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

Gus lengths, inform US that there were mnny
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 offor. 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 tbc
most desirable Of the others, will soon an.
pear IN pamphlet or book form.-EDs.
Am. Agricaitarist
:, Instead Of writing on how COW might
zoe kept, l propose simply to tell lust how
we manage our cow, what we fsed her, how
we procure that food in fact everything
relating 70 her care, so that any one can 90
aud do likewise. o
"Spot," we call her, for she has a beauti.
tul white spot in her forehead, is not Jer.
sey, tor we can not afford to buy one at the
prices at which they are held with us nor
is she thoroughbred of any kind yet
she IS good cow, of medium size, fills n
twelvequ pail each night and morning.
when her milk is in full flow, that raises a. a
thick coat Of rich cream, which, after being
'churned, furnishes oil the butter needed
tor family of six, and some to spare. Our
place is small, only two acres, aud portion
OF this Is covered by the dwelling, barn,
poultry house, etc. The fruit garden occu.
pies about onefourth of an acre, and from
this portion nothing is grown to furnis !
food for "Spot." Adjoining the barn there is
Hdpan Acre in Grass, or mostly clover:
fine manure is literally spread over this
each spring and fall, and every spring a
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 a very heavy
growth of grass and clover, enabling us to
cut 1t 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 a
small portion of the crop is used green for
soiling. Besides the land occupied by build
inss, fruit garden, and clover plot, there
remains about one acre, which We call the
garden. Here are grown all the vegetables
for the family's use, besides some to SELL
About one-fourth of it is planted to Early
Rose potatoes, and as soon rs these are sui.
hciently 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 ID planted to sugar -beets the ground
being very rich, the yield is always largo !;
this season (1S79), although very dry, 1
harvested 178 bushels. Our cow is very
fond Of the beets, 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 os the corn is all harvested, tho
ground it occupied is thoroughly fitted and
manured, and then sown to winter rye, to
DO 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-
sequcntly, on the most Of this acre, two
crops are produced each season, except
where sugar-beets are grown, or late cab
bages, which require the whole season to
mature. With the clover on the half acre,
and the forage crops and roots on the acre,
we have not only had sufficient food for tho
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 layer
OF corn-foddor and 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
fng, drsssed, over 300 fbs., $478 dollars
worth Of tho 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 manger two
foot wide in front, one aud half foot high
next to the COW, aud three feet next to the
barn floor. She is fastened with o wide
strap around her neck, attached to chain
eighteen inches long, which is fastened to
a staple driven into a post at corner of
the stall adjoining the maDger; this gives
her room to turn her head SO as To lick any
portion OF her body. The floor is made Of
twoinch plank, battened on the under side
with thin boards, raised from the ground
ton inches in rear aud one foot n front
all the droppings aud urine fal! into the
four-foot alley behind This alley has O
clay floor beaten perfectly solid and level.
Next TO the stable door is large bin, 10
by 2 feet, for storing road.dust or muck
at the other end Of the stable is another
bin, 10 by IL feet, for storing leaves fer
bedding My groat object is not only to