Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-09-16
A DAIRY FARM.
How Butter is Made by Steam-A
Model Dairy.
From Harner's Weekly

From Harper's Weekly.l
In Bergen County, n. J., is Mr.. Have
meyers dairy-farm, which beyond any
doubt is the most superb establishment
of its kind in the United States. Al
once on nearing this farm the immensely
of the stable is evident. This is built
in L form, and has for the longer lint
length of 266 feet by so feet wide
stable is all of hard wood, and stands
on stone foundation. With its broad
walk down the middle, on both sides, Sc
far as the eye can reach, are the stalls.
Away above, all in view, is kept the
stock of hay.
No one now ever feeds a COW from a
trough above her head, because the nat.
ural position of a ruminant animal when
eating is to pick grass, hay, or feed
from the ground. The cattle stand on
platform, and there is a wide and
shallow gutter behind, in which the
droppings fall. There is also a man
busy with broom aud scraper, who re-
moves at once the soilings. The cattle
are tethered with light chain, which is
secured around their necks. Perfect
facility OF motion is allowed, from the
fact that the chain ends with an iron
ring, which goes around n circular post,
and this moves up and down with the
least impulse. Swivels, two or three
of them, on this light chain give all the
fiexibility requisite. Water is supplied
to the COWS by means of movable
troughs. The supply comes from n hose,
and when the contents of the water
trough have been taken, it is raised up
out of the way by means of counter
weights. There is a seperate water pipe
TO each two stalls, and the drains are
everywhere. Each stall has by its side
in front small cast-iron basket, FLIED
with rock-salt, so that the COW can use
1t when she pleases. In the gutter
which runs back of the stalls there are
traps with movable covers, into which
the manure falls into the cellar below.
There is not the faintest odor of cattle
There were no corners in which the
feed placed on the floor could hide
itself, so as become sour In time. Every
day the spaces in front of the stalls
where the food is placed is washed and
scrubbed, and twice week the whole
stable is flooded. Every COW has her
name painted on sign, which is nailed
over her stall. The animals are intro
duced into the stable through yards
which run on both sides, and they
come III through separate doors, the
ascent to the stable being an easy one.
Every cow is led into her exact place
by an attendant, and the animals are
taught the best of manners.
1t is not far from milking-time, and
now all the cows, sevanty-seven oil
them, are in the stable, and it has been
noiseiessly done. As the visitor stands
on the fifty-foot broad walk he sees .
long vista of cows heads. II is the
prettiest of sights, where all the pecali.
arities of bovine physiognomies can bs
appreciated. What is most striking is
their happy, cOntented manner. There
is no unruly brute tugging at her chain,
no believing COW complaining Of the
robbery of her calf. They are all placid,
and as you pass along they look at you
IN an affectionate way with their IN.
fathomable eyes, as they calmly chew
their cud All Of them wear IN their ears
metal clasp on which their particular
number has been inscribed. This is q
kind of bovine decoration, q Legion OF
Honor, as it were, and the number ha,
been copied, attested to, and duly regis.
tered IN that Book of Gold which hold.
the genealogy of the airstocratic Jec-
seys. 1t is just before feeding time, aud
the attendants are busy preparing the
evening meal for the cows. The milk
men now come; it is nearly five o'clock,
and soon from all sides resounds the
pleasant tinkle OF the milk. as it strike
In its spurtings The sides of the bright
resonant tin pals. The men are per
fectly silent ami the cows are Just =,
quiet. There is not a kick nor an in
decorous movement. The manager
goes mp and down the stable along
with the visitor, and expatiates o.
the beauties OF some particular COW
THAT one" he says, showing Lille
Bonne, ''has all the points OF grea
butter making COW. You will motto.
her amber colored horn-a sign of great
butter-Iaking-and this ear. She is Is
fine as ever a COW was on the island
and is the pearl of our stock" when d
Jersey breeder says "the island" hl
means the island of Jersey, and speak
of 1t with the same reverence as Q
| Mohammedan does of Mecca
The men who care for the cows are
all young and from Nova Scotia, for,
strange to say, these proyircials have
the greatest love and respect for theil
| pet cattle.
The feed is brought in boxes OH i
large truck, and the COWS are fed on the
floor on the broad walk. The mixture
is composed of green rye from the silos,
mixed with ground oats and corn, the
whole feed for the day distributed in
the morning, midday and the evening,
being composed of thirty pounds OF
cnsilage and four quarts of the ground
iced. The cattle have no green pasture.
! When not in the stable the cows range
nj will in big meadow Of some fifteen
/ acres, where they have eaten the green
! grace close down to the roots.
Going to the cross wing of the stable,
here on one side are the silos, aud on
the other, in the stone basement, arC
the diaries. The soils are at once dis
tiuguishabIe by their slight odor o.
vincus fermentation. These silos are
immense and constructed in various
compartments, all built up with heavy
walls of cement. Their total capaci Is
il not lees than tgo thousand tons
At present several of the compartments
are filed with oats. The cattle vii
use this until the Southern horse-tootl
corn has acquired it's proper growth
and then it will be cut and converted