304 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



We have given the above as estimates, but we will now give 

 facts instead. 



James Thompson, of Nantucket, has handed us the results of 

 five thoroughbred Jersey cows for the year 1868 and one week 

 last past in this year. Their ages are three 5 years old, one 8 

 years, and one 13 years. The one that is thirteen years has 

 been farrow, calved November, 1867, and is to come in June, 

 1869. Their food, from January to May, was hay grown over 

 peat and land adjoining those meadows, fed at the rate of 

 twenty-five pounds in four feeds daily ; or hay would be omitted 

 at noon, and stalks, husks and other rough fodder substituted 

 at morning feed. They had one quart corn-meal and one of 

 fine feed slightly wet. At night had one peck of roots, (carrots 

 till middle of January, then mangolds,) with one quart fine 

 feed sprinkled over them dry. On this variety of food they 

 come out to pasture. I say out, as we keep them in the barn 

 nearly all the time from December to April, except to water, 

 which is from a living spring one hundred feet from the barn. 

 If the weather be cold, or the thermometer below 30° or freez- 

 ing point, they are watered in the barn. The time of feeding 

 is about 5 o'clock, A. M., when, being milked and having their 

 grain, induces a quiet disposition ; at 7 to 8 o'clock fed with 

 hay. After eating it they are watered and allowed out till noon 

 if weather as before stated. At noon a feed of hay. About 



4 o'clock, P. M., if good weather, watered out or in the barn. 

 At night their roots while being milked, after which they are fed 

 the best hay we have for the night. The time of milking is 



5 o'clock, A. M., all through the year, and about 5, P. M., in 

 winter and 6 in summer. The first of April we give them lib- 

 erty to go on the grass lands till it is time to pasture ; thus 

 their stomachs become somewhat prepared to take the green 

 feed about the first of May. 



The product of these five cows has been 1,350 pounds of ex- 

 cellent butter. The average of this to each cow is about 270 

 pounds. They are always dried off one month before their time 

 of next calves is out. 



Having quite a quantity of corn-fodder and poor hay, caused 

 by the overwet season last past, I was induced to pvit in one of 

 Prindle's boilers, which cost, all complete, about $65. As some 

 others may wish to put one in, I will state how mine is arranged, 



