ABORTION IN COWS. 291 



for two or three years, in regard to this matter, and at a meet- 

 ing of the Harvest Club of the Connecticut Valley, in our town, 

 some six weeks ago, one of the best dairy farmers in Conway 

 said he had been troubled very much in this way for several 

 years, until within the last year he was told by some one to feed 

 his cows with bone-meal regularly. He has tried it for the last 

 year, and he says that he has not had a single cow out of ten 

 fail. I have adopted that plan within the last few months with 

 my own cows. I give them about a great spoonful of bone- 

 meal once a day, and I have had no trouble this winter at all 

 in that matter. 



Mr. Hubbard. There is another very important matter in 

 connection with what Mr. Allis has said. I should like to know 

 whether there is any difficulty in different parts of the State in 

 regard to cows losing their calves before the proper time. I 

 know that last year I heard of twenty cows. I lost seven, and 

 it was something that never had occurred before in my expe- 

 rience. This year, up to the time I came away, I lost four with- 

 out any apparent cause whatever. If there are other members 

 of the Board in different parts of the State suffering in this 

 way, I should like to know it. 



Mr. Bucklin. I should like to ask Mr. Ellsworth if he prac- 

 tises bleeding a cow or drenching a cow with cold water after 

 she has taken a bull? I had a Durham heifer that would not 

 breed, and finally I was advised to bleed her until she could 

 hardly stand. I did so, and since that she has bred without 

 any trouble. In regard to Mr. Hubbard's remarks, I will say 

 that I lost a calf from a very choice heifer a few weeks ago. 



Mr. Ellsworth. No ; I never tried anything of the kind. 



Mr. J. F. C. Hyde, Perhaps I may be pardoned for saying 

 a word or two — though 1 am not a cattle man, and do not pro- 

 fess to teach any one here or any where else — in regard to this 

 matter of butter, butter making and butter selling. I am inter- 

 ested in both, as I do not make all I need, though I intend to 

 hereafter. I like the Jersey butter, and I was rather surprised 

 at some remarks that the Secretary made in Vermont, as I saw 

 them published. I am very particular about butter, and have 

 bought it at high prices, paying from eighty cents to a dollar a 

 pound for table butter, week after week, having Jersey butter 



