258 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



FEB. 14, 184 



FIFTH AGRICULTURAL MEETING AT 

 THE STATE HOUSE— Feb. 0. 

 The wpather was rather unfavorable, but we are 

 happy to state tliat the meeting was fully attended, 

 and the subject nnder consideration, "The Man- 

 agenient of Stock, as relates to their general care 

 and feedinj;," was ably discussed, a nniiiber of gen- 

 tleman taking part, and sustaining the meeting 

 with much animation — the President, Hon. Josiah 

 Qiiincy, Jr., being in the chair. 



Col. Jaques opened the discussion, and spoke ns 

 follows : — 



Whatever I may offer upon the subjects con- 

 nected with agriculture, I wish tlie gentlemen may 

 distinctly understand that I disclaim any intention 

 of dictation. My desire is, to communicate, ns 

 briefly as possible, my own experience and prac- 

 tice on these important subjects. 



year, I find the following directions were given to j often repeated or too strongly urged. To be si 

 my furcMiari, to feed as follows: " For 'M cows, | all animals will not show the same fawning a 

 cut 30 bushels for one feed : one-third, English ! spaniel by being caressed ; but they are not ins 



buy, one-third salt hay, and one-third rye or barley 

 straw ; add 30 quarts of wheat bran or shorts, and 

 10 quarts of oat and corn meal moistened with wa- 

 ter." This quantity was given for one feed in the 

 morning; the same quantity at noon, and at even- 

 ing. In addition to which, I gave to each cow in 

 milk, 1-4 bushel mangel wnrtzel. This mode of 



sible to gooil or bad treatment; they are creati 

 of habit, and have mighly good memories. 



Cleanliness in stables where cattle are kepi 

 highly important, particularly the mangers: t 

 rhonld be brushed clean at least once a day. 

 well recollect being at a farmer's barn, some y( 

 since, who had large and deep mangers whert 



feeding produced nearly or quite as mucli milk, as 1 fed his cows : his manger was filled up neoi 



on the best grass feed in summer. Some of the 

 cows gave a pailfull at each milking, twice a day. 

 (For a similar mode of feeding, see N. E. Farmer, 

 vol. vi. p. 14.) When no wheat bran or any kind 

 of meal is given, I feed with long hay. 



At a farmers' meeting in this place, 1 stated a 

 fact within my knowledge, of two or three famous 

 milch cows that became nearly dry : I was called 



Domestic animals form a very important item in j to assign a reason. On inquiry, I found that each 

 the agricultural products of New England. Taking cow had been fed with 4 quarts of dry Indian meal 

 into consideration all the purposes to which they t per day, for 12 to 18 months: two of these cows 



are adapted for the uses and comforts of the great 

 human family, I am of opinion that there has not 

 been that practical science devoted to this branch 

 of agriculture, that the importance of the subject 

 cjcmands ; more particularly as applies to neat cat- 

 tle. I find it important to lay a foundation for 

 good constitutions, by rearing my calves well — 

 allowing them to suck for the first three or four 

 months, and to be well fed the first year. The 

 heifers will then "come in," as it is termed, at 

 two to two and a half years old, and be as ripe at 

 that age, as those brought up on skimmed milk por- 

 ridge are at the ago of three to three and a half 

 years. Their milking properties will be belter de- 

 veloped. Thus one year will be gained. 



Milk is of the first importance; next, the sham- 

 bles; then, the yoke. At the Brighton Cattle 

 Show, in Oct. 18Ki, the famous Danvers Oakes 

 cow received the first premium. Satisfactory cer- 

 tificates showed that she calved April .'5th ; calf 

 killed May 8th ; that she gavi; through the sum- 

 mer, 17 quarts milk per day, and in the following 

 December, there had been made from her milk 

 484 1-4 lbs. pure butter. J examined this cow 

 with much attention, and thought there was no 

 other kind of animal living, tliat would be eo valua- 

 ble to a j)oor man with a Inrf^e family. By judi- 

 cious management for a few years, a race of cows 

 might be so moi!eled and formed as to be as pro. 

 ductive as the Oakes cow. This opinion is found- 

 ed upon my actual practice and experience for 

 more llian forty years — a record of which I have 

 preserved. Our long legged, gaunt hogs of 40 

 years since, it may be remembered, were consider- 

 ed pretty smart hogs th.it would weigh 2.50 lbs. at 

 18 months. Now, the Mackay pigs at 12 months, 

 weigh 400, and, probably, on much the same keep. 

 Here, then, is an improvement of 50 per cent, or 

 more. The same improvement can be made in 

 our neat cattle. A good animal fed well, i? much 

 more profitable than a jioor one. There are indi- 

 vidual cows which may bo fed with the best the 

 country can produce, and still they would not com- 

 pare with the Oakps cow 



were reri/ fat : I came at once to the conclusion 

 that the extreme fat had closed up the milk secre- 

 linns, and that the food had turned to forming fat 

 flesh. By giving 2 parts wheat bran or shorts, 

 and I part Indian meal, it will produce as much 

 milk, without injuring the milking properties. 



