310 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



The cattle at tins time are again turned out to drink, and, 

 after being tied up on their return again, fed. Of course the 

 stable is at this time again thoroughly cleaned. And so again 

 at night the same course is pursued. At this time a good 

 bedding is spread for each cow, and, after all are in, they are 

 fed. 



At six o'clock the milking commences, and at its termination, 

 after removing from the floor whatever manure may have been 

 dropped, the stable is closed for the night. If carrots are fed, 

 which is the only root allowed to my cows in milk, they are 

 given at the time of the evening milking. 



"Whatever material is taken for bedding (such as corn stalks, 

 husks, &c.) is passed through a cutting machine, and composes 

 the noon feed, such portions as are not consumed by the cows 

 being used for bedding. The additional labor of cutting up is 

 amply compensated by the reduced amount of labor in working 

 (loading) and ploughing under the manure. 



While I consider it highly desirable that the cows, during 

 the period they are stabled, should be kept warm and dry, I 

 regard it as indispensable that they should be perfectly clean; 

 and although the stock is stabled the whole time, care is taken 

 that there is a sufficient degree of ventilation. 



Milking. — As before observed, this takes place throughout 

 the year at six in the morning and six in the evening. 



As a general rule, each cow is milked separately, her milk 

 strained and set separately. With heifers this is invariably 

 done, as I believe there is no other reliable mode of determin- 

 ing the value of an animal for butter ; and in this way, and a 

 separate churning also, is it determined whether to retain in 

 my dairy or sell to some milkman such heifers as I may raise. 



The same regularity is observed in the order in which the 

 cows arc milked as in the hours of milking. 



The milk, as soon as drawn, is taken to be strained and carried 

 into the milk room. Here it stands from twenty-four to thirty- 

 six hours, (in some months of the year forty-eight hours,) at 

 which time it is removed to an adjoining room to be skimmed. 

 In this way the room is free from those odors which always 

 follow the spattering of milk or cream upon the lloor or shelves 

 of the dairy. We mean to skim sioeet milk. 



