182 Cottage Gardens, live Stock of the Cottager, 



from this inestimable creature, that no man ought to rest satisfied till he 

 has accomplished the object of what ought to be his constant and unceasing 

 endeavours. A good cow will supply a large family with milk and butter 

 (and a great deal of the latter to spare) for 40 weeks, and with cheese all 

 the year round. I made from one cow 217 lbs. of butter in 39 weeks. But 

 suppose an ordinary cow to produce 180 lbs., and allow 80 lbs. for the use 

 of his family, and no poor family ought to use more, there will then be 

 100 lbs. to dispose of, say at 8c/. per pound, there is upwards of three 

 guineas at once, ready to pay the rent, &c. &c, or to buy a couple of pigs ; 

 for a man who keeps a cow should never have less than two in the sty. 

 A cow produces a great deal of wash for the hog-tubs ; there is the 

 washing of the milk-bowls twice a day ; a lot of whey three or four times 

 a week, for a skimmed-milk cheese should be made twice a week, while the 

 milk is plentiful : if the curd is made while the milk is sweet, it will keep 

 well for three or four days, with a little salt sprinkled over it, and covered 

 with a cloth, in a cullender. Twice a week there will be the washings of 

 the butter and churn ; the little urchins will drink the buttermilk. Indeed, 

 the refuse of every thing connected with a dairy becomes an excellent ingre- 

 dient in the hog-tubs. 



To find food for this very valuable animal becomes the next consideration. 



Besides a comfortable, dry, fern-littered cowhouse, either to take shelter 

 in or to be tied up in, to make the most of a cow, she should at all times, 

 especially after calving, be abundantly supplied with food, and with as much 

 water as she likes to drink. Now, to effect this, and to produce vegetables 

 for a family of 8 or 10 persons and a couple of pigs, not less than an acre * 

 will be required ; and this acre of ground I would divide as follows : — 



C 80 rods of grass land. 

 1 acre < 40 do. mangold wurzel. 

 (_ 40 do. kitchen-garden. 



Let the 80 rods of grass land, then, be carefully cleaned of nettles, docks, 



comfort. There are instances I could mention where a gentleman's labourers 

 receive 9s. Qd. per week. One of these pays 5s. per week for his cottage, 

 his garden, a field, and hay for his cow. Still, himself and his family appear 

 clean (ruddy) and healthful ; while other labourers, having the same wages, 

 but no cow, appear ragged and pale, and themselves and families receive 

 pay from the parish. Other labourers in the same township, keeping a cow, 

 though poor, are still in comfort, the produce of butter more than sufficing 

 for the family. — Shibboleth. 



* For garden, &c. - - - 1400 square yards. 



For goats - - - 300 



For a cow - 1700 



An additional cow - 1700 



Horse - - - - - 3217 



For growing bread - - - 4991 



Barn, and addition to the dung-yard for the goat 70 



iQQ«Q S or 2a. 3r. 1p. 

 133/8 \ 24 y. 

 A Friend to the Cottager. 

 A plot of ground about 400 square yards, sown with lucerne, and mown 

 once over, will keep a cow for 4 weeks. When it comes into full bearing, it 

 will always be fit to mow once over by the 1st of May, and will serve through 

 that month ; and, if sufficient to grow a month after cutting, it will be fit to 

 mow again, and will then serve other four weeks. — ./. A. 



