No. 10. 



Dialogue — Dairying. 



301 



Asparagus, early peas, strawberries, and 

 early green corn, all of which can be raised 

 and brought to market two or three weeks 

 before the usual supply arrives from other 

 quarters, might be cultivated to the extent of 

 some hundreds of acres, and sold in Phila- 

 delphia and New York at an immense profit ; 

 for those markets are never fully supplied 

 with these very desirable refreshments till 

 late in the season. Peaches also present a 

 fair article of traffic from Delaware, and those 

 •who have already embarked in their cultiva- 

 tion are understood to have been handsomely 

 remunerated for their enterprise. 



If the females in the neighbourhood of 

 Dover and Smyrna would exert but a smalt 

 proportion of the influence which they pos- 

 sess over the men, they would in a few years 

 convert the whole country into a garden, 

 beautiful to look upon, and profitable beyond 

 all comparison with the present mode of 

 occupation. The influence of women in 

 matters of business, and in some other mat- 

 ters, not proper here to touch upon, is much 

 greater than most of them are aware of: and 

 •we ardently desire that in relation to this 

 affair, which so intimately concerns the pros- 

 perity of their district of country, they will 

 be up and doing. Don't permit the men to 

 sleep over it; start your gardens, and your 

 fruit orchards ; let the men of Kent see that 

 you are in earnest ; that you intend to have 

 something accomplished, and that quickly ; 

 and it will be done, and well done too, for 

 women seldom like to see important business 

 half done. 



James Brown. 



March 24. 1840. 



Dialogue — Dairying. 



Frank. — Father, if you were to describe in 

 the Farmers' Cabinet the way in which you 

 manage your dairy, I think it likely that some 

 persons would consider about it, and take the 

 trouble to try your plan, and see if it would 

 prove more advantageous than their own. 



Father. — In that I think you are mistaken. 

 In the business of the dairy there is, I be- 

 lieve, more confidence felt and expressed, 

 than in any other branch of husbandry; 

 every one thinks his own mode of operation 

 the best, and often, without the means of 

 knowing how others perform that branch of 

 their calling, have long determined upon a 

 plan for themselves, which they would feel it 

 very unpleasant and even difficult to relin- 

 quish. And you must have observed with 

 what determination our neighbours stick to 

 their own methods, although they see that 

 we always sell out our butter at the market 

 before them, and at an uniformly higher 

 price. 



Frank. — I have observed that; and although 

 I last week heard .lohn Ross's mother make 

 the same remark, and wonder how it could 

 be, I am sure she knew why it is, hut can- 

 not determine to quit the oh! method which 

 she has pursued through life. I am led to 

 think about this just now, from the observa- 

 tion which I heard one of our customers make 

 last market day. He was recommending our 

 butter to a friend, and assured him he had 

 kept some of it six weeks, and at the end of 

 that time it was perfectly sweet and good ; 

 when his friend said, "Ay, and I have kept 

 it longer than that, and still it is as good as 

 ever." So, I wish you would describe your 

 method, which might be made applicable to 

 our snug little farm of one hundred acres, 

 you know; there are some, perhaps, who 

 would put it into practice, if it were only for 

 the curiosity of the thing. 



Father. — Well, if from no better motive, I 

 should be quite content if they would do so, 

 only out of curiosity, for /, too, think ray*own 

 way the best. 



But I consider that the business of the 

 dairy commences with the stables in which 

 the cows are kept : these are often placed in 

 some damp and shady situation, for the sake 

 of being near to water, and by this the health 

 of the cows is often very seriously afl^ected, 

 — this is highly improper. The situation of 

 the stables should be dry and airy, and facing 

 a little towards the east, so that the sun might 

 shine full into the door at eleven o'clock; 

 sufficient shelter can be obtained by good 

 high fencing about the yard ; and the best 

 water is that which is supplied from a pump 

 in the stable, so that the cows might drink 

 warm water — not iced-water — in the winter, 

 and cool water in the summer, and always 

 get it sweet and clear — an important item in 

 dairying. The approach for feeding should 

 always be at the heads of the cows, and they 

 should stand on a platform, a little sloping, 

 about three or four inches in height, with a 

 wide gutter passing behind them, well paved, 

 along which the dung might easily be swept 

 and conveyed away to the pit, outside the 

 building. Each cow should be furnished 

 with a rack and manger, and a short partition 

 at the head of each forms the best security. 

 The sliding ring on an upright pole, attached 

 to a leather collar and buckle, is preferable 

 to every other mode of tying. 



Frank. — Well, this is just the plan of our 

 cow stables, and we know how convenient 

 they are, and how clean our cows are kept 

 during winter, compared with those of our 

 neighbours. 



Father. — True ; this is the first step in the 

 business : the next is, never to keep a cow 

 in the dairy that is not decidedly profitable; 

 few persons are aware of the immense differ- 



