DAIRY. 



DAIRY. 



"On one farm, where 18 cows were kept, | "The dairy stock in England which seems 

 11,385 Ibs. new milk cheese were made in a j to have the preference over all others, is the 

 season, which gives the extraordinary average I Ayrshire. The origin of this stock is not well 

 of 632 Ibs. to a cow. 200 Ibs. of butter were ascertained; but though it has some of the 



made the same season from the same cows. 

 One of these cows produced 1000 Ibs. new milk 

 cheese. 



"During the first part of the season, for two 

 months, two quarts of rye-meal were given to 

 each cow. Half of this quantity of meal was 

 given them for one month during the last of the 

 season ; and the greater part of the time they 

 had their whdy. 1000 Ibs. pork were made on 

 the farm ; and half of this was credited to the 

 cows. 



" The same individual, when on another farm 

 in South Adams, with 21 cows, made 626 Ibs. 

 new milk cheese to a cow, in a season. 1700 

 Ibs. of pork were raised in connection with the 

 dairy. Half the pork was considered as due 

 to the co\vs. 



"The process of making cheese began the 

 25th April, and ended the 1st December. As 

 soon as the cows calved, the cows received 

 3 qts. of meal per day each principally rye, 

 with some Indian ; and each had some whey, 

 though not half what was yielded was given to 

 them. Three or four of the cows received 

 meal all the summer. He commenced feeding 

 again with meal on the 25th July, and continued 

 to give them two quarts of meal until the 25th 

 August. On the 25th August, he began feeding 

 the cows with corn-stalks until 10th September. 

 Then the cows had the after feed of the fields ; 

 and from the 1st October, these cows had half 

 a load of pumpkins per day. In November, 

 fed every cow fully with meal ; two and three 

 quarts per day until 1st December. After that, 

 the cows had nothing but hay until spring. 

 From the same cows, at the same time, butter 

 enough was made, and milk enough used, for 

 a family of six persons. The cheese sold in 

 New York for $10 dollars per 100 Ibs. 



"These products are certainly remarkable, 

 and show what may be done by attention, skill, 

 and good treatment of the animals under our 

 care. The pasturage in Cheshire is of an ex- 

 cellent description. The soil is generally of 

 a rich gravelly loam resting upon limestone, 

 and abounding in vegetable mould. It is like- 

 wise sensitive to the application of plaster, 

 which is very commonly used." 



The same excellent authority who has fur- 

 nished the foregoing details, enables us to pre- 

 sent the following views of farmers in those 

 sections of Massachusetts most celebrated for 

 dairy products in regard to dairy stock. 



"The farmers are unanimous in their pre- 

 ference of the common native stock of the 

 country, in which the Devon blood predomi- 

 nates, to any foreign stock with which they are 

 acquainted. They are in general as decided 

 in their preference of small, over large-sized 

 cows. They are not, however, raisers of stock; 

 and buy their. cows wherever they can find 

 them, according to their best judgment. The 

 remarkable produce, if so it be considered, is 

 to be attributed to extraordinary good manage- 

 ment and keeping; and on this account, de- 

 serves the more attention, as showing what 

 may be done. 



qualities of the improved Durham, is a race 

 distinct from that. Great pains have been 

 taken and great expenses incurred, in order to 

 introduce this fine Ayrshire race of cows into 

 our state, by the Massachusetts Agricultural 

 Society, and by an intelligent and public-spi- 

 rited friend to agricultural improvement in 

 Waterstown. I regret that I am not able to 

 obtain such returns as would enable me to 

 speak confidently of the merits or defects of 

 this stock, so far as these cases go ; but I am 

 safe in saying, that some slight disappoint- 

 ment has been experienced. It is probable, 

 from the celebrity which they had obtained 

 abroad, too much was expected from them here. 

 Extravagant statements have been made re- 

 specting their produce in Scotland. One of the 

 advocates for this stock, and a man upon whose 

 authority great reliance is placed, has under- 

 taken to calculate precisely the number of 

 quarts of milk given, and the number of pounds 

 of cheese made from what is stated to be in 

 money the average produce of an Ayrshire 

 CMW. This is certainly rather a loose way of 

 reaching the result. Entire reliance cannot 

 be placed upon it. This, another distinguish- 

 ed Scotch farmer and dairyman admits ; and 

 says that 'those statements are far too high 

 and not well founded.' 



" He refers to a farmer, on whose exactness 

 he entirely relies ; whom he pronounces a 

 man of superior intelligence and accuracy; 

 and who has devoted himself to dairy hus- 

 bandry ; and, further, whose stock were par- 

 ticularly select, and ' who had every inducement 

 to keep them in the highest condition requisite 

 for giving the largest product in milk.' The 

 farmer referred to, states, that at the best of 

 the season the average milk from each cow is 

 9 Scots pints (4$ gallons), and in a year, 1300 

 Scots pints or 650 gallons. A Scots pint is 

 two quarts. Now, allowing these cows to be 

 in milk 320 days, the average yield of a cow 

 would be 8| of a quart per day. But if we 

 understand this to be wine measure, which is 

 the usual standard of measurement in Eng- 

 land, and compare it with our customary 

 admeasurement of milk in Massachusetts, 

 which is always beer measure, we must deduct 

 one-fifth; and then the average product of an 

 Ayrshire cow, compared with ours, is 6^ quarts 

 per day for 320 days. Such a yield is often 

 surpassed by cows of our native stock. I 

 have before me the case of a cow of native 

 stock among us, who, in 268 days, yielded 

 2923 beer quarts of milk ; and of another, that 

 produced 3975 beer quarts of milk in ten 

 months. I can produce, within my own know- 

 ledge, a list of nearly fifty cows of native 

 stock, almost as productive as these. I do 

 not mean to undervalue the imported stock. 

 Far from it. I deem the introduction of the 

 Ayrshire stock and the improved Durham 

 short-horn, a great benefaction to the country. 

 Their tendency to fatten, their early maturity, 

 their beautiful proportions, highly commend 



them to our good will and our interests. 

 2*2 



As 



