St. Landry democrat., 1886-05-29
Mr.. Editor |:


We continue our remarks on dairy
farms. The all important and most diff
ticuIt, is the making of hay, as 10 other
food is fed to COWS; yet it rains so ire
uuently, it is difficult to cure. One thing
new to rs WIS the use OF tarpaulln
hOistea up over the stack while build
ING up. 1t is the custom to make the
stack of hay about 30 feet by - and as
| high as a one story cottage: The rea-
son hay is sweeter and there is less
outside waste. They use a knife to cut
it down in cuts 3 feet square.
The milk house is of stone or brick,
the capacity from Is to 20 cows, tilted
I'D with stalls, and built in different
parts of the farm, to prevent the cattle
from tralnping down the meadows, the
milk man using very large Duckets,
with yoke milking in small bucket,
and then pouring it into the large one.
| On the first freeze in winter, the mead
i ows are closed not allowing stock III I'M
til after moving in summer. so careful
are they-with grass for lay-tlat they
manure meadows with liquid manure,
as we water streets III the cities.
This farm is frHn, 300 to 400 acres, only
one Dlouyhed field for home use OF
wheat. oats. and beans, and milk about
40 COWS, mostly Durham, not inferior
ones that they learn would not pay.
Rent of land Il fraction under II or
80. 80 per acre About 40 cows MIXED
morning and evening, man and boy
each COW house, each COWS mix per day
4 gallons, butter per week pounds each.
Butter per pound is ed or 2scts per ID.
Mutton sd locts
Pork " 81 lJcts
Rac0n :" i" TOD 19cts
fleece of wool to 10 pounds 24cts :"
Lard " 10d 19cts per
pound all leaf.
1t takes all of the dairy to pay the rents
They have very little work and small
expenses, very little ditchiDg, rains
light, no washing out.
All Mthorn hedges, no fences to
keep in repair, only gates and stiles.
The whole parish is rolling lands, NO
wells, spring water every where. Raise
their meat, wheat and vegetables, and
to nav labor and live, they depend on
their hogs, sheep. some fowls and ducks,
3 Having such quantities OF skim milk
butter milk, with shorts, they can read
ilv fatten hogs, nearly all Berkshires
most are sold when third grown
: very fat, sent up in droves to London
market; where they sell from one tC
two cents higher than pigs from other
: parts, the meat being very fair. They
, are good ut improving stock, and we see
they have all the conditions to accom-:
, plish it-a healthy climate give good
digestion, their food not liable to fer
ment or sour, fatten easy, making goot
blood, with care, makes bt00ded- stock
, but they admit, it has its limits, for ex
ample: for years they have been striv.
ing to make silk purse ont OF a (sow's
, or hogs ear, but have always failed.
) They purchase sheep in the fall, which
are raised in the poorer highlands o.
Wales and Scotland, have a lamb sheart
; in spring. The lamb is sold in spring
the eve in summer, tbs
weather reserved until winter, and fec
on turnips and lutabaga. Coming from
poor lands to these richer meadows
=. llpy fatten easy but are liable to foot
. evil. hence they sell all off and purchas,
again every scheme has to be resorteo
p to, to meet expenses.
r The hog pens are in row. The mod.
f of feeding resembles our long trough
= and branches to coolers in sugar house
| using the same kind of dipper to distrl
! butte the food from the hog tub to tn
hoe-pen. j. GIBBS.
Opelousas, La.