20 



NEW ENGLAND FARIMER. 



Jan. 



that size, at her hest season, could produce 

 four gallons oi" mi'k and keep up her condition, 

 but it nu^^t be lemenibered that four gallons of 

 milk contain only about four pounds of dry 

 matter, which -will leave a supply for the thrift 

 of the cows. Yet it is always the bet-t economy 

 to give a cow in milk all she will eat with a 

 good appetite ; for it takes a certain (juantity 

 to keej) the cow in condition without gaining 

 any milk, and what she will eat above this 

 should be added to the milk. Thirty-three to 

 forty i)er cent, would require to be added if 

 uncooked. But with the estimate given, it 

 will be seen what a splendid margin there is in 

 producing milk in cities at ten cents per quart ! 



This combination of food recommended for 

 milch cows is also well adapted to growing the 

 young animal, as it contains a full supply of 

 bone and muscle nutriment. For fattening, 

 let the pea meal be replaced with six pounds 

 of corn meal. Corn meal may also be used in 

 email quantities for milk where butter is to be 

 made. 



Effect of Cooked Fcod upon Animals. 



It has sometimes been urged, that, although 

 the animal eats less and for a time thrives 

 better upon cooked food, yet its tendency is to 

 weaken the stamina of the system and produce 

 premature decay. We have been able to test 

 this theory fairly, and can now show, as there- 

 suit, cows and horses, which have been fed 

 every winter upon cooked food for eleven 

 years, and so far from showing any ill effects 

 of this way of feeding, the cows have never 

 been sick, and are now in fine condition and 

 heart, and the horses able to do good work, 

 although sixteen and seventeen years old. 

 We have raised many colts from weaning age 

 to five years, and never saw any want of 

 stamina. The effect of cooked food upon 

 horses wilh a cough or a sudden cold is very 

 remarkable, almost uniformly producing a cure 

 in a few days. It will cure incipient heaves, 

 correct costiveness, and materially improve a 

 founder. In fact, our animals have been more 

 uniformly healthy since feeding them upon 

 cooked food. But, it is true that sheep and 

 other animals fattened rapidly upon steamed 

 food, wdl be softer in flesh than if fattened 

 more slowly upon uncooked food. Yet this 

 would nriturally be expected. Grass grown 

 rapidJy upon very rich land is not so solid as 

 that grown slowly upon poorer land ; but who 

 wouhi prefer the poorer land in consequence? 

 Just belore animals are ready for the butchers 

 it is well to feed them a few days upon dry, 

 uncook(;d food, which will correct this softness 

 of flesh. 



PrepariDK Food for Steaming. 



The cut hay, straw and hay, or other cut 

 feed, is moistened with a large watering pot 

 (if done l)y hand,) at the rate, of at least, two 

 gallons of water to five bushels of feed, while 

 It is being stirred up with a fork, then if bran, 

 meal or other feed is used with it, it should be 



sifted on and mixed evenly. Tv^o quarts of 

 bran to the bushel of straw will render wheat, 

 barley, oat and pea straw eoTial to good timo- 

 thy hay. A little salt should be added, which 

 will be perfectly diffused through the mass. 

 The feed must "always be moistened before 

 steaming, for steani will not cook dry hay or 

 straw, but only dry it more. ^loistiire is re- 

 quired to absorb the steam. — E. W. S., in 

 Rural New Yorker. 



SMOKE IK" WINTER. 



BY TnOREAU. 



The sluggish smoke curls up from some deep dell, 



The stiffened air exploring in the diiwn, 



And making slow acquaintance wilh the day, 



Delaying now upon its heavenward course, 



III wrcathid loiterings dalljiiig with itself, 



Wilh as uncertain purpose and slow deed 



As its half- Wakened masttr by t!ie hea''th. 



Whoso mind, f till shmiberirg, and i-liiggith thoughts 



Have not yet swept into the onward current 



Of the new day; and now it streams afar. 



The while the chopper goes wilh step direct. 



And mind intent to wield the early axe. 



First in the dusky dawn he sends ahroad 



Ilis early scout, his emissary smoke, 



The earliest, latest pilgrim from his roof, 



To feel the frosty air, inform the day; 



And while he crouches still he^ide the hearth, 



Nor musters courage to unbar the door, 



It has gone down the glen with the light wind. 



And o'er the plain unfurled its venturous wreath, 



Draped the tree-tops, loitered upon the hill, 



And warmed the pinions of the early bird; 



And now, perchance, high in the crispy air, 



Has cautht sight of the d:'.y o'er the earth's edge, 



And greets its master's eye at his low door. 



As come refulgent cloud in the upper sky. 



BUTTER MAKING. 



A correspondent of the St. Albans Messen- 

 ger remarks on his process of making butter 

 as follows : — I keep twenty-three cows of the 

 native stock, wilh a slight mixture of Durham ; 

 their feed was the fall feed in my mow fields, 

 with pumpkins in the morning ; the cream was 

 gathered in three days from milk that set 

 thirty-six hours after milking ; the cream then 

 set twenty-four hours, and was churned ; when 

 the butter came it was put in a wooelen bowl 

 and washed with spring water until the milk 

 was all washed out and the water ceased to be 

 colored and remained clear, then the Ashton 

 salt is worked in by hand, at the rate of one oz. 

 to a pound of butter ; the butter is then set away 

 to stand twenty-four hours, tlu:n it is worked 

 over by hand, taking a ^mall quantity at a 

 time and working out all the brine, tht n it is 

 pounded down in the tub ; the tub is filled 

 within a half-inch of the top, when it is covered 

 with a cloth, over which is spread a thin layer 

 of salt. This tub was packed the 4th of Oc- 

 tober. Cream is not churned the same day it 

 is skimmed, as it will sometimes have a pecu- 

 liar taste which it does not have after standing 

 twenty-four hours. In the fall, the pans are 

 filled two-thirds full and the cream rises aa 

 well, but in summer it should be more shal- 

 low." 



