Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-01-24
A Progressive Dairyman.
HOW MODERN METHODS AND INDUSTR Y
PRODUCE PROFITABLE RESULTS on A
MAINE HILLSIDE FARM.

MAINE HILLSIDE FARM.
About five miles from Fryeburg viii
lage, Me-, lying on slope of old Mount
Tom, is situated the dairy farm of B.
Frank Buzzell. This farm is located ON
land AS feet above high tide, and is the
highest occupied land in the town. The
land was cleared from the forest at a
very early date, it being part of one of
the original seven lots into which the
town was divided by General Joseph
Frye when he received the grant from
the Massachusetts General Court in 1860.
This farm was decided tn Abial Frye, a
son of the general, in 1867, and descend
ed in the family from generation to gen.
Grafton, never being sold for money con-
sideration till purchased by the present
owner in 1898.
The farm consists of l56 acres, forty
of which are under cultivation. The
soil is strong, springy loan, never
affected by drouths, and from its alti-
tude is exceptionally free from frOstS.
As compared with the intervale farms
of the town, il is hard farm to culti-
vate. Still, by persistent labor the fields
have been cleared from stones so now
| ing machines run over practically the
whole area without lifting the cutter
bars. The staple crop of the farm is
Indian corn, one thousand baskets hav-
ing been grown the present year. There
| is fine young orchard on the farm,
bearing sufficient fruit of fine quality to
supply the family abundantly and afford
a small surplus for marketing. This is
an advantage not secured ON the inter-
vale farms.
The herd is composed Of twenty-five
animals, all high grade Jerseys, and all
showing constitution and capacity that
would be pleasing to DR.. Smead, the AMI
mails not requiring the expert with his
score card to demonstrate their value.
The herd practically sprang from one
COW, which was unregistered, but OF un-
doubted ancestry. and a producer with a
record of two and quarter pounds of
butter fat a day for five months. BY
the use of bulls of prepotency and from
producing dams the herd has been built
up to it's present size and efficiency.
could not but be struck with the advan-
tages of this system, as | noted Mr.. Buz-
zell handle his young stock They have
grown up under his care; they are al
home. They have no unfavorable con-
ditionS TO overcome and are at their best.
Each one is known by its owner, and the
study of individuality of the animal be-
comes second nature. The bull at the
head of the herd at present is Duke OF
| Ingleside, from the best OF Hood Farm
stock. He is an animal of sterling quail
tiles. showing great dairy form, and
with a constitution that should render
him prepotent. As one steps into the
tie up and looks down the row OF these
animals he notes at first the care and
thoughtfulneSs of their owner IN the
warmth, cleanliness aud comfort that is
apparent. Here are found the Hoard
stalls, as copied from The Pines. Each
cow, with halter, which is never remov-
ed. fitted To her own head, and with
stall fitted to her size by the movable
headpiece, stands or lies in perfect COM
for, and freedom on ample bedding, and
is as clean as if running in June pas
ture. Running water in covered
trough behind them affords an oppor-
tunity for watering without exposure
and without admitting the cold winter
air from surrounding hills. At the time
of my visit the thermometer was at zero,
with a heavy wind blowing, yet these
cows stood in the comfort of summer.
Mr.. Buzzell thinks the question OF exer-
else will largely take care of itself in
winter, and believes he is the gamer,
both in amount of product and IN the
health of his herd, by keeping his cows
where they are the most comfortable.
The winter feeding of these animals
has been brought to a system. All pos
sible roughage is used that can be fed
without waste. In fact, the cows eat at
least one foddering OF low ground hay
every day. The grain useG is mixture
of corn and cob meal ground fine, wheat,
bran and cottonseed meal, mixed at the
rate of two and one-half quarts OF bran,
one quart of cornmeal and one-half pint
of cottonseed meal. The quantity fed
varies according To the individual,
careful account of the work OF each being
kept. A rule adopted some time ago
fixes the smallest possible production al
profit of 100 per cent for all grain fed.
That is, the product of each animal must
be at least double the value of the gram
she eats to entitle her TO place in the
herd. There are cows in it, however,
that paw 200 per cent for all grain fed.
Mr.. Bnzzell is not believer in feeding
for largest possible returns, but thinks
there is limit of profitable production
for each animal and that when that
limit is reached all the production secur-
ed above it is obtained at loss. 1t is
probable that this idea has much to do
in maintaining the healthfulness ot his
herd.
Two of the best heifer calves are rails
ed each year. They are kept on pro-
baton till they drop their second calves.
Then if they do not succeed in reaching
the mark set for each animal of the herd,
they are disposed of for whatever price
they will bring. The calves are not
allowed to suck the mothers even for
pnce, the thought being that If the
Young heifer looks to her owner instead
of to the calf to relieve the pressure OF
the udder she will continue to do so,
and there is no worry or lack OF greatest
flow of milk incident to the change even
to the most careful mixer. The bull
calves are not sacrificed, as is the rule
of some dairymen, but are made to con-
tribute their share toward the profit OF
the farm. They are taught to drink at
once, and are fed on the mothers milk
for few days and then are gradually
changed on to skim milk. This skim
milk is enriched gradually by mixture
of oilmeal, shorts and cornmesl, cooked
together, and increased as the system of
the calf will stand until they are from
six to eight weeks old, when they are
sold for veal, at an average of 80 each,
and at an expense for grain not exceed
ing IS cents each.
Mr.. Buzzell does not, as yet, see his
way clear to adopt the feeding of silage,
but utilizes every particle of his corn
stover for winter feeding by thorough
drying and packing solidly in salt. Salt
enough is used to prevent the fodder
from moulding, and it is much reiished
by stock. He is, however, cOntemplat-
ing cutting and mixing it with grain and
steaming from one feed to another. He
hopes in this way more fully to utilize it,
and to secure, if possible, better as
similation of the food. eaten. The hay
fed is composed of a mixture of grasses,
- 2. hoox;lx spriuklad with clover III