5H Cultivation of Grafs Land. Dairying. Cows and Sea fon for calving. 



heat of the day is over, and they can remain abroad with eafe, they may be again 

 turned into the pailure, where they fhould be allowed to range with freedom all 

 nitj;ht during the mild weather of fummer.&quot; 



Cows arc in general only milked twice a day ; but, when &quot; abundantly fed, they 

 ihould probably be milked three times a day during the whole of the fummer 

 fcafon : in the morning early, at noon, and in the evening juft before night-fall. 

 For, if they be milked only twice in twenty-four hours, while they have 

 abundance of fucculent food, they will, as has been obferved, yield a much fmaller 

 quantity of milk in the fame time, than if they were milked three limes. 



&quot; In the choice of perfons for milking the cows, great caution fhould likewife be 

 employed : for, if that operation be not carefully and properly performed, the 

 quantity of the produce of the dairy will be greatly diminifhed. It mould be a rule 

 never to allow this important department to be intruded without control to the 

 management of any but very trufty fervants ; as the cows fhould always be treated 

 with great gentlenefs.,&quot; 



It has been obferved to be of great confequence to the produce of & dairy, that 

 the cows fhould not drop their calves too early in the feafon. When that happens, 

 they fall off in the quantity of milk in the autumn, when, owing to its fuperior rich- 

 nefs, it is more valuable than at any other period. From the end of March to the 

 end of April is the bed time in the more northern diftricts that a cow can drop her 

 calf, as (he foon gets into good condition on the early grafs, and yields a greater 

 quantity of milk in thecourfeof the feafon than thofethat calve either confiderably 

 earlier or later. But in the fouthern parts of theifland it is an advantage for them 

 to calve much earlier. 



In the management of cows in fummer there is a famenefs inalmoft every dif- 

 flricl. They are ufually kept on the oldeft paftures on the farm : when thefe are 

 at a d 5 fiance from the farm-houfe, they are milked on the paftures; but otherwife 

 they are brought home morning and evening for that purpofe. 



In winter the dry cows, that is, fuch as do not give milk, are fed on ftraw in the 

 draw-yard ; while thofe that are in milk, or are near calving, are kept in forae 

 inclofed pafture, or in fheds eredled for the purpofe, and maintained chiefly on 

 hay. Where artificial grafTes, turnips, cabbages, or potatoes, are cultivated on a 

 large fcale, the milch cows have a daily and regular allowance of one or other of 

 t-hefe forts of food during the winter and fpring months. Potatoes in particular 

 are admirable food for cows ; as, while they tend to keep them in good condition 



