COW-HOUSE QUIET COW FOOD KEEP. 233 



It is pre-supposed that a dry and comfortable 

 COW-HOUSE has been provided, containing a stall or 

 two, and a calf-pen, and it is recommended in the 

 General Treatise on Cattle, to confine the hinder 

 legs of a cow whilst milking, as well as the head, 

 the former of which is most securely effected by 

 two stumps of wood fixed in the ground, to which 

 the hinder legs may be strapped. They who aim 

 at perfect security, as nearly as that may be ob- 

 tained, will perhaps be induced to make it a rule, 

 never to milk a cow with her head and legs at 

 liberty ; but most, as has always been the practice, 

 will incline to put confidence in the quiet cow ; 

 many such, however, have I seen accidentally kick 

 down a swimming pail of milk, and that may very 

 probably happen when the article, being scarce, is 

 of the most consequence the unfortunate attendant, 

 male or female, then marches into the house, with 

 a grave step, a long face, an apology, and an empty 

 pail. 



The provision of FOOD for the cow must be looked 

 upon as the prime concern in the dairy business, for 

 such a constant daily draught upon the animal juices 

 cannot be answered, but by aid of the most ample 

 supply, even to satiety, of nutritious and succulent 

 victuals ; not that, according to the absurd notions of 

 many persons, keep regulates and equalizes milking, 

 be the breed whatever it may, since in some breeds 

 the keep turns to milk, in others to beef; but be- 

 cause the truest and largest milker will very soon 

 lose that precious faculty without proportionate, that 

 is to say, high feeding. Keep short and meanly, and 



