COW-HOUSE QUIET COW FOOD KEEP. 207 



It is pre-supposed that, a dry and comfortable 

 COW-HOUSE has been provided, containing a stall or 

 two, and a calf -pen, and it is recommended, in the 

 General Treatise on Cattle^ to confine the hinder 

 legs of a cow, whilst milking, as well as the head, 

 the former of which is most securely effected by 

 two stumps of wood fixed in the ground, to which 

 the hinder legs may be strapped. They who aim 

 at perfect security, as nearly as that may be ob- 

 tained, will perhaps be induced to make it a rule, 

 never to milk a cow with her head and legs at 

 liberty ; but most, as has always been the practice, 

 will incline to put confidence in the quiet cow ; 

 many such, however, have I seen accidentally kick 

 down a swimming pail of milk, and that may very 

 probably happen when the article, being scarce, is 

 of the most consequence the unfortunate attend- 

 ant, male or female, then marches into the house, 

 with a grave step, a long face, an apology, and an 

 empty pail. 



The provision of FOOD for the cow must be 

 looked upon as the prime concern in the dairy busi- 

 ness, for such a constant daily draught upon the 

 animal juices cannot be answered, but by aid of the 

 most ample supply, even to satiety, of nutritious and 

 succulent victuals ; not that, according to the ab- 

 surd notions of many persons, keep regulates and 

 equalizes milking, be the breed whatever it may, 

 since in some breeds, the keep turns to milk, in 

 others to beef; but because the truest and largest 

 milker will very soon lose that precious faculty 

 without proportionate, that is to say, high feeding. 

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