Fiiii.  1,  189G.] 
Supplement  to  the  ^'Tropical  Agricultui 
577 
meat  of  Ins  own  estate.  “ This  is  not  a case  iii 
wliicli  the  state  of  mind  of  the  person  doiiif,'  the 
act  can  affect  the  riglit  to  do  it.  If  it  was  a 
lawful  act,  however  ill  the  motive  might  be,  lie 
had  a right  to  do  it.  If  it  was  an  unlawful  act, 
however  good  his  motives  may  he,  he  would  have 
no  riffht  to  do  it.  Motives  and  intentions  in  such 
o . 
a question  as  is  now  before  your  lordships  seem 
to  me  to  be  absolutely  irrevelant.”  This  decision 
has  caused  widespread  alarm  in  England.  Every 
reservoir  of  public  water  supply  in  the  kingdom, 
which  depends  immediately  on  subterranean 
springs  and  not  on  rivers,  lakes,  or  surface  streams, 
has  become  liable  to  interference  and  possible 
expropriation  by  owners  of  adjacent  lands.  The 
Solicitor's  Journal  and  othei  papers  suggest  that 
the  law  must  be  altered  by  Act  of  Parliament. 
THE  MANAGEMENT  OP  DAIRY  CATTLE. 
By  Mr.  James  Mollison, 
Superintendent  of  Farms,  Bombay  Presidency. 
Drinking  water  or  succulent  food  given  im- 
mediately before  the  animal  is  milked  is  believed 
by  the  yavli  (milkman)  to  increase  the  yield  of 
milk.  The  quality  necessarily  must  be  lowered  in 
a correspoiiding  degree.  A native  will,  when  he 
sells  a buffalo  guaranteeing  a certain  milk  yield, 
invariably  allow  the  animal  to  drink  freely  before 
})roceeding  to  milk.  It  is  possible  that  the  milk 
yield  may  be  affected  in  this  way,  for  succulent 
food  undoubtedly  lowers  the  percentage  of  total 
solids  in  milk  by  making  it  more  watery.  In 
1892,  at  the  Poona  Government  Parm,  during  the 
hot  season  10  lbs.  buffalo  milk  on  an  average 
yielded  a lb.  of  butter,  whilst  during  the  following 
rains  when  a good  deal  of  the  food  was  succulent, 
the  average  was  1 lb.  butter  from  12  lbs.  milk. 
During  1893  it  was  found  possible.to  feed  during 
the  whole  year  a limited  quantity  of  green  fodder, 
and  the  difference  previously  marked  was  not  so 
noticeable  although  still  appreciable.  The  actual 
figures  were  : during  Pebruary,  March,  April  and 
Jlay,  the  average  quantity  of  milk  required  to 
produce  1 lb.  of  butter  w’as  11  lbs.  7 oz. ; similarly 
for  June,  July  and  August,  the  average  w'eight 
was  12  lbs.  8 oz. 
The  quality  of  the  milk  is  in  other  respects  in- 
fluenced hy  food.  Thus  cream  from  milk  of  buf- 
faloes, largely  fed  on  oil-cake,  will  churn  into 
greasy  butter  even  if  the  temperature  of  the  cream 
in  the  churn  is  lowered  artificially  to  the  most 
favourable  point.  Cotton  seed  tends  to  produce 
fine  firm  butter,  and  the  cream  can  be  churned  at 
a comparatively  high  temperature.  The  cream 
from  cows  fed  largely  on  chuni  (husk  of  Cajanus 
indicus)  gives  butter  which  has  a nice  flavour  and 
a better  colour  than  usual. 
When  green  fodder  is  given  in  •'air  quantity, 
cotton  seed  and  chuni  (husk  of  Cajanus  indicus) 
can  be  fed  to  any  reasonable  extent.  If  otherwise, 
the  allowance  of  each  should  not  e.xceed  4 lbs.  per 
day.  Lucerne  is  not  a good  fodder  for  milk 
cattle  in  any  quantity  beyond  10  lbs.  j)er  day. 
Jovari  (Soryhum  rulyare)  should  be  well  in  flower 
t'efore  it  is  ^it  as  green  fodder,  otherwise  like 
luserne  it  has  a tendency  to  cause  tympanites, 
is  quite  possible  to  over-do  the  feeding  of 
milk  cattle.  A cow  in  milk  sliould  not  be  in  high 
condition.  An  anitnal  iu  very  high  condition  will 
give  very  little  milk,  and  this  probably  accounts 
for  a common  practice  with  yavlis  (milkmen,)  viz., 
to  give  a less  quantity  of  food  to  fat  animals  so 
that  the  milk  yield  may  increase. 
