DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 691 



the cow's system with water soon after calving, but it should be done gradually, 

 as above directed." Mr. Putnam concludes as follows: "If the bag and teats are 

 full before calving, the milk should be drawn out, and when great milkers are 

 on pasture, it is a good plan to take them up two weeks before calving, and put 

 them on dry food so as to check the flow of milk, for, when a cow is fed on 

 dry hay only, before calving (the calf is ready for the milk as soon as it is ready), 

 there is no danger of inflammation or fever." 



Remarks. Ha\ing become fully satisfied of the necessity of giving fresh, 

 cold water to persons in fevers, as shown by the remarks following Typhoid 

 Fever, and reasoning from analogy (the likeness or agreement between things, 

 although the circumstances may be quite different), I see, at a glance, that the 

 cool water to satisfy the cows, this within a reasonable short time, a (pailful 

 every half hour, as Mr. Putnam has found, as above given), is the true way to 

 prevent a cow from having milk fever, at all ; for no person, animal, or thing 

 can long continue hot (and all fever is heat) if filled or covered with cold 

 water. Nothing further need be said in favor of Mr. I*utnam's plan. Ic will 

 be safe to follow it. 



MILK, TO INCREASE THE PLOW IN DAIRY COWS. AND 

 THE BEST FOOD TO INSURE IT. 



1. Milk to Increase. — The agricultural editor of the Bee-Keepera 

 Journal vouches for the following, handed him by one who had tried the plan 

 to increase the flow of milk, and I have seen the same thing given in various 

 other sources, and from the nature of the mixture I have every reason to 

 believe it good. He says: 



" If you desire to get a large yield of milk, give your cow, three times a 

 day, water, slightly warm, slightly salted, in which bran has been stirred at the 

 rate of 1 qt. to 2 gals, of water. You will find that your cow will gain 25 per 

 cent, immediately under the effects of it, and she "will become so attached to 

 the drink as to refuse clear water, unless very thirsty ; but this mess she will 

 drink almost at any time, and ask for more. The anaount of this drink is an 

 ordinary water pailful at each time — morning, noon and night. Your animal 

 will then do her best at discounting the lacteal {lac, the Latin >vork for milk, 

 hence "lacteal," milky) fluid. 



2. The Best Pood for Increasing the ??low of Milk.— In the 



Eastern States, as before stated, milch cows are fed largely on corn meal, but I 

 have the statement of a well-informed dairyman, that equal parts by measure, 

 of corn meal, ground oats and wheat bran, well mixed, makes the best and 

 most profitable feed for increasing the flow of milk, being much less heating 

 than corn meal alone, and still very nourishing and satisfactory to the animal 

 as well as to the dairyman by saving considerable expense, while at the same 

 time he gets his increased tlow of milk, and the cow is not too fat for comfort and 

 health, as they often become on corn meal alone. There are those, also, who 

 claim that milch cows will be greatly benefited by mixing their feed with warm 

 or hot water, if this can be done without too much trouble, at each milking. 

 It is well-known that to give a family cow a warm mess in the mornings 



