ECONOMY WINTER FEEDING. 237 



fresh grass seeds, of the best kinds, cast upon the 

 bare places. A coat of good manure should be then 

 allowed, consisting of all that can be collected from 

 the household, or procured elsewhere, mixed up and 

 augmented with virgin earth. The garden will assist 

 with its superfluity in feeding the cow, and lettuces, 

 as a change of diet, will help to force the secretion of 

 milk. Should the green food scour the cow, a small 

 quantity of good hay must be allowed daily. 



The few advocates for the ECONOMICAL mode of 

 feeding cows, always direct them to be kept entirely 

 in the house, both summer and winter, a practice 

 to which I have strong objections, not only on the 

 score of the animals' health and comfort, but that 

 I have always experienced exercise abroad to increase 

 the quantity of milk. Thus the cows may be turned 

 upon the common waste, to remain or come home at 

 their liberty, being fed to the full with cut grass, 

 morning and evening, with the constant caution of 

 allowing them shelter in the fly season. They may 

 lie abroad during summer nights, in a well-littered 

 yard, or secure waste, a sufficiency of cut grass being 

 at their command. Pure water is of great conse- 

 quence to the health and productiveness of the cow. 

 If one beast drive the other, always at feeding times 

 tie up the mistress. 



WINTER-FEEDING. The chief dependence for cows 

 is rowen, or after-math hay. This must be either 

 grown at home or purchased. It is a piece of ex- 

 travagance to allow a good milch cow dry straw, be- 

 cause milk is worth more than hay ; but, should the 



