The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1909-07-17

Continued from Baraga Page.
no cheaper food basis exists than well
preserved silage. Cow peas u another
excellent food, and when properly cured
the vine makes good rough feed. It
seems to me that the soil about here 10
wen adapted for the production Of
peas.
In summer the most common mistake
which increases the cost Of production,
10 to allow the cows to shrink in yield
when pastures are getting poor as they
are at the present time. At such .
time they should be supplemented ct
once with some sort Of soiling crop.
Any dairy farmer deserving the name
should have few acres planted for this
purpose. II not needed it is never lost.
Finally let me put in word for cutting
hay early and curing it a. hay-nct a.
straw, and for the making Of oat-hay.
Observing these general outlines, and
feeding and watering being done at
regular hodrs, we have done what 10
possible to produce cheap milk as far AZ
feeding is concerned.
How feed influences the richness Of
milk is q question that farmers as well
~ scientists have labored upon. For
years they were under the delusion that
m increase in feel, especially that rich
in fat, would increase the percentage
Of butter fat. Later experiments have
proved that this is not true to any ex-
tent worth mentioning. Feeding to
excess or feeding very rich food may
for a short time decrease the richess,
but it soon drops into the percentage
normal for each COW. The ambitious
breeder who tests his cows that way
has fair chance Of running them for
life.
Starving a COW will make her give
abnormally rich milk, though less of
it.
Increasing the feed of COW not fed
up to her full capacity, will increase
the milk yield but not the percentage
of butter fat. II this old belief were
correct, we should be able to make any
kind Of COW give Jersey milk! Feed
all COW will pay for-no more, no less.
Having secured the right kind Of
cows and giving them the right feed at
regular hours. we may yet be losers Of
the advantages gained if the cows are
kept shivering in the lea of q straw
stack or suffocating in dark, close
stable. II such is the case the cows
will not only utilize large amount Of
their food as fuel to keep warm, ian
expensive fire woody but, experiments
show that they change the composition
of the butterfat in their milk 30 much
that the butter is liable to be mistaken
for oleomargarine?
There is no need Of providing fancy
stables. Good ones may be made with
clay floors and walls and roofs of straw,
If we only provide ventilation and
light without draught.
Health and comfort is an important
element in cheap milk production.
Every one will concede that the most
absolute cleanliness should be observed
with both the COW and the milk. 1t is
q wonder to me that the farmer who
win give his time willingly to keep his
horse clean, begrudges it to the cows.
1t is question of health in both cases,
but with the COW it is question of
health to his own family also, and to
those who drink the milk, not to speak
of the quality of the butter. Either on
the farm or in the creamery, quality
means dollars and cents.
The manner of milking has also an
influence on the cost of production.
Regular hours and kindness are all-im-
portant. Always milk the very last
drop. Not only because Of the fact
that the last pint is many times more
valuable than the first, but because it
helps to keep up the flow of milk and
extends the milking period.
1t is hardly necessary to say that
hands and finger nails should be clean.
Many mixers have the bad habit of
letting their fingers get wet, sometimes
deliberately dipping them in the milk
pail. The proper way is to milk with
perfectly dry hands by squeezing, not
by sliding.
Remember cleanliness means quality
Quality means dollars. All utensils
must first be rinsed with cold water and
then carefully scrubbed outside and in,
using soda or "Gold Dust" when needed
never common soap.) Be sure the
cracks are clean. Finally rinse with
boiling, mot hot) water.
Don't use rags for drying. If the
water is boiling they are never needed.
Souring Of milk, and the taints from
which milk may suffer, are due to
various bacteria. These bacteria thrive
in dirt, they float on the dust and drop
n - a. q =