460 
DAIRY FARMING. 
well known to most people whose business is amongst dairy- 
stock. Yet notwithstanding this, there cannot be a doubt 
in the mind of even a very superficial observer, that there are 
many owners of milking cattle who act as if the contrary 
were the case, and that it was of comparatively little import- 
ance whether the food given was up to the mark in either 
quantity or quality. Too frequently but little winter food is 
prepared, and the poor animals have to drag out a cheerless 
existence on whatever rough grass they may be able to gather 
from the pastures they occupied in summer, with the addition 
of a little straw or coarse hay when in the house; the modi- 
cum of turnips or mangolds grown being reserved for 
advanced spring, when the cows are at or near the calving. 
By the time they drop their calves, the cows thus treated are 
so reduced in condition as to render them quite unfit for 
giving a full season’s milk, so much of the food supplied 
having to go to the nourishment of an enfeebled system, and 
to repair the waste of tissue caused by a lengthened period of 
semi-starvation. Now such treatment is the very reverse of 
the teachings of reason and common sense, as the cow being 
an animal than which there is none more grateful for liberal 
treatment, or gives a more overflowing return, arrangements 
should be made for an abundant supply of nourishing and 
succulent food during all seasons, so that each and every 
member of the herd shall have enough to eat every day in the 
year. Without full feeding no cow, however good may be 
her milking qualities, will remain long in full profit ; there- 
fore, keeping her on a short supply of food is just so much 
lost time, and loss of income to her owner. If, from unfore- 
seen causes, food happens to be scarce at the calving season, 
it is better policy to sell a few of the cows and so be enabled 
to feed those well which are retained, than endeavour by 
pinching to keep all on, and endanger “the entire season’s 
produce by prematurely drying the flow of milk ; a result 
inevitable if the food is limited at the period of calving. Nay, 
so important is it that there should not be the slightest 
approach to hunger, or even restriction, that with the money 
so obtained, if cash is not obtainable in any other way, it is 
better to purchase food, whether in the shape of grains, oil- 
cake, turnips or hay, and by supplementing the home-grown 
food stretch it so far as to give a full supply until the season 
has become sufficiently advanced, and it can be procured in 
other ways on the farm. During the summer months the 
pastures are of course the principal dependence for dairy 
stock, and on soils remarkable for fertility nothing else is 
required, and summer-house feeding is unknown, large- 
