80 



Having the right kind of cows, the next question is the feed, 

 but that is also too broad a question to take up here and 

 Prof. Henry's book, Feeds and Feeding, should be read by 

 every farmer. I shall confine myself to repeat a much needed 

 reminder as to the economy of providing soiling crops in or- 

 der to keep up the flow of milk if pastures give out, and to 

 endorse the use of silage in moderation as the great "milk 

 cheapener." 



THE STABLE. 



Cows will produce more and healthier milk if kept in 

 well ventilated and lighted stables, and there is no need of ex- 

 pensive, fancy buildings. I quote from my A, B, C in Butter- 

 making: "We may even make, fairly good ones with a clay 

 floor and the walls and roof of straw, if we only provide 

 ventilation and light. The latter calls for the heaviest cash 

 outlay, but sashes are now so cheap and the value of light 

 of so great importance to the health of the cows that there 

 is no excuse for not having plenty of it. 



As to ventilation, I give in Fig. 78 a cross section of a 

 stable 14 feet by 36 and 8 feet high. A wooden flue or two 



A A is placed along 

 one wall and made 

 high enough to give 

 some draft at least 

 four feet above the 

 ridge of the roof. 



On the opposite 

 wall are inserted 

 two or three flues 

 like B B, or, if the 

 wall is a double 

 boarded one, the air 



may be taken in by leaving a board out between two studs on 

 the outside at K (on the piece of wall shown) and another 

 one on the inside at N, but in that case a board M should be 

 nailed in a slanting position with end pieces on either side so 

 as to give the air a slant in direction of the ceiling. 



As to the size of the flues, Prof. Kins, of Madison, Wis. 7 

 considers that for 20 cows, they should have a cross-section 

 2 feet by 2 feet. The intake of fresh air need not be nearly 



