Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-09-20
THE TUCKAHoES ABROAD.
At LAKESIDE sToCK-FARM.
A Great Herd OF Heisseiss-sew They are
Kept end siiiked-Butser-M Making.
fFor the DIHpatch.I

infusion Of new ideas, determined at
their July meeting to take Jaunt
North and to visit and inspect
number Of the most famous
farms in the States Of Pennsyi-
vania and New York. In pursuance OF
this determination, they arrived at
Syracuse, N. Y, on the morning OF
Wednesday the 10th instant. In short
order they received an invitation
from Messrs. Smiths, Powell, and
Lamb, the owners Of Lakeside farm,
to visit their farm and accept
their hospitality. The invitation was
gratefully accepted, and so the Club
started off in high glee about 10 A. NJ.
in carriages furnished by the proprle-
tors of the farm. and in their pleasant
company to the farm, distant about two
miles from the city Of Syracuse and
lying in part on Lake Onondaga. On
reaching the farm so many matters OF
interest engaged their attention that
only few can be mentioned, and those
briefly.
The farm comprises LOO acres of
land, nearly all arabic and in the high
est state of productiveness, and, except
a small part used for nursery purposes,
is employed solely for raising food for
the immense herd Of Holstein cattle,
500 head, and more than 100 head oil
Clydesdale and Hambletonian horses.
1t was worth o trip to Syracuse to
see this magnificent herd Of Holstelns.
The herd is divided by families into
several herds. Many Of these cattle
are imported, and all ofpure blood, regis
tered or entitled to register. We did not
see an inferior animal among them.
We happened to be present at noon
when all the cows are MIXED.
Prompt to the hour the cows were
called, not driven, from the pasture to
the barn. 1t was interesting to see
them all take their own stalls, of their
own free will. They were fed on bran
and ground oats bounteously, for they
are large-bodied and demand heavy
feeding. The cows are MIXED
three times day, but some heavy
mixers are, Of necessity, MIXED
four times a day. The writer stood by
and saw one of this latter class MIXED
and witnessed the weighing Of the milk.
The yield was twenty pounds and five
ounces. The yield for the day at the
same rate would be eighty-one pounds
and four ounces, or ten gallons. One
of the cows (lEgis), whose yield has
reached as high as ninety pounds six
ounces in a day, was pointed out to us.
In the South we measure milk instead
of weighing it. In estimating these re-
suits we will be very near right in call
ing pound a pint.
Without trouble, or scarcely any, a
permanent record is kept Of the yield
Of every COW at every milking. The
milk-bucket is taken to the office in the
barn, weighed quickly, and the result
placed on a ack-board, which contains
the name of every COW. When the milk
ing is over the results are transcribed
from the blackboard for permanent
preservation to book suitably ruled.
As an evidence Of the milking capacity
of Holstein COWS, the following state
ment by Mr.. Powell, member of the
firm, is given: Ten cows averaged in
year 1918 pounds and 1 ounces !;
twenty-six cows averaged in a year
1904 pounds and IA ounces. OF this
number (26), twelve were mature cows,
nine were four-year- olds, three were
three years old, and two were two years
old. The butter yield of these cows
has reached as high as twenty-three
POUNDS per week per COW, which makes
the butter 4 per cent. of the milk. This
is beyond the average Of our ordinary
cows, but less, of course, than the ave-
rage of Jersey milk.
The calves as soon as dropped are
taken from their dams and put into the
calf-nurseries, where they are fed few
DAYS on fresh and afterwards on
SKINNED milk. We noticed peculiar
bedding in these calf-pens-sOmethlng
which we thought we had never seen
before. Upon inquiry We were told 1t
was peat-moss. imported at thirteen
dollars per ton from Germany.
\ year-old heifer, already in calf,
sells from $3.50 to $500. They are be-
ing sold in all parts of the world. As
many as half dozen carloads OF
young bulls and heifers have been ship
ped in a year to California. Two young
bulls were pointed out as having beer
sold to Honolulu.
After inspecting this farm we were
driven to the residence of Mr.. Smith
on the suburbs OF the city. After al
elegant and sumptuous collation., thu
club was taken TO contiguous farm
belonging to the same firm, where an
other splendid herd were shown as theI
were grazing in the pasture. We wer'
equally pleased by their great size
their beauty, and extreme docility
Conversation was carried on between
our party and the proprietors Will
several gentlemen were resting them
selves by reclining on a COW, VIII
showed evident signs Of contente'
pleasure at the petting she received.
The club was then taken through tn
most fashionable parts of Syracuse, an
admired the tasteful residences, tn
spacious lawns, and shade-trees. syria
cuse has been properly called the Cit
of Parks, and its whole appearance
attests the propriety of the deslgna
ton.
After the drive we were taken 10
supper to the residence of Mr.. Smith
ST., of the firm, where we were DE-
lightfully entertained, and then sent
the depot to meet our train.
We have not time for remarks upo
the pure strains of Clydesdale an
Uambletonian horses. All of the.
animals were pure strains and super
specimens.
The proprietOrs of this farm are ev
IDENTIFY masters of their business. ente
prising, liberal, practical. They al
open and candid in their business a
fairs. and win at once the confidence
strangers. They are doing an immen'
business, and doing it on business pril
ciples. The younger Mr.. Smith carrie
nrinted volume with him containir