SOILING. 327 



but little change in the stock, almost all of the original cows 

 having been retained, and the increase being but three cows and 

 three heifers, but the increase in the butter was from twice and a 

 half to three times the quantity. The difference in the manage- 

 ment was this : My original farmer kept the cows only as I have 

 before stated, on pasture; the farm then had nothing grown 

 expressly to fodder or soil them with, which was, and is now, 

 the custom with many farmers in our country ; neither was there 

 any meal fed, except it might be to a cow that had calved early 

 in the spring, before the pasture was sufficient to turn out upon ; 

 also, the cows were permitted to remain out, exposed to cold, wet 

 storms, (when they should have been stabled and kept dry,) thus 

 early in the season checking the flow of milk, which is after- 

 wards difficult to restore. 



"'Early in the season, the young grass, when cows are first 

 turned out to pasture, is waterj', and tends to make the cows 

 scour very much ; and although it will in that state increase the 

 flow of milk, and also the quantity of butter, yet it will be at 

 the expense of the condition of the cow, reducing her in flesh, 

 and telling upon her during the whole season. At this time, I 

 consider it important that a cow should be fed with ship-stuff, or 

 bran and corn meal, mixed night and morning. This not only 

 assists in preventing scouring, but by keeping up the condition 

 of the stock, increases the quantity of butter to a very consider- 

 able extent. My opinion is, that meal fed at this time, pays 

 better, certainly as w^ell as at other times during the season, not 

 excepting in mid-winter. 



" 'I am well satisfied that the condition of the cow, in order to 

 obtain from her a full yield, or one that will be profitable, must 

 at all times be well looked to. She must be well wintered and 

 fed, so that when she comes out of the barnyard in the spring, 

 after having calved, she is in good flesh, showing her keep, and 

 the care taken of her, and not like what is too much the custom 



