124 AUTUMN FOOD FOR COWS. 



Here grass produced the largest flow of milk, but of 

 a quality less rich than bean-meal and hay, which pro- 

 duced the richest quality ; one hundred and eight 

 pounds making more butter than one hundred and four- 

 teen pounds of grass-made milk. 



In autumn, the best feed will be the grasses of the 

 pastures, so far as they are available, green-corn fod- 

 der, cabbage, carrot and turnip leaves, and an addition 

 of meal or shorts. Towards the middle of autumn, the 

 cows fed in the pastures will require to be housed reg- 

 ularly nights, especially in the more northern latitudes, 

 and put, in part at least, upon hay. But every farmer 

 knows that it is not judicious to feed out the best part 

 of his hay when his cattle are first put into the barn, 

 and that he should not feed so well in the early part of 

 winter that he cannot feed better as it advances. 



At the same time, it should always be borne in mind 

 that the change from grass to a poor quality of hay or 

 straw, for cows in milk, should not be too sudden. A 

 poor quality of dry hay is far less palatable in the early 

 part of winter, after the cows are taken from grass, 

 than at a later period ; and, if it is resorted to with 

 milch cows, will inevitably lead to a falling off in the 

 milk, which no good feed can afterwards wholly restore. 



It is desirable, therefore, to know what can be used 

 instead of his best English or upland meadow hay, and 

 yet not suffer any greater loss in the flow of milk, or 

 condition, than is absolutely necessary. In some sec- 

 tions of New England, the best quality of swale hay 

 will be used ; and the composition of that is as variable 

 as possible, depending on the varieties of grasses of 

 which it was made, and the manner of curing. But 

 in other sections, many will find it necessary to use 

 straw, and other substitutes; and it may be desirable to 

 know how much is required to form an equivalent in 



