Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-10-30

witness the work of the employees in
taking the cows to the barn, or rather
of allowing the COWS to go to the
barns. They went from the pasture
in punches of from eight TO II, a man
guarding the gate and closing it when
that number had been let out. 1t was
remarkable that the cows. with very
few exceptions. knew their own stalls,
and went directly TO their places. In
view of the fact that some of the ami
mails had been in the barn only a few
weeks. this seemed surprising, consid-
ering the large number of stalls.
The COW barn is kept remarkably
clean, and the running water aids in
this respect. When the cows enter the
stalls, their feed has been prepared,
and while they enjoy their evening
meal, the employees do the milking
Each COW stall and feed box has a cor
responding number. and the feed is dis
tributed scientifically. The proper
tons are determined by the condition,
of the animal. and the rations are
weighed out accurately.
| Scientific Milking.
The milk each COW gives is weighed
daily, and an accurate record kept.
1 The milk is tested at each milking by
the employees. TO determine the quail
ity. and detect disease or impurities.
| The COW barn has on the main floor
| a capacity of 236 cows, and later stalls
are to be arranged in the basement
for 100 cows. The basement Is 10 be
used for dry cows and calves In the
loft it is possible TO store $50 tons of
hay. Besides hay. the cows are fed
ensilage. alfalfa and fax seed. Water
from an immense tank is carried 20
each wing of the barn. The barns are
equipped with hot and cold water fau-
GETS
Adjoining the north wing of the COW
barn are three silos for storing the
ground feed. each having a capacity of
go tons. and requiring over 20 acres of
standing corn to fill. There are now
200 acres of land under cultivation, and
the production the past year. under the
milk company's management was
twice that of any former tenant.
The visitors were considerably in
terested in the process of milking the
cows. The employees, who are all re-
CURED to wear clean white uniforms,
after the cows are in the barn, first
curry the animals, sweep and sprinkle
| the floors. wash their hands, clean
their nails, and after first washing
| carefully the udders of the cows, pro-
coed with the milking. The milk pals
are all provided with a filter of gauze
and cotton covering the small opening
at the top. The utensils are thorough
ly sterilized before using. and immedi-
ately after the milking all the filters
are destroyed. The milk is at once re-
moved to the milk house, where it is
aerated. placed in cans, and then stor-
ed in cold water watts
The milk house is 24X32 feet in di-
mansions. and has cement floors, sep
arately drained to the sewers. The
walls are of hard plaster. Here all of
the utensils are carefully washed. first
in cold water, then in hot, and finally
are sterilized with live steam from the
boiler room of the milk house.
Character OF the stock.
The stock of the farm has been pur-
chased almost exclusively from the
dairy districts, few cows being bought
in this locality. The herd consists of
80 per cent Holstein, 35 per cent Guern-
seys and Jerseys. and the remainder
of natives and Shorthorns. This pro-
portion will be closely maintained.
Many of the cows are q blood or bet
ter, and all are of high grade stock.
The herd has all been tested for tuber-
culOsis, and the health of all the ami
mails established. The cows, according
TO the superintendent. were bought for
milk records rather than for their ap-
pearances Mr. Mulinax states that a
good dairy cow is always thin in flesh,
and rarely of much value in the beef
market. The heads of the herd are
full registered Guernsey and Holstein
bulls. Some very promising calves
have been saved. but the majority are
disposed of as soon as possible. Sew
eral full blood animals have been
bought for the purpose of improving
the stock later.
The Tri-City farm undoubtedly COM
bines the best features of a number of
the best equipped diaries in the coun-
try. Its sanitary precautions are not
excelled. SO far as is known, in the
world. The plans and general supervi-
sion OF the farm are under the direc-
ton of John W. Parker, the secretary
of the company. A. l.. Mulinax, the
superintendent in personal charge. was
for eight years superintendent of the
Tennessee state farm, at Knoxville.
BY Way of Diversion.
Theexcursionists, during the afternoon, J
were given an interesting diversion in |
a milking contest between w F. East |
man, of the Moline Dispatch and F. E. |
Leavens. manager of the Manufactur-
ers hotel of Moline. Mr.. Eastman was
easily the winner. he evidently having |
MIXED a COW or two before. Mr.. Leav- |
ems. however, furnished much amuse-