Year: 1871

Dairy Farming.


This branch of farming is beginning.
to receive much more attention from our
enterprising farmers than formerly (;
hence any good, practical hints which
can be arrived at and presented to the
public will be public benefit. Allow
me to offer few.


There are but comparatively few farms
well adapted to dairying, especially
milk dairying, as there are many requi-
sites necessary to make farm well cal
culated for this business; of which the
following are few of the important
ones


First A farm for dairy purposes
should be of GOOD quality, as cows will
not produce very largely unless they
are supplied with an abundance of good,
wholesome food


Second. The dairy farm should be
bountifully supplied with good spring
water in every field, for during the hot
weather cows drink large quantities of
water,-and it must be evident to every
thinking person that the water should
be of good quality


Third. There should be a good
never-failing spring, over which to erect
commodious spring-house. This is
of more Importance, perhaps than is
generally attributed to it by those who
have not had the advantages of such a
luxury: at any rate, it is certainly in
dispensable to the successful prosecution
of dairy farming


Fourth. The farm should he con-
veniently located for the shipping of
produce. There is more Importance in
this particular with milk than butter
dairying, as it is very difficult to keep
milk sweet if it has to be hauled far
over our county roads in summer: in
such cases it must be hauled at night,
which makes the business very labor
ious.


Having thus given few hints on the
qualifications of the farm, permit me to
suggest some ideas about the manage
ment of the business.


First. To select cows is no small
portion of the preparations. They
should be selected with the greatest
care, as good COW will consume no
more food than a worthless one; thus
making q very great difference in the
profits. 1t is quite natural to be occa-
sionally deceived in the qualities of
COW: but as soon as she proves to be
poor, do not permit her to come into
profit again, but prepare her for the
slaughter By careful management, in
few years the dairyman may possess
fine herd of paying stock. 1 have
great faith in bloodcd stock; although
would not prefer iull-bloods for practi-
cal purposes. l would prefer to have
them crossed; say, between Jersey cows
and Durham bull. This cross is I'M
doubtedly about as good one as we
can have. The Jersey blood gives
quality to produce, while the Durham
gives quantity, and also adds very
much to the physical qualities of the
cow. The Jerseys are by no means of
fine appearance when subjected to ordi-
nary fare: they are neither large or of
fine quality, while the Durhams have
both these properties-the cross pro-
ducing stock of quite fair appearance
and cows of excellence quality


Second. Cows, as a general thing,
should be handled with gentleness and
care; though we occasionally find cow
in which the spirit of deviltry is so
largely developed as to require corporal
punishment; but such cases are few
most cows being more easily managed
with kindness than by harsh treatment.
When milking, nothing should be per-
mitted to attract your attention from
your work: talking should be prohibited
as nearly as possible, and the cows
should be MIXED with as much rapidty
as the strength and skill of the mixer
will permit. l believe that the dabbling
process through which some cows are
compelled to pass puts them dry much
sooner than they would go if they had
been MIXED rapidly; beside the guam
tity of milk procured during the time
they are milking is much less than it
would have been had good mixer had
them in charge. Hence young and in
experienced mixers should begin with
cows nearly dry and easily MIXED


Third. Cows should be we'll fed
There is great diversity of opinion as
to which is the most profitable kind of
food. In my experience l have found
that cut hay, well scalded several hou 8
before feeding, and then mixed with corn
meal and wheat bran in proportions of
three to one, and the addition of about
one pint of oil cake meal to the cow, in
all making about four quarts for each
COW, is very healthy and remunerative
kind of food. The bran adds sweetness
to the produce and the cake meal in
creases the quantity of milk very much.
There should be about as much hay in
the wet feed as the stock will eat thus
making dry hay almost useless, as they
will consume but little of it. | believe
it to be profitable to feed lightly all
summer; but would advise an increase
Of the proportion Of bran. 1t is highly
essential that there should be quantity
of corn sown for cutting during the dry
weather after harvest, when pasture
fails to considerable extent. Corn
sown on strong soil will be ready to cut
in about three or four weeks from time
of sowing. am inclined to think that
root crops are not profitable crop in
large quantities. They ore more or less
ant to taste in the produce. if fed exten-
sively; though l think they are good
for variety, thus keeping the appetite
good which, by the way, is quite i'm
portant, us the more wholesome food
you can get COW to cat. the more milk
and butter she will produce.


These suggestions have been submit
ted after an experience of about five
years though doubtless l have much
yet to learn. Indeed, no one can expect
to become thoroughly familiar with the
best methods of treatment for dairy
| L.