16 KEEPING ONE COW. 



THE COW IN THE MIDDLE STATES. 







BY W. L. BATTLES, GIRARD, PA. 



Instead of writing on how a cow might be kept, I propose 

 simply to tell just how we manage our cow, what we feed her, 

 how we procure that food ; in fact everything relating to her care, 

 so that any one can go and do likewise. 



" Spot," we call her, for she has a beautiful white spot in her 

 forehead, is not a Jersey, for we can not afford to buy one at the 

 prices at which they are held with us ; nor is she a thorough-bred 

 of any kind ; yet she is a good cow, of medium size, fills a twelve- 

 quart pail each night and morning, when her milk is in good flow, 

 that raises a thick coat of rich cream, which, after been churned, 

 furnishes all the butter needed for a family of six, and some to 

 spare. Our place is small, only two acres, and a portion of this 

 is covered by the dwelling, barn, poultry-house, etc. The fruit 

 garden occupies about one-fourth of an acre, and from this por- 

 tion nothing is grown t> furnish food for "Spot." Adjoining 

 the barn there is half an acre of the land in good grass, or 

 mostly clover, and every spring a quart of clover seed is sown, 

 so as fast as the old plants die oat, young ones take their places. 

 A bushel of land plaster is sown on this when the grass begins to 

 start in the spring. Tais plot produces a very heavy growth of 

 grass and clover, enabling us to cut it three times each season ; 

 about the first of June, August, and of October. A coat of fine 

 manure is always spread over the ground immediately after each 

 mowing. The grass is mostly cured, and makes fine bay for win- 

 ter feeding. Occasionally a small portion of the crop is used 

 green for soiling. Besides the land occupied by buildings, fruit 

 garden, and clover plot, there remains about one acre, which 

 we call the garden. Here are grown all the vegetables for the 

 family's use, besides some to sell. About one-fourth of it, is 

 planted to Early Rose potatoes, and as soon as these are sufficiently 

 ripe for use or market, they are dug, and sweet corn, in drills, for 

 fodder, is sown upon the land. Another fourth of an acre is 

 planted to sugar beets; the ground being very rich, the yield is 

 always large ; this last season (1879), though very dry, I harvested 

 one hundred and seventy-eight bushels. Our cow is very fond 

 of the beets, and I think there is nothing better to keep up a 

 flow of milk, and they give it no bad flavor, as do turnips. An 

 additional fourth of an acre is planted to sweet, or evergreen, 