Indian  cows  and  buffaloes  are  so  excitable  and 
irritable  that  a very  trivial  circumstance  often 
affects  the  milk  yield.  Its  secretion  is  influenced 
to  a very  great  extent  by  good  management.  If 
the  calf  dies,  the  milk  yield  may  be  diminished 
permanently.  There  is  an  Indian  proverb,  the 
English  rendering  of  which  is  “ soil  without 
manure  is  like  a cow  without  her  calf.”  Any 
sudden  change  in  the  food,  a short  journey  by 
road  or  rail,  a strange  milker,  a cold  or  wet  day, 
any  irregularity  in  feeding,  and  especially  any 
irregularity  in  milking  at  once  re-act  on  the  milk 
yield.  Indian  cows,  and  more  especially  buffaloes, 
get  attached  often  in  a striking  manner  to  the  man 
that  feeds  and  milks  them,  also  to  the  companion 
animals  occupying  the  adjoining  stalls  ; at  pasture 
they  clique  together  in  a curious  way,  and  it  will 
bo  easily  understood  that  any  disturbance  of  these 
friendly  relations  will  have  a distinctly  unfavour- 
able effect  on  milk  selection.  Aden  cattle  are 
different.  They  have  docile  tempers  and  their  milk 
yield  is  not  easily  affected  by  any  irregularity. 
Moreover,  theircalves  can  be  weaned  and  handled, 
whilst  it  is  imperative  that  the  calves  of  every 
Indian  breed  should  suckle.  At  any  rate  such  is 
the  case  unless  the  practice  is  begun  when  the 
cow  has  her  first  calf.  The  maternal  instincts  are 
very  strong,  and  neither  cows  nor  buffaloes  will 
yield  their  milk  unless  the  calf  is  sucking  or  is  tied 
close  by.  When  the  calf  dies  it  is  common  to 
stuff  the  skin  and  make  a dummy  calf  which 
answers  the  purpose  admirably.  Where  milk  is 
dear  it  does  not  pay  to  rear  calves,  especially  bull 
buffalo  calves,  and  in  many  instances  buffalo 
calves  are  quietly  knocked  on  the  head  and  the 
dummy  sub-stituted.  Whether  it  is  intended  that 
the  calf  should  suckle  or  be  raised  by  hand  it 
should  be  left  with  the  mother  until  it  is  licked 
dry  and  clean.  This  has  a sulutary  effect  on  the 
cow  as  well  as  on  the  calf.  The  viscous  slimy 
matter  which  covers  the  calf  has  a beneficial  lax- 
ative effect  on  the  cow.  When  removed  from  the 
cow  the  calt  should  be  kept  out  of  sight  and  out  of 
liearing. 
The  most  noticeable  signs  ot  approching  par- 
turition are  : — 
(1.)  Full  distention  of  the  udder. 
(2.)  Loosening  and  enlargement  of  the  external 
portions  of  the  vagina. 
(3.)  Relaxation  of  the  pelvic  ligaments. 
(4.)  Restlessness  a few  hours  before  calving. 
The  cow  rises  and  lies  down  frequently  in  her 
stall  and  whisks  her  tail  as  if  in  pain. 
(o.)  Labour  pains  and  the  water  bags.  The 
membranes  of  the  latter  when  broken  allow  of  a 
slimy  fluid  to  escape  which  lubricates  tire  passage 
and  facilitates  tlie  expulsion  of  the  calf. 
The  cow,  when  nearly  due  to  calve,  should, 
when  not  grazing,  occupy  a roomy  stall  in,  a 
comfortable  part  of  the  byre-  The  stall  should 
have  a dry  floor,  and,  if  possible,  should  be  littered 
with  dry  straw.  This  obviates  the  risk  of  an 
inflamed  udder.  If  the  udder  n})pears  swollen 
and  feels  hard,  the  milk  should  be  drawn  once  a 
day  even  before  calving. 
In  normal  parturition  the  call  presents  itself 
in  the  pelvic  passage  with  the  head  resting  on 
the  forelegs.  The  cow  generally  requires  no  as- 
