134 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Ma-rob 



however, tliat the market cannot be supplied from 

 cows of tlie first class only ; and it behooves us to 

 inquire what sort of feed given to such cows as 

 we can get, will most economically produce milk. 

 From tlie bi'st guesses lean make, I believe a cow 

 will eat aliout two tons of English hay during the 

 winter. At present prices, this is wortli nearly 

 $-40. The expense might be consideral)ly re- 

 duced by feeding for a portion of the time with 

 fodder of less market value, in tlie case of cows 

 going dry. It might not be profitable, on the 

 whole, to reduce the quality of their feed very 

 much ; and if we allow them one ton of English 

 and one ton of meadow hay, and thus bring the 

 winter feed to a cost of about $30, perhajrjs we 

 make it as low as a wise economy will permit. 

 Then add the summer feed, and the annual cost 

 of keej^ing a cow on hay and grass will not come 

 much short of $40. Possibly it might slightly 

 exceed that sum. An average of 4 quarts of milk 

 a day for the whole year, or 14G0 quarts, at 3 

 cents a quart, will pa}'^ $43,80. This would allow 

 but $3, 80, for interest on the value of the cow, 

 and for depreciation, — and tlie manure is sup- 

 posed to pay for the care of the animal. So, to 

 make the business profitable, we must either re- 

 ceive a higher price for the milk, or charge our- 

 selves with a lower price for the hay. For a win- 

 ter cow, I presume the increased price of milk 

 will pay the necessary increase of cost for feed, 

 30 as to bring the profit or loss to about the same 

 figure. If you can get cows that will give more 

 milk, then of course you may make a more de- 

 cided profit ; but I believe more cows come under 

 this estimate than over it. 



In the economical manufacture of milk, it is 

 a matter of great importance to have a warm 

 barn. My own is not of this character ; and I 

 consider my milk-pail a pretty good thermometer. 

 A sudden change to severe cold weather, very per- 

 ceptibly diminishes the yield of milk ; and a 

 change back to mild, increases it again. 



I have no doubt that a liberal supply of the 

 roots, carrots, parsnips, the different varieties of 

 beets and turnips, would be a means of economy 

 in feeding cows. With these, not only will less 

 hay be eaten, but cows will have an appc^tite for 

 hay of a poorer quality than they would othei- 

 wise willingly accept. Though some of these 

 roots are undoubtedly more nutritious than oth- 

 ers, I believe it better to have a variety, and not 

 confine the animal to any one kind. It was wise- 

 ly said of old, "Man shall not live by bread alone;" 

 and the sj^irit of the remark may be as applica- 

 ble to tlie physical well-l>eing of cattle, as to the 

 spiritual well-being of man. For the production 

 of milk, I have not much faitli in carrots ; but 

 there seems to be strong testimony in favor of 

 parsnips, licets and turnips. A hundred bushels 

 for each cow would save much hay, besides add- 

 ing largely to the quantity of milk We often 

 hear that turnips will make tliemselvcs remem- 

 bered in the milk ; but I have fed them freely 

 this winter — a half busliel a day — and have not 

 perceived any turnip flavor either in the milk or 

 butter. Years ago, I was told that if tuinijis 

 were fed to the cow immediately after milking, 

 the flavor would pass away befoie the next milk- 

 ing. But I have given thcsm at different hours, 

 and the same absence of flavor has resulted. When 

 quantity of milk is desired, I am disposed to be- 



lieve that turnips and beets of the different vari- 

 eties are preferable ; to improve the quality, I 

 would give carrots and parsnips. But in this, I 

 do 7iot desire to be understood as speaking with 

 any great degree of authority, as one who knows. 

 It seems to me highly desiralile that a series of 

 thorough and carefully conducted experiments 

 should be tried by some competent person, who 

 would not bo hampered b^' any previous theo- 

 ries of his own or of others, to ascertain as accu- 

 rately as possible, 



Ist. How much good English hay will it take 

 to keep a cow, giving milk for the six winter 

 months 1 



2. Is it more expensive to feed partly on grain, 

 cob-meal, shorts or oil meal? If so, is the in- 

 crease of milk sufficient to pay the increased ex- 

 pense ? 



3d. Can either, or a variety of the root crops — 

 carrots, parsnips, beets, turnips, be raised and 

 profitably used for a feed to milch cows? 



4th. Which of these roots, in proportion to 

 its cost of production, will produce most milk? 



5th. Which will produce the richest milk ? 



6th. The comparative economy of difierent 

 feeds. 



In regard to the summer feed of cows, it seems 

 to be highly desirable for those whoso pastures 

 are not to be relied on for the whole season, that 

 preparation sliould be made by some cultivated 

 crop to furnish an ample supply of green food 

 during the season, which is so likely to cut short 

 the feed on our ujiland pastures. For this pur- 

 pose, on account of its great productiveness and 

 ease of culture, I know of nothing superior to 

 the Soutlieru flat corn. Perhaps oats, barley, 

 clover, of equal weight, would give more milk ; 

 but so much larger crops of the corn can be ob- 

 tained, that it seems to be entitled to a decided 

 preference. But I would for summer as well as 

 for winter, have as great a variety as possible ; 

 for cows as well as men, dislike to be confined for 

 a long time to one article of diet, however pal- 

 atable it may be at first. In sowing corn for 

 this purpose, judging from my own limited and 

 imperfect experience, I am inclined to believe that 

 too much seed is often used. Where the plants 

 are very much crowded, the stems lack that rich 

 sweetness which we find in them when they have 

 more room, and a freer exposure to the sun and 

 air ; and my own cows more readily eat the sweet 

 coarse stems that have had room enough, than 

 the smaller but insipid stems of the more crowd- 

 ed, shaded plants. 



Concord, Feb., 1855. 



For the New England Farmer. 



HOW TO MAKE GOOD BUTTEE IN FALL 

 AND WINTER. 



Scald the milk when strained, and keep it from 

 freezing as little as possi))le until the cream is 

 taken off. When churned, warm the cream as 

 warm as new milk, and grate one middling-sized 

 orange carrot, for one gallon of cream, into one 

 pint of new milk, and strain into the churn with 

 the cream through a cloth ; when churned, the 

 butter will be nearly as good as when made in 

 warm weather. o. s. 



Woodsiockf Vt., Jan., 1855. 



