St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1892-02-04
EXCELLENT FARMING.

The agricultural department of the
St. Adams Messenger, which, by the
way, is conducted by practical far
mer who is in love with his bust
ness, recently contained the follow
ing, under the head Good Specimen
of Vermont Farming"
L. P. Fisher, of Cabot, in Wash
ington county, lives on hill farm at
a considerable height from the vii
lage below. Quite a number of
years ago his farm was visited and
he was found at that time keeping a
fine herd of Shorthorn cattle He
had also built silo and was endeav-
oring to keep pace with improved
methods in agriculture. He was met
at the late dairymen's convention
for he always calculates to attend
these-and some interesting facts
obtained concerning his farming.
He was not quite satisfied with
the Short horns for the production Of
butter, so, about eight years since,
began to change to the Jersey, and
now his herd is all of this breed, de-
scended from the Fairbanks stock of
ST. Johnsbury, which is considered
one of the best butter producing fam
lilies of this part of the country. He
now has about 40 head, one-half of
which are COWS. He has succeeded
in getting them up to a remarkable
point of production, as will be seen
from the following figures: In 1887
the average production of butter
was $50 pounds; 1888, 300; 1889,
322; 1890, 81 1891, 366.
The butter is put in tubs and sent
by express to commission house in
Boston. Last year it averaged 241a
cents a pound and came to about
500 per COW for the butter. With
special market, no better prices
could be obtained.
His cows mostly come in during
the fall and he calculates to have
them go dry about two months,
when butter is lowest in price. In
winter it takes II to 10 pounds of
milk for one of butter and in summer
about 20 pounds. Is satisfied he has
several COWS that will produce 500
pounds each of butter in a year, and
has set his mark for the whole herd
at these figures.
This looks pretty steep, but If
reasonable methods can accomplish
it, he will succeed.
WORD ABOUT HIS METHOD.
Certainly farmers will want to
know how such an average of butter
production can be secured from a
dairy of 20 COWS, and how much it
n =
able.
First, he has the best of,butter-pro-
ducing COWS, gives them the best
butter-producing feed, and takes the
best care of them.
His meadows are in a condition to
produce large crops of hay, which is
cut very early-the first crop directly
after the middle of June. Hehas s1los
and plenty of ensilage, and he feeds
grain by the carload.
THE WINTERING RATION FOR MILK.
In the morning first gives feed of
early cut hay, containing large pro-
portion of clover. After this is ca ten
the COWS are watered, not ice-cOld
water, but warmed upto 95 degrees.
They then go back to the stable and
are given about 80 pounds of ensil-
age with four pounds of provender,
consisting of corn, oats, bran, cot
ton and linseed meal, the two last
III small quantities. At night the
same kinds of feed are given. Has
used cold deep, setting but intends to
try separator the coming season.
Has steam boiler and engine and
with it does his threShing, grinding
of grain and warming of water for
stock. Without the latter the yield
of milk will shrink one quart per cow
in a day.