The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1880-07-09
KEEPING ONE cow,

Gus lcnSthS, Inform us that there were MANY
OF these that in some one particular were
superior to all others, but that in awarding
the prizes they were governed solely by the
conditions of the offer. We here give the
essay to which the second prize WIS awarded.
1t was signed Doctor" and was found to
'be by w. L.. Battles, Gerard, Pa. The
prize essays, together with several of the
most desirable Of the others, will soon an.
pear in pamphlet or book form.-Eps.
Am. AgricuArist.
Instead of writing on how a cow mint
'be Kept, propose simply to tell Just how
we manage our COW, what we feed her, how
we procure that food in fact everything
relating TO her care, so that any one can go
aud do likewise.
"Spot," we call her, for she has a bcauti-
tul white spot in her forehead, is not Jer-
sey, for we can not afford to buy one at the
prices at which they are held with us ; nor
is she a thorough bred of any kind vet
she is good cow, of medium size, fills a
twelve quart pail each night and morning,
when her milk is in full flow, that raises a
thick coat of rich cream, which, after being
churned, furnishes all the butter needed
for family of six, and some to spare Our
place is small, only two acres, and portion
of this is covered by the dwelling, barn,
poultry house, etc. The fruit garden occu-
pies about onc-fourth of an acre, and from
this portion nothing is grown to furns
food tor"Spot." Adjoining the barn there is
Hdydn Acre an Grass, or mostly clovcr
fine manure is literally spread over this
each spring and fall, aud every spring
quart of clover seed is sown, so as fast as
the old plants die out, young ones take their
place. A bushel of land plaster is sown on
this when the grass begins to Start in the
spring This plot produces very heavy
growth of grass and clover, enabling us to
cut it three times each season; about the
first ofJune, August, and October. A coat
OF line manure is always spread over the
ground immediately after each moving
The grass is mostly cured, and makes fine
hay for winter feeding. Occasionally
small portion of the crop is used green for
soiling. Besides the land occupied by build.
ings, fruit garden, and clover plot, there
remains about one acre, which we call the
garden. Here are grown all the vegetables
for the familys use, besides some to SELL
About onc-fourth of it is planted to Early
Rose potatoes, and as soon us these are suf.
hclently ripe for use or market, they are
dug and sweet corn, in drills, for fodder, is
sown upon the land. Another fourth of an
acre is planted to sugar beets the ground
being very rich, the yield is always large
this season QS79), although very dry, |
harvested 17S bushels Our cow is very
fond Of the bcets, and think there is moth
ing better to keep up a flow of milk, and
they give it no flavor, as do turnips. An
additional fourth of an acre is planted to
sweet, CT evergreen corn as fast as the
corn is picked tor use or market. the green
stalks are cut up, run through the cutting
box, and every particle Of them consumed.
AS soon as the corn is all harvested, the
ground it occupied is thoroughly fitted and
manurcd, and then sown to winter rye, to
be used for soiling the next spring, after
which the ground is again prepared for
corn. The remaining fourth acre is devoted
to early peas, beans, cabbagcs, and other
garden vegetables; as soon as one crop is
off, the ground is prepared and something
else is almost always planted or sown con-
scqucntly, on the most Of this acre, two
crops are produced each season, except
where sugar-bccts arc grown, or late cab.
bagcs, which require the whole season to
Y,
and the forage crops and roots on the acre,
we have not only had sufficient food for the
COW the entire season, but have also kept
our family horse, with the exception of one
load Of oat straw purchased for three dollars,
TO mix in with the fodder corn this is hard
to cure sufficiently to keep bright and sweet
through the winter but by mixing a layer
of corn-foddor and a layer of straw, it all
comes out nice and bright. Besides keep
ing both horse and COW, we have marketed
from this little farm, in berries, vegetables,
butter, eggs, poultry, and one fat hog weigh
ing, dressed, over 300 lbs, $478 dollars
worth Of the above produce, keeping enough
for our own use, and sailing down one barrel
of pork.
The barn is 25 by 80 feet, with the stable
.on the south side. The stall for "Spot' is
five feet wide, and the floor on which she
stands is five feet long, with mangcr two
dcot wide in front, one and half foot high
next to the COW, and three feet next to the
barn floor. She is fastened with wide
strap around h,r neck, attached to chain
eighteen inches long. which is fastened to
Il staple driven into post at n corner Of
the stall adjoining the manger; this gives
her room to turn her head so as to lick any
portion Of her body. The floor is made of
twoinch plank, battcncd on the under side
with thin boards, raised from the ground
ten inches in rear aud one foot in front /;
all the droppings and urine fnl! into the
four.loo alley behind This alley has a
clay floor beaten perfectly soll and level
Next to the stable door is a large bin, 10