338 



The Farmstead 



many farms, especially in the dairy districts. 

 The object should be to provide a continuous 

 and full supply of food, and comfortable con- 

 ditions for the animals 

 at all times. In May 

 and June the pastures 

 are succulent and the 

 grasses usually abun- 

 dant, and the annoying 

 flies are not present. 

 When the animals are 

 first turned out on the 

 pastures the nights may 

 be too cold and damp 

 for comfort, in which 

 case they may be sta- 

 bled and fed a small 

 supplemental ration; in 

 fact, cows in milk should 

 always receive some 

 dry, concentrated food 

 for the first few weeks 

 after they are turned 

 out to grass. Often 

 the early grass is over- succulent and deficient in 

 food constituents to such an extent that the 

 cows cannot eat enough to sustain life and pro- 

 duce the most profitable quantities of milk. 

 When the pastures begin to fail, the flies appear 



/zf 



Fig. 137. The old-time fence system 

 on the right ; the present condi- 

 tion on the left. 



