662 DAIRYING. 



Hints in Regard to Milking. 



If cows' teats become sore, as they are apt to in the fall, a little 

 fresh lard, or vaseline, applied at milking-time, and rubbed into the 

 skin of the teat during the operation of milking, will generally effect 

 a cure after three or four applications. Where this remedy fails, a 

 good family salve, or any of the healing preparations given in other 

 pages, will probably prove efficacious. In such cases tender hand- 

 ling and cleanliness are all-important. 



In the process of milking, the keeping of the teats well cleansed 

 while milking, and the avoidance of permitting any dirt, dust, hairs, 

 or other impurities to fall into the pail, are points which scarcely 

 need to be' enforced upon the attention of dairymen of judgment 

 and taste. 



The subject of milking-machines is one which has engaged the 

 close study of inventors for many years; but, so far as we have ob- 

 served,- no invention in this direction has yet been made which 

 meets the requirements of the case for general and practical use. 



Raising Calves. , 



Every dairy farmer should have a good stock of heifer calves 

 growing up, and these should be numerous enough to supply all the 

 vacancies which occur year by year in his herd of dairy cows. It is 

 an axiom that needs no enforcement, that it is more profitable to 

 raise calves than to buy new cattle for the dairy herd. Heifers are 

 always marketable ; and, again, those raised on the farm are com- 

 monly found to be more suitable to it in after life as milkers, than 

 such as are purchased outside. He who takes pride in the products 

 of his own dairy can rarely be as well satisfied with stock purchased 

 by him as with that of his own raising. 



Calving. 



The time for cows to calve, which appears to be most in har- 

 mony with nature's, laws/is the spring ; and in obedience to these 

 laws, as well as to the expediency of having them in the flush of 

 milk when " grass day " comes, dairy farmers generally have their 

 cows timed to calve between the middle of February and the middle 

 of May. For purely cheese-making purposes, nothing especially is 

 gained by having them calve before the middle of February, for 

 they would then have passed through the flush period of milk before 

 the time when the grasses in the pastures are most plentiful, luxuri- 

 ant, and nutritious. 



Cows should by no means be permitted to get into a low condi- 



