20 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



notice; and let us, in the first place, speak of her summer 

 food. 



I propose, in the little I say to you, to speak of the cow's 

 summer food, her winter food, and her care ; but being im- 

 accustomed to public speaking, I am very apt to say, when I 

 get up, things which I never thought of saying ; and some- 

 times re^)orters make me say things which I never dreamed of 

 saying ; and I often forget everything that I thought I would 

 say ; and I am very apt "to say things in an exceedingly 

 awkward manner ; but if, through my oddity, in any way I 

 can produce any impression, so that you will remember what 

 I have said, whether it be wise or foolish, my mission here to 

 Barre will be accomplished. But if I go away and you forget 

 all I have said, why, I shall certainly be sorry. 



I thinlc the food best adapted for the dairy cow is grass, — 

 grass first, grass last, and grass all the while ; and I have no 

 doubt you will all agree with me. If you will look into tlie 

 internal arrangements of the cow, you will come to the con- 

 clusion tliat the cow was made to eat grass, or else grass was 

 made for the cow to eat. You may have it either way. If 

 you take either position, I will not dispute you. Now, the 

 question may sometimes arise in the mind of the dairyman, 

 "How" is she to get grass?" Well, tliat is the question. How 

 can you provide for the cow a sufficient quantity of good, nu- 

 tritious grass? My notion is, that a cow should be turned 

 out to grass as early in the spring as the weatlier becomes 

 suitable for her to be out, and as soon as the ground becomes 

 sufiiciently settled and dvy. I know that I shall, in what I 

 have to say, differ from a great many men here, and some 

 women, too ; but I say, turn your cow out early, as soon as 

 the weather and the pastuBcs are suitable. By so doing she 

 will nip the first grasses that start, and what dairyman is there 

 among you who has not different kinds of grasses growing in 

 his pastures, that, if they are allowed to grow to a con- 

 siderable height before tliey are cropped off, Avill grow up 

 and go to seed, and the cow will never touch them? but if 

 cropped wlien small, when young and tender, they will be 

 cropped throughout the summer, and your pasture will carry 

 mol-e stock, and carry it better ; and cows will produce more 

 milk throughout the summer if you turn them in early in 



