Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-02-06

but should be fed much less the summer
following.
Care should be taken to have plenty O
good sweet, early-cut hay to feed while
they are giving milk. Corn fodder is very
good feed for cows, but l think it pool
economy to feed straw to them; it cannot
be made equal to hay by feeding more
meal; they will not keep up good flow Of
milk, and COWS may be dried up by feed
ing too much corn meal, especially at the
season of the year when they are inclined
that way. When dry they may be fed
poorer hay and coarse fodder. If the
cow is in proper condition or out ut pas
lure, do not feed meal.
Cows should have good comfortable
winter quarters should not be out in the
storm or cold winds, but seem to enjoy
sunshine and pleasant weather. If kept
in the stable through the day should be
watered morning and night, and fed at
least three times, unless the Barre system
Of feeding is practiced, which is 10 feed
continually in the morning, little at a
time, until about ten O'Clock, when they
are allowed to rest until three in the after
noon, when the same process is repeated
until they have eaten enough.
In my own dairy the time for having
cows come in is at all times of the year,
but probably more in the fall than at any
other time. If properly kept good yield
Of butter can be made, and of good quail
ty through the winter. Calves can also
be raised at this time of the year to quite
rs good advantage as at any other time,
Cows kept in this way will be in good con-
ltion when dry and may be kept on coarse
fodder until nearly the time of coming in,
when they should have good hay and two
quarts of oats daily until they calve, and
then should have light feed for few days
with warm water 10 drink, and Il warm,
dry place.
The calf is allowed 10 be with the COW
until two or three days old, when it is
taken away and taught TO drink if it is to
be raised. 1t is an easy matter to teach
calves to drink if done ut this age, but
more difficult as they grow older. The
calf should not be allowed 10 get too hun
cry. The practice of letting it 60 over
one feed before trying to see if it will
drink, and second if it does not drink
readily and without spouting part
through its nose to the great discomfort Of
the feeder, is useless and barbarous, and
should never be practiced. A little pa
thence and good temper, with the aid Of
the finger for few times, is all that is
necessary to teach a calf to drink.
Fall and winter calves may be turned
out in the spring, but spring calves will dc
much better to be kept up through the hot
weather. | might tell you how the call
should be fed and cared for until it comes
to maturity, but time and space fail. and
The whole subject requires u more ready
writer to do it Justice; so as am prac.
teal dairyman | leave my paper for my
milk pail, lay down my pen and take up
the meal dish, sure of the sympathy OIL
my brother farmers when | say it i:
easier to do these things than to write
about them.
Prof Secly followed Mr. W,od; subject
he original Vermont pillow, which wa:
the glacier Of ages ago, and described its
probable effects. After Prof, Scely Mr.. j
c. Sherburn of Pomfret read a paper or
grass culture on swale lands. The fathers
who took up these lands found these swale,
worthless,as the uplands were more easily
worked, and Of wonderful fertility, ant
the generations following have followed
the same way till soil and harvest are
very thin. These lowlands contain the
growth Of centuries, and if made of use
viii add greatly to the amount and value
of the grass crop. Many farmer LA!
left worn out farm here to 90 west wher
he left on it land whose possibilities fol
productiveness are unsurpassed by the
prairies to which he went. The first stel
to be taken to reclaim these lands, il
thorough drainage. for which good out
let is necessary, without which the hes
constructed drains will be worthless Some
times single drain will remove the sur
plus water from q large tract of land, on,
spring filling Il large tract, and when Gu
off, leaves it dry. Open drains, excep
for main where the flow Of water i
abundant, should never be used. We
lands do not become mt once productive
but the soil should be thrown up for tn,
action Of light, air, and frost, and some
fertilizers applied, Agricultural teaching
are of little value unless enforced by sue
cessful practice. lie described the sue
cessful operations on his own land whel
such lands had been reclaimed and wer
now the most valuable to be had. II
spoke enforcing the importance of intel
lectual culture, Of the taste and comfort
which make farmers homes pleasant, an
in these signs were sure and certain prom
Use of better things to come.
After Mr. Sherburne's paper came dis
cussion, Do Vermont farmers pay enoug
attention to root culture? by L. V. Cloug
of South Reading, and Mr., Paul takin
Mr.. Chapman's place in his absence, an
the general conclusion reached was thu
more attention might proftably be give
to root culture.
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
The first paper was by L. c.. Davis {
South Reading on sugar making, whic
developed no new idea; commendin
cleanliness, the use of tin tubs, evapora
ors, etc, and the rapid conversion of tn
sap to sugar. Next came discussion, Wi
it pay Vermont farmers to use chemict
fertilizers for raising corn? without al
irving at much Of a conclusion or muc
discussing the matter. The remainin
exercises were Mr.. Hubbard's talk O
corn and Mr.. Paul's paper on manures,
the place of Mr.. L. B. Hubbard VIII
was not present. And this closed a yer
successful meeting, though the extren