THE CULTIVATOR. 
115 
snow and frost, it should be brushed out, and every ex¬ 
pedient should be used to pro note the comfort and quiet 
of the animal, as it will save feed and increase flesh. j 
Raw potatoes, fed in small quantities with plenty of ’ 
salt, during- the last two weeks of gestation, is a safe and 
in my opinion the best feed that can be given to produce 
a sure secretion, and should be continued until the cow 
comes to her milk freely; one peck per day is a sufficient 
quantity for each cow. The strength of this feed may | 
be safely increased with two quarts of provender meal, | 
scalded or soured, and made into a thin slop. | 
Violent exertion, such as lighting, running, &c. should | 
be prevented if possible at all limes. If the excrement | 
does not follow the calf within 12 hours, it should be 
carefully removed by hand, which will be less injurious 
than medicines sufficiently powerful to produce the de¬ 
sired effect. Cows should not be allowed to eat their 
excrement, but kept supplied with plenty of water, warm¬ 
ed to a temperate degree, and care should be taken to 
keep them perfectly dry anil warm until they come freely 
to their milk; then the strength of their feed may be 
safely increased. But a proper medium and strict regu¬ 
larity should alvyays be observed in feeding, in view of 
profit and the danger of over acting the system., 
Some cows, being:less fluent than others,will not bear 
as much feed; 4 quarts of provender meal per day, maile 
into slop, as above directed, or one half bushel of roots, 
is strong feed, and as much as will pay a profit. 
Cows should be carded every day, from about the 1st 
of March, until they are turned to grass, which tends^ to 
keep up a healthy circulation in the extremities anil is a 
good substitute for exercise. 
April is the best month for dairy cows to come in, after 
which period they should be kept fluent, if possible, till 
they can get plenty of grass. It is bad for cows to get 
reduced in vigor and flesh in the commencement of the 
milk Season, as it will require much food in the best part 
of the season to recruit them to a healthy fluent condi¬ 
tion. I would as soon start with my family upon a jour¬ 
ney, in a poor worn out vehicle, which I knew would 
require me to lay by upon expense, to get it repaired, as 
to attempt to make a profit from cows poorly wintered. 
It may ba relieil upon as an unexceptionable rule, that 
cows will not yield their abundance in quality or quan¬ 
tity, unless they have been well wintered, so as to com¬ 
mence the milk season in a vigorous and fluent condition. 
Strict attention should be paid to milking clean at this 
period, that the course of the milk may be thoroughly 
established in the system in the commencement of the 
season. ChilUren shouiil not be allowed to milk until 
they are strong enough to milk quick and thorough. 
Many cows require a thorough exercise of the bag to get 
the milk clean. 
If a eow does not come to her milk fluently, she should 
he fed a common musket charge of gunpowder, or an 
ounce of floured sulphur, every other day for six days, 
which will increase the action of the fluids, and secure 
an increased flow of milk. During this process, the cow- 
should not be fed largely with strong feed; her feed may 
be moderately increased with the fluency of her milk. 
I protest stronglj- against the practice of feeding dry, un¬ 
scalded or unfermented grain feed to milch cows at any 
time, (except as a medicine in some cases, which I will 
notice hereafter,) as it must necessarily absorb much of 
the gastric juices of the stomach, instead of adding to 
them in the process of digestion. 
Cows are 'nany times troubled with cracked teats in 
the spring, which makes troublesome milking. This 
may be remedied by a few applications of the oil of 
pumpkin seed. If this cannot be procured, use the lard 
tried from bacon rinds, or the outside of bacon trimmed 
off, which is most strongly impregnated with smoke. 
The application should be made previous to milking, 
which will soften the teat and prevent further cracking, 
and work the oil into the wounds unhealed: these are 
the best specifics I ever tried. 
As this is the season in which dairymen procure most 
of their rennets for summer uses, I would earnestly cau¬ 
tion them against bad rennets. A good coagulator is an 
indispensable prerequisite in the manufacturing of cheese, 
and much depends upon its being properly saved. When 
the rennet of a calf is to be saved, it should have plenty of 
new milk, and be kept from taking any unclean substance : 
into its stomach, which would make it necessary to rinse 
the coats of the rennet and destroy its vital strength. 
