California Agriculturist and Live Stock Journal. 



71 





The Highway Cow. 



The hue of bor UiOe was a dusky brown, 

 Ht-r body was Ituu and her neck was slim, 



One boru turned up and the other down. 

 Sho was keen of vision and long of limb, 



■With a Roman nose and a short Btump tail. 



And ribs like the hoops uu a Uome-inade pail. 



Many a mark did her body bear; 



She had been a target for all things known, 

 On many a scar the dusky hair 



Would grow no more where it once had thrown, 

 Many a passionatu parting shot 

 Had left upon her a lasting spot. 



Many aud many a well-aimed stone, 



Many a brickbat of goodly size, 

 Aud many a cudgel, swiftly thrown. 



Had brought the tears to her bovine eyes; 

 Or had bounded off from her bony bm-k, 

 With a. noise like the sound of a rifle crack. 



Many a day had she passed in the pound, 

 For hidping herself to her neighbors corn. 



Many a cowardly cur and hound 

 Had been transfixed on her crumpled horn, 



Many a tea pot and old tiu pail 



Had the farm boys tied to her time- woru tail. 



Old Deacon Gray was a pious man. 

 Though sometimes tempted to be profane, 



When many a weary mile he nm 

 To drive her out of his growing grain. 



Sharp were the pranks that she used to play 



To get her 1111 and to get away. 



She knew when the deacon went to town: 

 She wiwely watched him when he went, by; 



He never passed her without a frown. 

 And an evil gleam m each angry eye: 



Ho would crack his whip in a surly way. 



And drive along in his "one-hoes shay," 



Then at his homestead she loved to call, 

 Lifting nis bars with her crumpled horD. 



Nimbly scaling his garden wall; 

 Helping herwelf to his standing corn, 



Kating his cabbages, one by one; 



Hurrying home when her work was done. 



Often the deacon homeward came, 

 Humming a hymn from the house of prayer, 



His hopeful heart in a tianquil frame. 

 His soul Hs calm as the evening air. 



His forehead smouth as a well-worn plow. 



To find in his garden that highway cow. 



His human passions were quick to rise, 

 And striding forth with a savage cry, 



With fury blazing from both his eyes. 

 As lightniugs flash in a summer sky. 



Redder and redder his face would grow, 



Aud after the creature he would go. 



Over the garden, round and round, 



Breaking bis pear and apple trees. 

 Tramping his melons into the ground, . 



Overturning his hives of bees. 

 Leaving him uugry and badly stung, 

 Wishing the old cow's neck wys wrung. 



The mosses grew on the garden wall; 



The years went by with their work and play; 

 The boys of the village grew strong and tall; 



And the gray-haired farmers passed away, 

 One bv oue, as the red leaves fall: 

 But the highway cow outlived them all. 



All earthly creatures must have their day. 



And some must have their months aud years; 

 Some in dying will longdelay; 



There is a climax to all careers; 

 And the highway cow at last was slain 

 lu running a race with a railway train. 



All into pieces at once sho went, 



Just like the savings banks when they fall; 

 Out of the world she was swiftly sent: 



Little was left but her old stnuip tail. 

 The farmers' cornfields and gardens now 

 Are haunted no more by the highway cow. 



— (Kiigeue J. Hays. 



PUERPERAL OR MILK FEVER. 



j-'lrVANY valuable cows are lost every 

 T" "J! summer from the disease known 

 1 1; generally as the milk fever. The 

 C^i~)\ name, "milk fever," probably 

 Sju ,^ arises from the sudden dryinf; up 

 of the milk. Cows are usually attacked 

 with the puerperal fever the second day 

 after calving; and at the time of having 

 the third calf seem to be the most sus- 

 ceptible. 



This is one of the many cases where 

 prevention is better than cure, although 

 cure is not alw^ays impossible. But a 

 cow never seems to fully recover from 



S^r- 



Jeesey Milking Can. — This can is of 

 tiu, globular, with a flat bottom and a 

 rim around it. The upper part of the 

 globe open, and has a flaring top, which 

 is about eight inches in diameter at the 

 edge. A handle, like a pitcher handle, 

 is uiion one side, attached to this flaring 

 top. When in use, a rather closely wo- 

 ven linen napkin is tied over the lop, and 

 under the handle, so that it will sag 

 down into the can to a depth of three 

 inches or so. In this sag (k the strainer 

 a sea-shell is laid — one of the shells of a 

 scallop being usually employed. The 

 streams of milk strike into the shell, imd 

 the foam soon rises and nearly fills the 

 strainer; specks of falling dirt mostly 

 rest upon the top of the foam. Those 

 which are carried down wash over the 

 edge of the shell and lie beneath it. 

