The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-09-13
SUCCESSFUL DAIRY FARMING.
Cor. american Agriculturalist.

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Compelled some years ago by failing health
to quit the mercantile business, we-my wife
and I-rented small farm with 20 acres under
cultivation, since increased to 30, and 40 acres
OF brush pasture. We agreed to keep only
one COW. A neighbor wanted to buy milk of
us, then another, and couple more, necessi-
tating another COW. Other customers kept
coming, with corresponding increase in the
number of cows, so that now we have 20, aver
aging nearly 1900 pounds of milk yearly.
Despite the glowing representations of par
ties from whom have bought cows, l have
never yet found one who could tell just how
much the COW had done in any one year of
her life. have also found that succeeded
in getting one good mixer out of about every
four COWS purchased.
have no guessing in my method. | weigh
the milk from each cow at milking time and
record same. My minimum requirement is
5000 pounds of per cent. milk, or its equiva-
lent, per year. No other qualifications will
induce me to keep a COW that falls below this
standard. Keeping record for year gives
many strange results. 1t shows that many
cow that runs the pale over when fresh falls
behind the one who never gave more than 30
pounds per day.
also found this record serviceabIe in regu-
lating feed rations, watching the effect of
different feed stuffs and increasing the pro-
QQCtlOQ OF eaCQ 10OlV1QUal COW. ASIDE from
other results, it interests the hired help in
making each COW produce as much as possible.
The yearly record shows the best COW in the
herd and also the poorest, and she is the one
we are after.
As to the stable, let the walls be alright,
the ceiling not too high-not over u feet
one window So inches square, to each two
animals, with double sash, in the winter.
The walls also should be whitewashed at
least once year. AS to ventilation, the King
system is the best, for which apply to expert
ment station. The COWS should also face each
other.
Now, as to feeding, the man who has
plenty of fodder need not fear the drouth of
which we have more or less every summer
First-class slage, l believe, is actually the
cheapest and best green forage crop that can
be grown. By first-class silage L mean that
made from leafy corn, fully mature not
dry, with ears averaging three inches long to
each stalk eight feet high, preserved in silo
with absolutely alright walls, the corn being
kept highest next to the walls when filling.
pillow for corn in the fall, because it gets the
work out of the way for spring. During the
winter haul out manure, Is loads to the acre,
and as early as possible in the spring disk
the land.
plant corn in drills feet inches apart,
and put in II to 16 quarts of seed to the acre,
according to size of kernel. want stalk to
grow every four inches in the row. [ practice
IuIeo Ut lOuT year rOldtlOu Vi crops, dCCOrQ-
ing to my success in getting stand in clover.
If the clover misses in the corn, next year l
SOW that field with oats and peas, cutting Just
after the oats head out and curing for hay.
Fifteen acres corn, u acres clover and u
acres oats and peas cut for hay furnish all the
good, rich roughage needed by 20 cows, Is
head of young stock and 3 horses for a year,
silage fed to cows 365 days. My neighbors
argue that exhaust the land by raising such
big crops, but have figures to show that my
crops are getting bigger every year. l feed
grain to cows all the year round-verv little,
of course, when the grass is at its best.
My neighbors also tell me that cows will
wear out if given all the good feed they want
to eat, but mine are getting better every year.
For instance, one of the heaviest mixers gave
in 1899 100 pounds milk; in 1900, 800
pounds; in 1901, over 10000 pounds My
neighbors may guess, but l have the figures
Another thing is that my COWS are seldom
troubled with sickness.