Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-02-08
Daily kennebec 3ournaI.
Local Matters.
THE TOGUs BARNS.
An Interesting Call Upon the Live Stock at the
National Home.

NduUudt nO!le.
How many of the Journal readers
are there who have ever visited the
stock barns a the National Home?
Not many, we think, as that is a de-
partment of the Home which is not of
special interest to visitors at the Home
as class. To stock raisers, how
ever, visit to the barns cannot fail
to be source of pleasure. as here is to
be seen one of the finest herds of cat-
tie to be found in Kennebec county.
The barns, three in number. are large
ana commodious buildings, are located
at some distance to the south from the
other buildings composing the settle
meht. and are admirably adapted to
the purpose for which they are in
tended Each barn is capable of ac-
commodating about 40 head of cattle,
and at present from % to So are quar-
tered in them. AS the visitor enters
he IS at once impressed by the neatness
and cleanliness apparent everywhere.
The floors are clean and entirely free
from the litter usually seen in barns.
and the long rows of stalls on either
side are as neat and clean as white
wash and good care can make them.
In each barn. in addition to the stalls
az. Ia,
ton of calves. also large milk room.
In the Easements are receptaces fo.'
the dressing. an arrangement which is
a decided improvement over the OLD
method in more ways than one
The stock is quartered in the three
barns as follows: In barn No. l there
are 35 head, including the lord of the
herd and a youngster of four months
who will. no doubt, some day occupy
the dignified position now filled by his
sire. In No. > are sc cows, beauties
every one of them. In No. are 81
head. including among them some fine
steers. two-year-olds and yearlings.
The entire herd is composed of Hol-
stems, some of them grades. but most
ly thoroughbreds. Taken as a whole
they are handsome animals, and fine
representatives of the breed. There is
quite a variety in appearance, 70,
while some are nearly black with the
exception of the legs. others are more
white. or the black and white is about
eve lly 1iTlded.
AS milk producers the Holsteins are
said 10 be among the leaders. and the
quality given at present by some ol
the COWS in the herd. would seem tc
bear out the statement One COW
Susie Gill. a registered thoroughbred
is now giving % pounds to milking
Another, Hist Sd, is giving 2S pounds
While these animals are not quite III
to the record as milk producers. they
are within a few pounds of it. All o.
the COWS in the barns show plain evi-
dence that they are above the averag
as milk producers. OF the Il COWS ir
the barns about so at present are Civ
ing milk, ana the daily amount Of milk
given by them is about f2O gallons
There are besides the COWS 20 heifers
and three calves.
The milk is all used at the Home. II
quality it is not as rich as that of some
other breeds Where the production is
not so large. nor does the cream
separate so easily, but for general use
it serves the purpose to the satisfac-
ton of all.
The. calves n h,iobt little fa1lau-.
and very vigorous and playful. The
are raised in a somewhat different
manner from that in general use. and
are taken from the cow at the age OF
two days and taught to drink from q
pail This early weaving does moi
seem to cause them the slightest in
convenience, and they seem to thrive
equally as we'll as if they had beer
permitted to follow the course whic,
Nature provided for them.
The young bull calf mentioned above
is said to be one of the finest yet raised
in this vicinity. He is mostly black
AMI is about four and one half months
old. and is a promising Jyoungster
When four months old he was weighed
and tipped the scales at 400 pounds.
Among the other stock are two pail
of trained yearEng steers. They are
thoroughly broken, and the exhibitions
given by them under charge of theii
trainer affords lots of amusement foi
the veterans.
The herd is in charge of Mr. NJ. E
Williams. Mr. Williams is a Readfield
| man. and began his duties at the
home in December. He is a pleasan;
man to meet, and, judging from the
appearance of everything connected
with the barns and cattle. he thor
oughly understands his business.