36 ON MILCH GOWS. 



cause a difference in the yield of those much neglected, but most 

 useful animals whose hard fortune it too often is, to browse all 

 day without satisfying their hunger. 



We have known instances where English turnips have been 

 sown early, and as occasion required, have been given, without 

 being divested of their tops, to cows in milk. In this way a 

 large quantity of succulent fodder is obtained, and some very 

 careful dairymen have confidently asserted that no disagreeable 

 flavor was communicated either to the milk or the butter. On 

 this point we are not decided, but the experiment is easily made, 

 and every man is best satisfied with knowledge which he has 

 obtained by his own labor and observation. 



Indian meal enriches the milk, but at the usual prices of the 

 products of the dairy and of grain, it is questionable whether the 

 practice of feeding with it in summer is economical. It is im- 

 portant that milch cows should be in good condition, for the milk 

 of such is much better than that of those which are lean. 



There are other expedients by which milk is improved both 

 in quantity and quality, but as the result of our inquiries, we say 

 that the best substitute for an occasional deficiency of feed in 

 summer is found by those who raise a crop of corn purposely to 

 meet the exigencies of the season ; and should no drought occur 

 and should there be no deficiency of feed, the crop will still be 

 valuable, if properly cured, for winter's consumption, and be- 

 sides, under favorable circumstances, corn enough will ripen to 

 compensate for the expense of cultivation. 



An occasional supply of salt is very beneficial to milch cows, 

 and whoever expects a large quantity of good milk must provide 

 for them good pastures and pure water in abundance. The 

 grasses which grow spontaneously in our pastures are believed 

 to cause cows to yield milk and butter of better flavor than eith- 

 er corn, roots, clover, or any other cultivated crop. Such an 

 opinion however affords no encouragement to that thriftless hus- 

 bandry which suffers extensive tracts of valuable pasture Jands to 

 be overgrown with bushes, briers and thistles ; and although this 

 is hardly the suitable time or occasion, we would suggest to the 



