Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-09-04
DARYlNG AT BILTMoRE.
SolIing the Only Method OF Green Feeding
The Jerseys Are tho Only Cows Kept.

The Jerseys Are tho Only Cows Kept.
The writer Of these notes had the
privilege recently of visiting and in
spccting the dairy at Biltmore Farms,
near Ashcvillc, N. 9. AS ourr readers
know, the Biltmoro farms are part
of the Vanderbilt estate and are run
largely for the purpose of showing
what can be done in agricultural
lines. The following points picked
up arc worthy Of consideration:
Mr.. Wheeler, the Biltmore dairy
man, is man both progressive and
sclf-rcliant, as is shown by his origi-
nial methods adopted by him for the
securing of certain results. The
feeding capacity of each COW is care
fully noted, and her grain ration
regulated accordingly. Over each
cows stall Mr.. Wheeler has little
case for holding colored card.
The color of the card indicates the
amount of ground feed each COW is
to receive. We will say that blue
represents ten pounds of feed and
green nine pounds. The man that is
doing the feeding has only to glance
at the card above each COW to see
how much feed he is to give her.
There is, therefore, no particular
thought necessary on the part Of the
feeder. He may be a machine if he
will, but needs to have good eyes to
distinguish one color from another.
The ground feed is brought along in
large movable box. In this box
are number Of measures with bot
toms that can be regulated to give
any desired capacity by moving the
bottoms up and down. The one that
is to hold ten pounds of feed has the
bottom moved to the point where it
can be filled full of feed and holds, ex-
actly ten pounds after the surplus
feed has been scraped off by means
of straight edge" In each meas
ure is a place for colored card the
size of the one over the stall of each
COW. AS the feed truck is moved
along the feeder notes the color Of
the card above the COW, picks out a
measure with card of the same
color and fills it even full, using the
"straight edge" mentioned. No
weighing Of the feed is thus required,
and the work of feeding is accurately
done in moments time. Under
such regulations "any fool can feed"
Soiling is the only method of green
feeding followed AT Biitmorc. 1t
was something of q surprise to find
an estate of more than $50 square
miles lacking in pastures. Mr..
Wheeler says that while there is land
that can be pastured, it is at such
distance from the dairy barns that
pasturing is not practicable. Besides,
just as good results are obtained by
the soiling process. When the writer
was at the farm a mixture Of green
wheat and medium clover was being
fed. The only drawback to the feed
ing of these soiling crops is that it is
difficult to always get them just at
tho stage when they are best adapted
for feeding. In a little while the
wheat is too ripe or the clover too
old, and to have new fields always
coming on to give crops at just the
proper stage Of maturity is an impos-
siblc condition, as the quantity to be
yielded by any crop on given area
cannot be figured out beforehand
even approximately. Mr.. Wheeler
says that as soon as they get into
their new dairy establishment the
summer silo will become feature,
and the green crops will be fed in
conjunction with slagc. 1t will then
be comparatively easy to regulate
the green food supply so as to always
have feed at a proper state Of matu-
rity for the best results. In the
feeding of soilng crops it is found
hot L