Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-02-15

subsequent meeting of the general commit
tee, to he held in New York.
From the Massachusetts Ploughman.
February on the Farm.
The work at this season of the year i
rather of the ''puttering kind" that is, i
consists of the chores about the house ant
the barn, getting in wood, taking care o
the stock and other matters which seem t,
be trivial in themselves, and yet they are a,
necessary as any of the more important Ia
bors of the farm, if we would have every
thing 60 on smoothly about the premises
Where wood is still the main dependence
tlt is quite important to cut and get up
quantity sufficient to last through mex
Summer. 1t is good plan to keep year 4
stock on hand, and then We avoid being
driven into corner and having to stor
work in the busy season to run and get VI
a jag of wood Now that the coast is clear
we can certainly cut enough and trust to
the clouds to send us snow before the end OF
March on which to haul it,
| We still like the old fashioned wood fire,
though it cannot be denied that coal has the
! advantage OF making n more durable and
| less troublesome fire. Bnt the old open
fireplace, with its great backlog, was com
fort in its time, though it is fast fading out
OF the memory of men. Good seasoned
wood is more economical than green wood
of any kind, and it is far more satisfactory
to use. Now is the best time to look after it
and lay in good supply. The weather,
thus far, has been decidedly favorable to
the wood pile, and we must set it down as
some small gain from such a mild and open
winter.
But among all the duties at this season OF
the year, nothing exceeds in importance the
cal in tba nf 4.
ing of stock. especially on the dairy farm
1t is not sufficient that special care be exer.
cised while the cows are in milk, for the
mode OF feeding when dry has very direct
and marked influence upon the product in
milk the following season. This is n fact
too often overlooked. The winter feed of
cows when dry is generally much inferior to
that when they are in milk, while it should
differ. at such times. in quantity rather than
in quality.
1t has been said that nothing comes ont of
the bag that is not first put into the mouth,
and every farmer knows that however good
the breed of his cows, his success will de-
pend very much upon feeding, regularity
and management. Good hay ought TO form
the basis of the winter feed of COWS on most
farms, and If the cows are not in milk they
VIII get through the winter upon it in tUlera-
ble condition but We think that some
roots or other milk producing food is almost
as important for them as for cows actually
giving milk. 1t keeps the system in healthy
condition and the digestive organs are all
the better for it. Dry cows will require less
OF this kind of food, to lie sure, than cows
IN milk, but still some swedes, manGOlds.
carrots or potatoes will be very useful and
If the cows are in milk, as in the winter
milk dairy, ii is very useful to cut up some
- an a ls.k~
shorts OF Indian meal, scald the whole mass
with hot water in close box. 1t softens the
Whole and renders it succulent. Cooking
may not actually add anything TO the nutri-
tive quality of food. but it certainly makes
1t more palatable as well rs more dIgestible,
SO that an animal gets mole good ont of it
than i, possibly could in araw state
We believe in point of fact most of our
b,st milk dairymcn prepare the food of their
cows in some such way. We cannot learn
that there Is any uniform method of prepar-
alton. hutsome practice what might be called
cooking or steaming 10 much greater ex-
tent than others. If the hot water is added
IN tight box and the mass is allowed to
stand with the cover or lid closed for some
hours, 1t has the effect of regular cook
ing.
Now what We wish to impress upon all
farmers. is that cows when dry will do
enough better the following season, to pay
for little extra attention of this kind in
winter ; that the feeding Of such cows should
diiirr in quantity rather than III quality from
the feeding OF cows i'll milk. The plan we
have suggested of preparing the food id a
tight box and treating 1t with hot water is a |
simple and cheap method of securing some
of the advantages of steaming. But it
ought never to be forgotten that regularity, |
and gentle treatment are the car
dinal points i'll successful dairy manage |
ment.
We know from the most accurate scien-
titic Investigations what constituents of food |
90 to produce fat. what are heat and what |
are flesh producing, as well as what goes to
build up the bony structure and what goes |
into the muscular tissues. There is world |
Of practical interest in these investigations, |
but III actual practice We have to deal with |
living organisms, and besides many circum-
stances come in to vary the results which the
Dry would lead us to expect. The tests of the
laboratory, Ill which certain number of |
under certain conditions invar-
ably combine and form certain substances
10 not always guide us i'll our treatment OF
The living animal with its fine adjustment of
nervous and muscular organization. Oar
results depend ON physiological pcculiarities,
over which We have little or no control.
Food will relish one day, that may he re-
cctei the next. What gives satisfactory
results at one time will fail utterly at anoth-
r. Indeed under the same conditions of
shelter, food and management. so far as we
AN tell the yield of milk will vary in the
same COW. anu while one thrlves on one kind
If food, another will not. These things in
roduce some element Ofuncertainty into our
calculations which is often due to hidden
'auses, but they only show the necessity of
more careful study and observation. We
)ught to try to understand the wants and
peculiari.ies of each one of our animals. and
o bear in mind that the condition in which
ood is given will exert almost us perceptIble
III influence AS the kind OF food itself
The questions which our daily observa-
ions present are worthy of study and solu-
ION, and there is no time i'll the year that
AN he devoted To- them SO easily as the pre-
'ent. Many good books are Mt hand in town
md farmers club libraries, and they may be
consulted with profit. 1t is wise 10 take an
interest in the discussions OF the farmers
'luh, and. also to mingle in the social gath
rings of the neighborhood.