456 NORFOLK SOCIETY. 



duced by worrying one another, and to the constantly varying- 

 state of the pasture, which is always affected by drought and 

 by the proportion of the number pastured, to the productive 

 power of the field, which is often overstocked. In stall feeding, 

 care having been taken to have sufficient succulent food pre- 

 pared, they are, in as great a degree as is possible, kept inde- 

 pendent of the variations of season and from other annoyances. 

 Their greater comfort, in this mode of keeping, is one of the 

 essential causes of their better condition. During the heat of 

 the day they are kept under cover in the shade, secured from 

 flies, from being worried by dogs or one another, from eating 

 any noxious vegetables and from bad water. 



A popular objection to this mode of keeping milch cows, is, 

 that want of exercise must affect injuriously the health of the 

 animal. To this, European writers, some of whom have kept 

 in this way, large herds, reply, that they " never had one sick, 

 or one die, or one miscarry," in consequence of this mode of 

 keeping. After more than eight years' pursuance of the same 

 practice, my experience justifies me in uniting my testimony 

 to theirs on this point. 



Another common-place objection to this practice in respect 

 of milch cows, is, that their " milk cannot be so good nor in so 

 great quantities, for want of exercise." Nothing can have 

 less foundation in fact. Cows in the pasture, unless under 

 some temporary excitement, use very little, — comparatively, no 

 exercise. They usually walk a short time, slowly, collect their 

 food and lie down to ruminate. The difference between this 

 habit of theirs and the exercise obtained by walking about an 

 hour or two hours in the day in a yard, and being employed 

 in rubbing themselves against walls or posts, is little, if any, 

 less than they get in the pasture. This exercise (a daily, 

 thorough currying being added in their stalls) is quite as 

 efficient to produce a healthful action of the system as any 

 exercise, as it is called, in the pasture. 



5. As to the quantity of milk produced by this 'mode of 

 keeping, my own experience is, in my opinion, decisive in its 

 favor. In early summer, and when pastures are fresh in grass, 

 milk will be, for a short period, produced in somewhat greater 

 quantities by keeping in pasture than by " soiling." But this 

 advantage is of very short duration. As soon as pastures 