The calf should not be killed with a full stomach, as the 
gastric juices are then employed in digesting and dis¬ 
charging its burthen, and are not found in full strength 
in the coats of the stomach. Nor should they be kept a 
long time without milk previous to being killed, for in 
this case the system would continue its di-aft upon the 
juices of the stomach until its digestive powers became 
exhausted, and thus render the rennet unlit for use. 
This is proven by the well known fact that animals 
can bear but a small quantity of food without injury, af¬ 
ter a protracted abstinence. This is apt to be the case 
with rennets saved by butchers, as they are in the habit 
of keeping veal calves several days without food, to ac¬ 
commodate a market. The rennets, after being thus 
spoiled, are thrown into a brine prepared to receive them 
for the seasm, as the best facility to obtain the dairyman’s 
nimble shilling for a rennet. I have known the whole 
strength of two rennets thus preserved, used in a cheese 
of 100 lbs., without digesting the milk sufficiently, be¬ 
sides making the cheese very rancid. I am not in favor 
of putting rennets in brine or pickle to preserve them, as 
it is difficult to make a composition that -will control the 
acids of the stomach, or prevent a partial fermentation 
of its gaseous properties. The only sure method of pre¬ 
serving those properties in their full strength and purity, 
is by drying them in pure air. Calves should not be 
killed for their rennets, until they are four or five days 
old, during which time they should have plenty of new 
milk to acquire a healthy and strong digestion. Twelve 
or fifteen hours are required for a common feeding of 
milk to digest and pass out of the stomach, at which time 
the gaseous secretions are strongest and most abundant. 
The rennet should then be taken cleanly from the chest and 
carefully emptied of its contents, without scraping or rtns- 
ing, as that would destroy the mucus coats of the stomach. 
It should then be stretched upon a crooked stick or bow, 
and left open at each end to let the air pass through and 
quicken ils drying. Then apply what fine salt will ad¬ 
here to it on all sides, and suspend it in a dry airy place, 
to remain until wanted for use. Rennets thus prepared 
will be of good flavor, and sufficient strength to digest 
600 gallons of milk if prudently used. 
Many dairymen save and use the curd in acalve’s ren¬ 
net, as a matter of economy. It may be a general prac¬ 
tice, but it is nevertheless a wrong one. It may be 
argued that milk when taken from the stomach of the 
calf, partially digested, contains much of the digestive 
properties of the stomach. X admit it does; but if is in a 
state of decay, and contains other properties which ren¬ 
der it unfit for a wholesome digester, and if used sepa¬ 
rately will make a hard rancid cheese. Decayed apples 
will make cider, but the quality will be inferior to that 
made from ripe sound fruit, and there is a like difference 
in the quality of cheese made from the curd and that 
made with the pure rennet. 
Cows should not be allowed to range the fields in the 
spring, until there is sufficient grass for them to get their 
fill. First, because it has a tendency to take their appe¬ 
tite from hay, and creates an uneasiness which will make 
them discontented with their necessary confinement dur¬ 
ing the summer. Secondly, nature has prepared the soil 
by freezing, which leaves it light and gives the new 
succession of roots an opportunity to spread and give 
birth to new and more numerous blades; and the soil 
should not be trodden down until this process is well ad¬ 
vanced, when the sod will become so firm as to prevent 
the soil from being packed by the travel of the cows. I 
think this rule will admit of general application, as there 
are few soils in the dairying districts that are improved 
by p.acking. 