 There is no spattering, and the milk is 

 obtained entirely free from hairsanddirt, 

 while soluble dirt which sometimes falls 

 in, comes as little as possible in .contact 

 with the milk. — Jersey Vily Jininial. 



the effects of such sickness. In order to 

 use means for its prevention, it is quite 

 essential that the causes should be well 

 understood, as also the nature of the 

 disease. 



Cows low in flesh and not over-fed 

 about the time, and just before calving, 

 seldom or never are troubled with the 

 disorder. It is the full, fleshy and well- 

 fed cow that is in danger. The fever 

 arises from congestion of the womb, 

 which, instead of contracting after the 

 birth of the calf, the blood-vessels become 

 surcharged with blood from inflamma- 

 tion, aud if not relieved mortification 

 soon ensues. 



High feeding, upon such food as is 

 constipating, is the cause. In other 

 words, the system is filled with rich 

 blood, and in this condition a fever is 

 sm-e to result from inflammation. A 

 low Jdiet, of a loosening nature, such 

 as green grass and bran mashes, is the 

 best a week or two before the cow calves. 

 The bowels should not be allowed to be- 

 come constip.ated. Many persons natu- 

 rally think that, in order to make the 

 cow give a good flow of milk, it is best 

 to feed highly of rich food a while before 

 she has her calf. And this high feeding 

 is the very worst thing that can be done. 

 A low diet of green grass or other phy- 

 sicking feed, so as to keep the bowels 

 free and the blood thin, is a sure pre- 

 ventive. With thick, rich blood, and 

 warm weather coming on, together with 

 high feeding, the increased digestive 

 jiowers of the cow at this period so over- 

 sujjplies the system that a morbid action 

 with non-contraction of the uterus is 

 almost sure to follow with all the serious 

 consequences. 



Should the cow be discovered to be 

 sick a day or two aftisr calving; if she 

 fails to notice her calf, is listless, does 

 not rise, and staggers at the attempt; if 

 the eyes are glassy and cannot wink, the 

 head hot, and apparently in great pain — 

 the case is one of milk fever. 



The treatment must be immediate, for 

 the disease runs its course in a few 

 hours. Physic with a pound of epsom 

 salts and give enemas of soup suds to 

 immediately relieve the bowels, as they 

 are always constipated in such a fever, 

 and unless they are freed the cow cannot 

 recover. The brain is aft'ected with con- 

 gestion, usually, in sympathy with other 

 afleeted organs. Keep the head cool 

 with water or ice; and with hot water, 

 blankets and hot bricks keep the body 

 about the hips warm, with an occasional 

 dash of cold for reaction. Give cold 

 water as often as she will drink, but do 

 not give any kind of stimulants or food 

 until after recovery is certain. 



Questions for Dairymen. — Every 

 dairyman should have a list of questions 

 posted in some suitable place on his 

 premises where his family and those in 

 his employ, as well as his visitors, will 

 haxe an opportunity to read them fre- 

 quently. We give some questions, but 

 the list can be extended : 



Do your cows feed in swamps and on 

 boggy lands? 



Have you good, sweet, running water 

 convenient for stock, and is it abundant 

 and permanent in hot weather? 



Have you shade trees in your pasture, 

 or do you think that cows make better 

 milk while lying down to rest in discom- 

 fort in the hot, broiling sun? 



Do you use dogs and stones to hurry 

 up the cows from pasture at milkingtime 

 — thus over-heating their blood and 

 bruising their udders? 



Do jou cleanse the udders of cows be- 

 fore milking by washing their teats with 

 their own milk, and practice fui-ther 

 economy by allowing any droppings to 

 go into the milk pail? 



Do you enjoin upon your milkers to 

 wash their hands thoroughly before sit- 

 ting down to milk, or do you think that 

 cleanliness in this respect is not import- 

 ant for milk that is to be treated for but- 

 ter making? 



When a cow makes a mis-step while 

 being milked, do you allow your milkers 

 to kick her with heavy boots, or to pound 

 her over the back and sides with n heavy 

 stool, accompanied by sundry profame 

 remarks addressed to the cow to teach 

 her manners? 



Is the air about your "milk bam" or 

 milk house reeking with foul emanations 

 of the pig sty or manure heap, or other 

 pestiferous odors? 



Good, fresh, clean water, and in abun- 

 dance, is one of the most important re- 

 quisites for milch cows, and it should be 

 in convenient places where stock will 

 not be required to travel long distances 

 to slake their thirst. If springs and 

 running streams cannot be had in pas- 

 tures, a good weU, with wind-mill and 

 pump, makes an efficient substitute, and 

 the waste water maj-, if necessary, b 

 conducted back into the well, so as to 

 keep up a constant supply of good, fresh 

 water. — Willard's Buikr Book. 



