606 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



shape of late fodder corn or rowen clover, but usually the winter feed commences about this 

 time, and is kept up according to a regular system. The constant soiling of so many cows 

 produces an abundance of stable manure, and this is disposed of every spring and fall. In 

 deed, it is to the soiling system that is due in a large measure the great improvement which 

 has taken place on the farm. Six years ago only about 400 loads of manure were made. 

 Two years later the soiling system was adopted entirely, and last year the stock made 1,500 

 loads of strong manure. It is perhaps needless to add, that with this amount of stable manure 

 but little use is made of commercial fertilizers. 



The system of feeding is a most reasonable one, and one that shows up well in practice. 

 The herd, nearly all thoroughbred or high-grade Jerseys, occupy the whole of the first floor 

 of the barn, in several parallel rows of stalls. Each cow has her herd number, which is 

 marked on a metallic tag in her right ear. Over each stall is a corresponding number, 

 together with the animal s name. A record is kept of each cow in a book for the purpose, 

 which gives the amount of milk for every milking during the year, the percentage of cream, 

 the time of service, and calving, together with the herd number of the progeny at each calv 

 ing. Knowing from this each cow s capacity for milk, she is fed accordingly, with the idea 

 always in view of making each cow produce the greatest possible quantity of milk. Mr. 

 Grant believes in steaming certain kinds of fodder, having found that corn fodder, and oat 

 straw, when steamed with one-quarter hay, makes a most excellent feed, which the cows will eat 

 up clean. Meal is fed in winter, but in summer green feed takes its place. The grain fed is 

 corn meal and wheat bran, the latter being scalded before feeding. The advantage of feed 

 ing the corn meal and bran together is that, while the former is necessary to give richness to 

 the milk, if fed beyond a certain amount it goes to fat rather than to milk, while if bran is 

 fed with the meal the feed will go to milk; and in this way every cow can be fed according 

 to her capacity for producing milk. 



The feed is, in winter, as follows: One man gives each cow a feed of steamed fodder, 

 another follows with a feed of bran, giving to each cow such an amount as is required. A 

 feed of meal follows on the same plan. This feeding is all under the supervision of one man, 

 who keeps each cow s record, and knows just what each cow will bear. The stables, mean 

 while, are cleared, and clean sand put under the cows; the cows are cleaned, their udders 

 washed if necessary, and everything made ready for milking. And here it is in order to 

 remark that the same scrupulous care with regard to cleanliness is observed in every opera 

 tion, from the milk-pail to the butter package. Before milking, every milker must go to the 

 wash-room adjoining the stable and wash and comb. While milking, each one is provided with 

 a sponge, and if his hands become soiled or wet, they must be wiped dry on the sponge. Cov 

 ered milking-pails are used, in which the milk is strained as it passes in, the strainer being 

 cleaned several times during a milking. Each cow s milk is measured separately by a very 

 simple means. A large tin pail is fitted with a glass in one side, across which, at regular 

 intervals, short horizontal wires are soldered, which indicate, in quarts and pints, the con 

 tents. As soon as the milk of any cow is measured, the amount is set down opposite her 

 number, on a blackboard hung in the stable for the purpose, from which the figures are trans 

 ferred daily to the record book. From this the milk is again strained and carried to the 

 dairy, where it is strained a third time into the pail in which it is set. After milking, the 

 cows are fed with dry hay, and again at night the same process is repeated. 



At the dairy the milk is set in deep pails, eight inches in diameter, ten quarts to a pail. 

 Adjoining is a spring-house, in which a large well about 12 or 15 feet in diameter is sunk, 

 and supplied with an abundance of water from living springs at no great depth below the 

 surface. A curb surrounds the well, and over this the setting pails are hung in the water, 

 which is always kept at about 50, this being about the natural temperature in summer, and 

 in winter the temperature is brought up to this point by steam pipes which run into the well. 