Thirdly, early grazing is injurious to pastures, because 
it weakens the vital principle of the plant. It is a fact 
well established and easily demonstrated, that the root 
of a plant cannot flourish nor long exist without the top 
to assist in procuring its necessary food; the vigor and 
growth of the root will be in proportion to that of the 
top. On plowing a paoturo that has boon eloeoJy grazed 
for several seasons, a weak slender sward will be found, 
and but little necessity for a coulter. When the sward 
is kept thus light, the soil is but little benefited by trans¬ 
mutation. The principle has long been established that 
the growth of plants is produced in a great ilegree by 
absorbtion of their food from air and water, the top of 
the plant being the necessary vehicle through which it 
is obtained and a portion of it conveyed to the root, thus 
mutually contributing to each other’s support. Water is 
found to be the chief food of plants, as it contains the 
gases necessary to vegetable life, and a portion of earth 
bearing a strong affinity to the main bulk of vegetable 
matter, this is most congenial in the dew which becomes 
strongly impregnated with gases in its descent from the 
air. 
Admitting this theory to be correct, (and I am unwil¬ 
ling to believe any reflecting farmer will doubt its truth,) 
it behooves the grazier to keep his pastures from being 
trodden in spring, and preserve the first growth of grass 
to strengthen and invigorate the roots. A good fleece 
of grass not only benefits the roots by absorbtion. but re¬ 
tains the frequent showers and nourishing dews from 
speedy evaporation until the earth is well supplied with 
its genial qualities, and vegetation can drink its fill and 
have the benefit of the sun’s heat in digesting its proper¬ 
ties. 
The grazier should not feel that he is losing ground, 
if winter overtakes him with a heavy coat of fall feed 
upon his fields, unconsumed, for it is money put to good 
interest, and sure to be paid the coming season. It not only 
shields the roots from frost and cold drying winds, but 
seems destined by nature for the propagation and nour¬ 
ishment of its successor; as all young plants are found 
to come forward earlier and grow more rapidly when 
nourished by their decayed predecessor; hence this rule 
will apply strongly against the practice of grazing mea¬ 
dows fall and spring, which is common among our dai¬ 
rymen, as a matter of convenience with some, and ne¬ 
cessity (from heavy overstock,) with others; but neither 
convenience or necessity, (particularly when occasioned 
by over stock,) are a sufficient excuse for continuing the 
practice, for I am satisfied the grazier had better dispose 
of a part of his stock for what it will fetch, even at the 
lowest extreme of the market, than to thus over tax his 
soil. 
_ When the proper period arrives for turning to grass, 
cows should have plenty of salt, and should not be al¬ 
lowed to graze but a few hours at a time until they get 
accustomed to the change of feed. They should have 
all the hay they will eat until the grass acquires sufficient 
heart to sustain them without “ scouring.” Should they 
have a tendency to scour, a few quarts of wheat bran 
may be fed with good effect, 
A greater quantity of feed may he obtained from a gi¬ 
ven territory, by dividing it into separate lots, buti think 
cows will do better to have free access to the whole; as 
a few times shifting them to different lots of better feed, 
will create an uneasiness, until at length they will become 
dissatisfied with the best shift that can be made for them. 
The more quiet cows can be kept, the better (hey will 
do. Another objection to a shift of pasture, is, that cow? 
are apt to over eat when turned to fresh feed, which' is 
very hurtful. Cows are frequently attacked in the early 
part of the grazing season with a high fever, attended 
with trembling and a general agitation of the system, 
shrinkage of milk, dryness of the nose and cold extremi¬ 
ties. This more frequently happens after long rains, 
when they have taken a great proportion of water with 
flashy grass. When a cow is thus attacked, she should 
be fed with two ounces of the flour of sulphur, or two 
common musket charges of gunpowder, in some kind of 
mash or slop feed, which will generally effect a cure. If 
the case is severe, a half gallon of blood may be taken 
from the neck, and the bag should he frequently washed 
in cold water to prevent the fever from settling there. 
There is but little danger of an attack of this kind, if co ws 
are fed with plenty of salt, and one ounce of sulphur per 
week, which also adds to the fluency of the milk, and 
makes the cows more sure to get in calf in good season. 
