestion, a system of feed
ing COWS during winter, which involves
the use of but three quarts of meal per
day. He asserts that this amount of
good Indian meal, fed under proper con-
ditions, is more than the equivalent for
all the good hay a COW can be coaxed to
eat-that the animal does not need to
have its stomach distended with a great
bulk of woody fiber, which imposes upon
the system large amount of extra
mechanical work both in the processes
of digestion and remastication-that, in
brief, bulk in food is not advantageous
but to the contrary, and that nuriment in
food governs the condition ar d health Of
the animal, and that condensation of
nutriment is true economy. Mr.. Miller
has conducted physiological investiga-
tions into the functions of the four stom-
achs of the cow, whence it appears that
meal follows the same course as herb
aceous food, and stays longer in the
rumen than coarse food, while it also
digests more thoroughly than when the
energies of the stomach are divid ed be-
tween meal and coarse herbage.
Whatever may be the correct theory
in this regard, results OF actual practice
appear to bear out Mr.. Miller's views.
The report of committee, appointed to
examine into the system by the Western
New York Dairymen's Association, shows
the following facts The examination
was conducted upon Mr. Miller's herd of
Ohatauqua county native COWS, tn
average live weight of which was 900
pounds. The herd were fed exclusively
upon corn meal for seven weeks, each
animal, according to its digestive ca
pacity, making an average Of about three
quarts of meal per day for each COW.
The animals did not ruminate, did not
manifest SO much desire for food as COWS
fed ON hay alone in the usual way, lit
tie less than they will eat, showed no
signs of unrest or suffering; and at the
time of going back to hay, the COWS had
neither lost nor gained flesh. After re-
turning to hay, their stomachs filed and
ruminating went on normally, healthy
calves were dropped, and when turned
to grass the animals took on flesh faster
than those wintered in the usual way.
Their daily yield of milk was twenty-nine
pounds three ounces, or one pound
eleven ounces per COW more than that of
any other herd sent to the same cheese
factory.
AS regards the economy of meal feed
ing, Mr.. Miller points out that one
bushel of corn, ground and tolled, will
last an ordinary sized COW of 900 pounds
weight twelve days, and is equal to 240
pounds of hay. Corn at s;xty cents per
bushel is therefore the equivalent of hay
at five dollars'per ton of 1000 pounds,
and where it can be had at that rate the
cost of wintering the animal will range
from seven to ten dollars, according TO
coldness and length of the foddering
season. But hay as a rule costs at least
ten dollars per ton, and frequently much
more. Hence the estimated saving by
meal feeding is placed at from five to
twenty dollars per animal, according to
the respective prices of corn and hay. -
Scientific american.
Grape-Rot.
The only form of grape-rot that we
have had ar opportunity of observing
has visited us in the last two seasons. 1t
appears suddenly in July. The grapes,
usually only parts of punches, soon be-
came brown and soft, like rotten apple,
and when the unaffected berries are ripe
they still adhere. shrivelled up, and
usually of a reddish tinge. The Wilder
Rogers No. ~ has been most affected,
and the Iona, Eumelan and Clinton have
suffered partially. These sorts are oi
such different characters of leaf and
berry texture, and style of growth, that
there does not seem to be any reason ap-
parent on these internal grounds for theil
being subject to the visitation.
But while gathering the Clintons from
large frame covering lean-to green
house, and elevated three feet above its
glass, a circumstance was observed which
shed some light on the case, and shows
that the cause is to be sought in some
sudden stress upon the circulation and
leaf digestion, while very active, and
while the conditions of temperature and
moisture are inducing very free and ten.
der develop ement and extension of new
growth. The rafter-like rods, to which
the canes are strictly confined, are two
feet apart, the object being to shade the
glass below without cutting off too much
light.
For the same reason all side shoots
from the canes were stopped at one OF
two leaves beyond the one bunch of fruit
allowed on each. And while gathering
the very fine fruit about the middle ol
October, it was noticed that although
many punches had partially rotted where
only one leaf existed beyond the bunch
and especially where this leaf was small
there was not single case to be found
where there were three or four leaves, OF
continued expansion of them, after the
second or third pinching. AS the pinch,
ing of these canes required the use Of
ladders, the whole growth was closely
pinched at each of the three or foul
times of operating, from about May q
to about the end of July. Vines else
where, more conveniently within reach
and pinched more frequently and more
moderately, escaped rot.
The rot is not, however, to be attrib,
uted to the pinching alone. We had
warm, humid weather during July, anG
very free growth, and a general and sud
den stopping of the points of growtl
extension, either by hand or by weather
while under such rapid headway, mus
naturally be expected to cause injurious
congestion, and at such a season an en-
barrassed, tender growth will quickly &c
into decay. 1t is worthy of note thai
mildew has been but little prevalent
during these two seasons. The active
leaf Transportation seems to have pre-
vented its germs from gaining lodge
ment. Our Coneords, thinned and yer,
moderately pinched, has most. w IL
New York Tribune.