MILKING. 71 



MILKING. 



We have forbidden children, and cats, and dogs, and 

 talkers of all descriptions, to enter the yard in the milk- 

 ing season, for all should be quiet, if you would get all 

 the best of the cream ; but if children enter not, how- 

 will they learn to milk ? If you have an old cow that 

 you intend to dry soon, let your fresh-man — or fresh- 

 woman, as they are styled at female colleges — make 

 a first trial on her. Teach him to sit close to the cow, 

 for the nearer he sits the less will he be hurt by a kick. 

 He should sit so far back as to front the side of the 

 udder, and his left arm should constantly rest against 

 the cow's right leg ; then if she raises her foot, his arm 

 will keep it off the pail ; and she cannot kick him for 

 two reasons : her limbs are so formed that she must 

 either strike forward or back ; and, if she could kick 

 out directly towards him, he would receive no blow 

 while his arm rests firmly against her leg : the most 

 she could accomplish would be to push him away. 



The child should grasp the teat close to its extremity, 

 and the milk will be easier drawn. 



Sometimes, in cases of malicious kicking, the cow 

 should be whipt with a birch, but this should instantly 

 follow the offence, or she will not well understand why 

 she is punished ; still it is better generally to flatter 

 them into their duty as the cunning schoolmaster did 

 his scholars, for you must expect no full pail at the 

 time of using compulsory measures. 



Well-bred cows seldom kick, but they often raise up 

 a foot to brush the flies off, or to give you a hint that 

 you do not hold the teats right, and that you give them 

 pain. When there is the least doubt in your mind 

 whether a malicious kick was intended, by all means 

 put the most favorable construction on her conduct, and 

 treat her accordingly, as real gentlemen always do 

 on the conduct of females of all descriptions. 