The farmer should ties roy all bushes and trees in his 
fields. I am in favor of furnishing a proper shade for 
cows in the heat of the day, but opposed to shade trees, 
because they prevent an equal distribution of manure; 
the soil about the trees will become very rich, and the 
trees being stationary, no benefit can be derived by tilling 
within their influence. Nor is this the only objection; 
forest trees have a strong attraction for the vege'.able ele¬ 
ments with which the atmosphere and dews are strongly 
impregnated; hence their affinity for these properties 
will secure them to their own use, before the weaker 
class of vegetables below can reach them. It is for this 
reason, that grass grown in busby pastures and orchariis, 
is not so sweet as that which grows in the open field, 
robbed as it is of ils vitality by a higher and stronger 
class of vegetables. I therefore prefer artificial shades 
when necessary, which may be cheaply constructed with 
crotches and poles, covered loosely with old boarils, 
slabs or brush, which will answer a good purpose, and 
may be moved annually, to enrich those parts that need 
a partial treatment. Then if occasion require the ground 
to be tilled, there will be an equal distribu.ion of ma¬ 
nure, and no roots to impede the progress of tillage, nor 
forest trees to absorb and drink up the proper fooil of the 
cultivated plants. Two men with a team will build 
shade sufficient for 40 cows, in a day. Cow’s horns should 
be made blunt, by sawing off the ends, or putting on but¬ 
tons, to prevent their wounding each other. 
There is a great risk in old cows coming in after ac¬ 
cumulating flesh on grass; feeding plenty of salt and ta¬ 
king several small bleedings previous to calving, will 
generally prevent an attack of fever. 
(To be Continued ) 
BREAKING HEIFERS, MILKING, &c. 
Editors of the Cultivator- .One who has perus¬ 
ed your paper with interest, who has found inerein some¬ 
thing to amuse, more to instruct, and still more to pro¬ 
mote thought and inquiry, is willing to contribute occa¬ 
sionally to its pages, some portions of his own limited 
experience, if it is worth the room it may occupy. 
First, with regard to breaking heifers to the pail. Ma¬ 
ny are spoiled by bad management; as a heifer may be 
a fine animal, and a dee;) milker, but yet of little value 
to the dairy, if inclined to kick over the pail as soon as 
you get full. There are cases where, nothing more is 
necessary than to turn them in a pen ten feet square, and 
after gently handling, proceed at once to milk them. 
But I am convinced from considerable practice, t.'.at the 
best way and most expeditious in the end, is to tie up the 
animal with a noose over the horns, to a suitable place 
about as high as its heail, with not more (bat ore foot of 
spare rope; as there is much less danger from flouncing 
with a short rope. In a few minutes the animal will dis¬ 
play signs of violent anger, followed probably by a se¬ 
cond or third fit; when these have subsided, she maj' be 
milked carefully, ami an experienced milker need .’ear no 
kicks; after the first or second milking (here will be no 
difficulty; she quickly becomes accustomed to the rope, 
which may be continued a week or more if necessary. 
She will show a preference for that iilace awhile, but 
soon will be glad to be milked any where. Do not feed 
her while milking, or else she will refuse to be milked 
without her feed vei’y commonly. 
Sore teats should he attended to in season. Whj^te lead 
and linseed oil, made in a thick paint, is the best appli¬ 
cation that I know of. 
One word as to milking, especially heifers or cows in¬ 
clined to kick. Use no stool, sit close up with the left 
side and arm inclined tow’ards the cow, which makes 
the work easier, and gives less room fora blow; and 
let the left knee project in such a way as to protect the 
pail, which, if needs be, may be kept pretty well back. 
In such arrangement there is little danger, and often a 
saving of much vexation. Gentle treatment is much the 
best. 
Farmers lose much annually from not using their eyes 
in the cow yard, or having some one there directly in¬ 
terested. Hireil men and boys can seldom be (rus’ed en¬ 
tirely with the COW'S. What I have saiti of milking,will 
not apply to women; they are sometimes excellent milk¬ 
ers, but it is not so easy for them to protect the pail. 
A Fabjier's Boy. 
Quaker Hill, N. Y., 1843. 
