Year: 1876

Ia many portions OF our State. farmers
are giving more attention, year by year.
~ the raising OF dairy products, In some
cases from choice aud. in other cases.
quite a. much from necessity, in order TO
maintaln the productions OF the soil. which
il j. very difficult If not impossible, 10 do
when the attention Is not wholly turned TO
the raising Of grain.


Geserally speaking. the farmer estimates
the number of cows he can keep according
u the extent Of his pasture, grass being in
most instances the sole reliance for the
food Of cattle from spring to autumn. Ev-
cry farmer knows that during the season
for pasturing the supply of grass Is very
unequally distributed.


II the spr.ag and early summer there i
aa overlooking abundance. considerable
percentage OF which must actually run TO
waste, il such an extent Of pasturage i
given aS VIII afford suffi iency during the
middle and latter part OF summer. The
spring, with is seaSonable rains and prod
i-a.uy Of vcElUre aud sueculencc, is fol-
lowed usually in midsummer with drou,h
and scorching heat. and consequently with
a >iInted measure OF tough dried grass


Some farmers are careful not to allow
their pastures TO be eaten too close during
BE early part Of the season. Such half
a"pa.tured fields viii. Of course, afford a
better maintenance for cattle during tie
tme of drought and scarcity than fields
where the supply has been kept incon-
yen.ently short: bu; even then it will be
toand that the quality of the grass has
greatly deteriOrated the cattle will lose in
flesh aud the supply of milk will be greatly
diminished


The subject Of soiling summer feeding
fer cattle, especially for mich cows. al
though thoroughly appreciated by some OF
our most enterprising farmers and dairy
men. j. yet too generally ignored


by devoting comparatively small piece
"f land iu high state of cultivation TO the
raising Of some succuleut plant, liberal
apply OF green fodder can be obtained By
The feeding of which the flow of milk will
be kept up. and also the condition Of the
animal improve.


For mich cows should prefer to raise
corn Tor so.iing, sown broadcast or in
drills; some preferring one method and
some the other. For other stock perhaps
clover can be raised quite as probably
II the ground is sufficiently rich the clover
can be cut frequently, giving good yield
al each moving.


II central New York. where the farmers
are almost exclusively engaged il the
manufacture OF butter and cheese, the
practise Of raising green fodder for feeding
cows in summer, principally In August and
September, is almost universal. | believe
il Is the large western corn which they
mostly sow for this purpose. Ii is COM
mon practice with some Of the most enter
prising dairymen. when the season OF hot,
dry weather and stunted grass comes on.
to turn their cows into convenient field
where they are fed with corn fodder. This
change OF food after the heat and exhaus-
ton of the day is eminently gratifying and
iuvigorating TO the cattle. The pastures
meanwhile are being gradually renewed
by cooler nights and more moisture. and
when the cows are turned back upon them
they have the benefit of another wholesome
and gratifying change of food.


Farmers who adept this plan will find
that they can keep larger number Of
cows have them in better condition in the
fall. and also that the profits of the diary
are thereby considerably increased.-R. g.
Bard. in Michigan Farmer