10 



-^^ WINTEH MANAGEMENT OF STOCK 



l)evons. He has four horses, two colts and two hogs. 

 The weight of hay consumed daily by his neat stock of 

 all ageSj averages twenty-two pounds per head. The 

 estimated weight of his crop of hay is sixty-six tons. 

 Feeds five times a day, viz : at six and seven, A. M., and 

 at three, five and niae P. M. ; the last time with coarse 

 feed, such as straw and corn fodder. The cattle are let 

 out in the middle of the day and have free access to 

 water in the yard. Considers hay worth eight dollars 

 per ton for feeding out to stock. Gives roots daily to 

 milch cows and calves ; thinks turnips worth as much 

 as carrots for that purpose, and if given immediately 

 after milking they give no taste to the milk. Gives 

 corn ?tMl cob meal to cows after calving, has used 

 cotton seed meal to a limited extent, and thinks well 

 of it. [See his experiments in feeding milch cows, 

 in the Sixth Annual Report of the Worcester North 

 Agricultural Society.] The hay-mow is cut down with 

 the hay-knife, and a root-cutter rapidly reduces the 

 large roots to dimensions suited to the caliber of the 

 throat of the animal. The cribs and barn floors are 

 daily swept out and kept clean. The droppings from, 

 the cattle without litter are let into the barn cellar 

 directly under them, and kept a year before being used. 

 The cow-yard is roofed over, ridge-poles extending 

 across twelve or fourteen feet apart, the roofs meeting 

 at an angle and forming troughs, which carry off the 

 tvater. Muck is spread four or five inches deep over 

 the yard and mixed with the droppings of the cattle. 

 The horse manure is carted out early, before fermenta- 

 iion commences, and laid in small heaps ready for 

 ^reading. Raised last season two and one-half acres 



