THE DAIRY QUESTION — OLD STYLE. 235 



improved quality of the fertilizing substances accumulating 

 in the yard under the new regime. 



Before and during the cows' home season, haul into the 

 yard a thick layer of muck, then another of leaves, sur- 

 face mold, or grass; next, more muck, and over all pine 

 needles and leaves and grass, or any other of the odds and 

 ends of rottable matter that may be had for the gathering 

 around every Florida home. 



The more and the deeper the amount of trash collected 

 the better ; the latter will absorb and retain the liquid ma- 

 nure, and the solid will be trampled down into the mass 

 and their value preserved intact, especially if an occa- 

 sional sprinkling of land-plaster, just enough to whiten 

 the surface, is given. - 



Keep adding to the pile, preserving its level surface all 

 the season, or, if preferred, remove the first installment at 

 the end of three or four months and commence afresh. 



The result will be a fertilizer especially adapted to orange 

 trees, or in fact to any other species of vegetation — rich 

 enough to produce splendid results, yet not rich enough 

 to scald seeds or roots. 



By adopting this method not only will additional com- 

 fort be provided for the milker, but the same number of 

 cows will furnish five-fold the amount of a far more valu- 

 able fertilizer than that obtained by the slovenly method 

 now almost invariably practiced. 



Another shed, made of the "rough edge" boards, sold 

 so cheaply by our saw-mills, would add not a little to the 

 comfort of the cows, not only as aflTording shelter during 

 the heavy night rains, so common in the summer and early 

 fall, but as a feeding place. Under this shed, built in the 

 cow's division, should be placed boxes containing salt, so 

 arranged that the cows may have free access to them. It 

 is a great mistake to suppose that Florida cows do not need 