Aboct Milking. — Five percent., and 

 perhaps ten, can be added to the amount 

 of milk obtained from the cows of this 

 country, if the following rules are inex- 

 orably followed: 



1 —Never hurry cows in driving to and 

 from the pasture. 



2 — Milk as nearly at equal intervals as 

 possible. Half-past five in the morning 

 and six at night are good hours. 



3 — Be especially tender of the cow at 

 milking time. 



•1 — When seated draw the milk as rap- 

 idly as possible, being always certain to 

 get it all. 



5 — Never talk or think of anything 

 besides what you are doing when milk- 

 ing. 



6 — Offer some caress, and always a 

 soothing word when j'ou leave her. The 

 better she loves you the more free and 

 complete wiU be her abandon as you sit 

 by her side. 



We append the not uncommon prac- 

 tice: 



1 — Let some boy turn the cows away, 

 and get him who is fond of throwing 

 stones and switching the hind ones every 

 chance he gets. 



2 — Milk early in the morning and late 

 at night, dividing the day into two por- 

 tions, one of fifteen hours and the other 

 of nine. 



3 — Whack the cow over the back with 

 the stool, or speak sharply to her if she 

 does not "so" or "hoist." 



4 — Milk slowly and carelessly and stop 

 at the first slackening of the fluid. 



5 — Talk and laugh, and perhaps squirt 

 milk at companion milkers, when seated 

 at the cow. 



— Keep the animal in a tremble all 

 the time you are milking, and when done 

 give her a vigorous kick. 



Beine that Will Preseeve Bctter a 

 Year. — Among the many devices for 

 keeping butter in a manner that will 

 preserve the fresh, rosy flavor of new, 

 with all its sweetness, is the following 

 from the Duchess Farmer: To three gal- 

 lons or brine strong enough to bear an 

 egg, add a quarter of a pound of nice 

 white sugar aud a lablespoonful of salt- 

 petre. Boil the brine, and when cold, 

 strain carefully. Make your butter into 

 rolls, and wrap each separately in a 

 clean, white muslin cloth, tying up with 

 a string. Pack a large jar full, weight 

 the butter down, and pour over the brine 

 until all is submerged. This will keep 

 really good butter perfectly sweet and 

 fresh for a whole year. Be careful not 

 to put upon ice, butter that you wish to 

 keep far any length of time. In summer 

 when the heat will not admit of butter 

 being made into rolls, pack closely in 

 small jars, aud, using the same brine, 

 allow it to cover the butter to the depth 

 of at least four inches. This excludes 

 the air and answers very nearly as well 

 as the first method suggested. 



Milking Stooij). — Let me tell how to 

 make what I call a convenient stool. 

 Take a piece of board about 8 inches 

 wide and 2 feet long; nail short pieces 

 across the ends to increase its strength 

 and to bore holes through; put two lege 

 8 or 10 iuclits long in one end, and one 

 a trifle shorter in the forward end. Place 

 the stool where you intend to sit, the 

 one-legged end where you usually set the 

 pail. Place the pail on that end of the 

 stool and sit on the other. If you do 

 this you will have your pail out of the 

 dirst and the cow cannot easily put her 

 foot in it, as often happens when the 

 pail is on the ground. Some cows are 

 so low that you are obliged to set the 

 pail on ths ground. In such case turn 

 your stool around. — Fariiter's Vtiwjiilcr, 

 in Westeiyi lUiral. 



[We have tried many ways of milking, 

 and have found it most convenient tu 

 have a small, three-legged stool, and 

 then spread a common barley sack that 

 is ripped open across the knees and hold 

 the pail between the knees. The sack 

 assists in holding the pail steady, and 

 also prevents the milk spattering upon 

 the clothes. ] 



Curing Rennet. — Take the stomach 

 of the calf fresh from the butcher, clean 

 and salt, and pack in an earthen jar with 

 brine, A few weeks pre\ious to use 

 they are taken out and drained of all 

 brine, and dried. Take a forked limb of 

 a bush and spread the rennet over it. 

 It will be well to add a small lump of 

 saltpetre to the brine in which the ren- 

 net is placed. When it is wanted take 

 several small pieces two inches square 

 and steep in warm water, allowing them 

 to soak over night. A pint of watel- is 

 suflScient. This will give a solution suf- 

 ficient to "kurd" 100 gallons of milk. 

 Flavored spices may be added to the so- 

 lution if desired. 



Swelled Bag. — When a cow's bag be- 

 comes swelled, a simple and generally 

 effectual remedy is found in applj-ing 

 fresh lard, which should be thoroughly 

 and repeatedly rubbed in. Some people 

 use beef brine instead of lard, with good 

 results. Plenty of rubbing without any 

 application will often effect a cure. The 

 calf should be allowed to suck until a 



