The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-22

A PLEASING PICTURE OF THE CoN.
PORTABLE LIFE OF THE FORMER.
n Will Live i'm n Cow Palace, VIII
BE Supplied with Luxuries, and
Her Milk viii he the Finest.

The new COW" is still in her infancy. but
when she arrives at maturity she will be as
carefully cared for as "mye tytled ladye."
When that time has arrived the horse will
be a curiosity, automobiles will have BAN
ished him TO the fields Of oblivion. but man.
kind can never dispense with the cow.
Perhaps. some day. ambitious chemists will
analytically and synthetically investigate
the subject of milk and produce an artih-
cial substitute; in fact, they have. but it
will never approach the old-fashioned milk
from an old-fashioned COW.
The new COW" will be as carefully cared
for as a blooded horse. She will be washed,
and curried, and brushed every day. She
will feed in green pastures and drink from
babbling brooks and sparkling springs. She
will dwell in palatial quarters, with at
tendants to supply her every want and
skilled doctors to minister to her when in
disposed. The improved and ideal stable,
or cow tenement, will be Of stone or brick,
built according to the most modern hygien-
ic principles. Each new cow" will have a
spacious apartment to herself: she will not
be hung by the neck to a s~tanchion, but
will have the freedom Of a comfortable,
we'll ventilated boxstall. The floor will be of
cement, with proper traps and drainage;
the walls will be Of enameled or glazed
brick; all corners or angles will be filled
with fllets; the feedbox will be Of enam-
eled iron or porcelain, thoroughly washed
after each meal, while the water trough
will also be Of enameled iron and the con-
tents will be fresh water, frequently
changed. The stables will be thoroughly
washed and cleansed not only once a day,
but several times a day, and no ordure will
be allowed to remain nor any odor be toll
Grated. In winter it will be warmed, in
summer 1t will be cooled and at all times
well ventilated. The clean-shaven mixers
will put on clean white jackets and over
alls, not emitting a cap, before commencing
their duties, and will wash their hands in
hot water and soap; while the new COW will
have her toilet attended to by attendants
specially detailed to that duty.
The milk will be collected in a~sceptic,
seamless containers. with as little exposure
to the air as possible. 1t will be strained in
a separate room, having tiled or glazed
walls and a cemented floor, we'll ventilated
and not connected with and remote from
the stable. Having been pasteurized or ster-
ilized, it will be cooled and placed in con-
tainers for delivery, these containers hav-
ing been previously scalded by steam ap-
paratus. Having been filled each container
will be sealed.
1t may be true that the new cow will be
serenaded with sweet music at milking
time, for If music hath charms to soothe
the savage breast" it should certainly have
a beneficial influence on the peaceful cow,
who is held up and robbed Of her store of
tactical treasure twice a day, sometimes to
the accompaniment of rough hands and
rougher words. At any rate, kind words
cost little and get much. even from a cow,
and there are some men who forbid rough
language to or in the presence of a cow;
not from any bigoted or ultra-pious dog
matism, but because they believe rough
words injure the cows feelings and through
these injuries her character as a milk-pro-
Queer. While the average farmer cannot,
of course, employ a full brass band to en-
terrain his COWS at eventide. he can, at
least, whistle or sing at his work and show
his good nature, which is infectious.
True, it is exasperating to have the cow
put her foot in the milk pail or whisk her
tail in your eyes, but she is not to blame;
it is those pesky flies that make her stamp
her foot or thrash her tail. The new COW"
WILL QOuDlAtSS, HOl ne OlSluIDtu ny HleS.
She Will live in a stable with doors and
windows screened, but lacking screens it
would be a good idea to put a fly net over
the COW or have one Of the youngsters
gently swing a leafy branch to sweep away
the flies. That is much better than tying
the cows tail to a brickbat or putting on
liquid fly drivers, which are sometimes so
strong that they drive the poor COW to dis
traction and take off her hair with it.
AS for the bully cow" the COW who
hooks and kicks her sisters and raises a
rumpus in the field or the tie-up, out of
sheer innate cussedness, the sooner she
makes the acquaintance of the butcher the
better, for while she may be tough
! among COWS she may be tender among men.
This may seem a fancy picture, and some
thing like a burlesque, but it is a true
prophecy. The health of the community de-
mands hygienic care in the handling and
supply of milk, and sanitarians will insist
upon this both by precept and law. The re-
quirements will be such that in most cases
cooperation or capitalization will be neces-
sary. The farmer who owns a few COWS
will turn them in as stock, at an appraised
valuation, and will draw interest upon their
money value, as actual milk-producers, as
if he had paid in the equivalent in money.
He may also contribute money to aid in
building the ideal stables, and thus have
another source of income.
THE COW OF THE PRESENT.
If this seems a dream, look at the picture
as it is. The average farmers barn is loose
" built; the wintry winds whistle through
the chinks, while the only heating appara-
tus is situated in the cows themselves. and
il is not always adequate for the occasion.
In the fall, or as soon as the snow begins
to fly. a wooden yoke or a steel chain is
fastened around the cows neck. where it
remains until next spring, leaving its mark
chafed to the skin and. perhaps. through
if. This unfortunate COW is fed on hay and
fermenting cornstalks, commonly known
as ensilage, which is said to give the COW a
sour stomach and thus makes her give sour
milk. Water will be occasionally pumped
into a long trough, which is never empty. a
new supply being added to the old, as the
level sinks; hay and dust will settle TO the
e. *