The Oakes cow came into my possession some 

 two or three years after her high feed on Indian 

 meal, in 181G, and fell off very much in the quan- 

 tity of milk. As an experiment, I reduced her in 

 flesh, turned her to grass feed only, for a season, 

 then took her up, and fed her high, but could not 

 bring her to give more than 8 or 10 quarts of milk 

 per day, ever after. 



The subject of p.irturition, or the act of bring- 

 ing forth the young, was mentioned at our last 

 meeting. My views on this subject are, that most 

 of the trouble and difficulty arises from the particu- 

 lar formation of the parents. For instance, a cow 

 with a large, heavy head and horns ; large, coarse 

 limbs and light body, is, not uiit'reqnently, narrow 

 in the pelvis. The difficulty, however, more gen- 

 erally arises from the males. Bulls with large, 

 heavy heads and horns ; and large, heavy coarse 

 limbs with liglit bodies, are pretty sure to produce 

 large bony calves, giving the cow trouble in bring- 

 ing forth. I have put a bull, whose head and 

 horns were very light, muzzle so fine that he could 

 drink out of a quart pot, with limbs fine and taper- 

 ing, and whose weight was 2200 lbs., to yearling 

 heifers of like form and character, not unfreqncnt- 

 ly ; and have never found any difficulty in their 

 bringing forth their young. 



Calves intended to be raised, should be haltered 

 and made fast by the second or third day alter be- 

 ing dropped, and be led frequently by the halter, 

 and with a light switch in your tiand, apply it gent- 

 ly to his face whenever he attempts to press for- 

 ward too fast. A very little attention will learn 

 our neat cattle to be as handy to the halter as a 

 horse. 



The language used in breaking and managing 

 domestic animals, should always be the Same, for 

 the same meaning, without variation. For in- 



In culling feed for slock in winter, much saving | stance, if I wish my horses or neat cattle to stop 

 may be made, by irixing the rut feed with wheat 



inches deep, with hay-seed dust and unhea 

 filth ; on digging down to the bottom, I foun 

 had been wet, and was then smoking hot. 

 firmer said, do you think it will make any di 

 cnce to my cows .' My reply was, by as! 

 another question : Suppose you should have a h 

 dish in which you put your various meals, 

 should allow the accumulations of the remain^ 

 those meals to stand for months ; I think 

 would then learn how to pity your poor anim 

 He immediately went to work, and cleaned out 

 manger, and that too, without resorting to the 

 pcriment with the dish. The places where 

 cattle stand, should be swept clean, at least on 

 day, and well littered. Stalls for horses shoul 

 paved, cither with brick or stone. I prefer b 

 placed edgewise ; the stalls to be kept clean, 

 at night supplied with a good bed of straw, 

 allow a horse to stand or lie, for months on his t 

 filth, and inhale its /jfryiime, (as was suggeste" 

 a former meeting,) is not my practice. 



It is the opinion of some that we ought no 

 resort to new importations for iho improvemei 

 our neat cattle. But wliy should we not take 

 vantage of the immense improvements which 

 been made in England for the last fifty years.' 

 a person wishes to obtiiii the Bartlett pear, (si 

 mous among us,) does he try to raise them fron 

 seed, or does he take the scions ? 



Although the management of stock is the 

 ject under consideration, I will take the liberl 

 saying a few words on the subject of a rac 

 horses. Fortunately, we have among us a kir 

 liorse formed by a cross of the Normandy or C 

 dian stallion on the Vermont mares, which com 

 the properties so desirable for " Yankee notio 

 viz: to goto church, go to mill, under the sai 

 to the plow, the gig, and coach. They are of g 

 endurance, carrying weight a long distance, 

 docile ; but if put to their mettle, are a full 1 

 for the best whip. 



Cheever Newhall, Esq., who is the owner 

 fine farm in Dorchester, next addressed the n 

 ing: his remarks were listened to with deep a^ 

 lion, and we are happy to have it in our pov 

 give thein in his own language : — 



Mr President — As I am entirely unaccustc 

 to speak in public, I must therefore claim you 

 diligence while I attempt to make a stntcnie 

 my mode of cultivating and feeding. 



I believe the soiling of cattle has never 

 much practiced in this country ; indeed, the 

 attempt I have known, was made by a distingui 

 individual in Q.uincy, many years ago. This 

 nent man has since been called to perform 



or any kind ol meal, slightly moistening 



bran 

 it. 



In the winter of I83(;, milk was very scarce. 

 .■\t that time I kept 30 cows, 2.5 of which were in 

 milk. On reference to my diary, Feb, 1 III), of that 



and stand, I use the word whoa. How many acci- I duties, and it is very much to be regretted iha 

 dents might have been prevented if refractory agricultural part of the community have not 

 liorses had been properb/ taught the meaning of of late years, the benefit of his counsel in tha 

 f^.jiofi I partment of science. 



The importance of a system of mild and kind j I have given some attention to this siibjec 

 treatment towards domestic animals, cannot be loo two years past, before which I pastured my > 



