.'OOBS’S 
:tp® 
IHS9 
ainj liusbanlirn. 
X. A. WILLARD, A. M., EDITOR, 
Of Little Falls, Hsbkimsm Cotfimr, New York. 
MILCH COWS: 
Brewer#’ Grain* and Distil It 1 im’ Slop# a* 
11 Fund. 
Mr. B. M. Owen of Cincinnati, Ohio, in¬ 
quires in regard to brewers’ grains and distil¬ 
lers’ slops as a feed for milch cows. He 
says:—“Our German dairymen use great 
quantities of it to feed their cows,” and the 
question occurs whether it is a profitable or 
desirable food for the dairy, &c. Our expe¬ 
rience in the use of brewers’ grains has not 
impressed us so favorably with it, as a feed 
for milch cows, as it has many others. This 
refuse material of breweries and distilleries, 
when fed to cows, increases the How of milk, 
but the milk is thin or of inferior quality. 
The cows, too, when fed largely upon the 
slops, become weak, run down, and are af¬ 
fected in constitution if the feed be long con¬ 
tinued. If distillers’ slops were used in 
mode rate quantities and in conjunction with 
some highly nourishing food, as oat and pea 
meal, corn meal, &c., it would, doubtless, 
prove quite useful and well suited to cows. 
The best way of feeding would be to soak 
or mix with chopped hay or straw. 
Brewers’ grains are usually given for the 
purpose of increasing the quantity of milk 
rather than improving its quality, and the 
effect on the health and constitution of the 
cow, when used in largo quantities and long 
continued, seems to be similar to that pro¬ 
duced by distillers’ slops. 
Distillers’ grains containing one-third oats 
are said to la: better for cattle than brewers’ 
grains which are made from malted barley 
alone. 
These grains clo not, however, contain 
substances yielding an abundant supply of 
casein, and hence if pea and oat meal were 
added to supply this deficiency in “ the 
grains,” their starch and oil would assist in 
the formation of a belter quality of milk. 
When, therefore,grains are fed in considera¬ 
ble quantities, pea and oat meal ought to be 
liberally sprinkled over them. 
Brewers’ grains contain a large proportion 
of water, a little gum and nitrogenous coin- 
pounds, and a small percentage of inorganic 
matter, consisting of earthy phosphates and 
alkaline salts. According to experiments 
niiwle in Great Britain, it is said, a daily al¬ 
lowance of twenty-three pounds of brewers' 
grains and twenty-two pounds of turnips to 
eacli cow was not only cheaper, but more 
conducive to a healthy condition, and gave 
a larger yield of milk and hnttcr of good 
quality than when a diet of bean meal and 
turnips was employed. In a trial with the 
grains and turnips, as above described, and 
with turnips alone, it was found the turnips 
produced more milk, but it was of Inferior 
quality. 
The economy of feeding “grains” must 
depend, of course, upon their cost in partic¬ 
ular localities, compared with that of other 
kinds of food. Those substances doubtless 
can he often used with advantage for cattle 
food when properly employed. The great 
fault in their use appears to lie in not feed 
mg in conjunction with some highly nourish¬ 
ing food, from the mistaken notion that this 
waste of distilleries and breweries contains 
all the elements of nutrition in due propor¬ 
tion as a cattle food. And the increased 
flow of milk from their use leads many to 
suppose that they are much more nutritious 
than they really are. That diseased cows 
and bad, unhealthy milk have resulted from 
feeding distillers’ slops in excessive quanti¬ 
ties, is a fact well known to those who have 
kept a record of the “swill-milk dairies” of 
our principal cities. This question need not 
be discussed here, but every dairyman should 
be careful to adopt a system of feeding that 
will insure health to stock and that will pro¬ 
duce milk of good quality. 
■-- 
DEACON SKINS: 
A Word to Dairymen Thereon. 
A correspondent wishes to know “ the 
exact meaning of deacon skin,” in dairy no¬ 
menclature, and whether the term is general 
or only in occasional use among dairymen. 
Calves that are slaughtered at from four to 
six days old, are said to be “deaconed.” As 
it is not generally considered profitable, 
among dairymen, to fatten calves for the 
butcher, they arc slaughtered at the early 
ago mentioned, the hide and rennet saved, 
and the carcass thrown away. These hides, 
(at an early day in dairying,) from a purely 
local circumstance, received the name of 
“ deacon skins,” and the term is now in gen¬ 
eral use throughout the dairy districts of 
New York. The term is convenient as des¬ 
ignating a peculiar kind or immature hide, 
in distinction from the skin of an older calf, 
fattened, which is termed a " veal skin.” 
Hence the term “ deaeon skin ” will, in time, 
find a place in the dictionary, if it has not 
already done so. 
But while the term “ Deacon skin” is so 
well understood among dairymen, few, com¬ 
paratively, are acquainted with the best 
manner of stripping off tbe hide and fitting it 
for market. Skins that have been properly 
taken off and cured for, will command a 
much better price from tanners than those 
treated in the ordinary way. In a recent 
communication from a well known firm 
largely engaged In tanning, we gather what 
is considered essential in securing a first- 
class skin. 
I 11 the first place, the calf should be al¬ 
lowed to live at least four or five days, and 
when killed, the throat should not be cut 
crossways, for it can be bled just as well 
without. The skin should then be removed 
by slitting the hide from the middle of the 
under jaw to the root of the tail, and down 
the inside of the forelegs from between the 
dew-claws to the slit already made, and 
down the outside of the hind legs over the 
gambrel joint, and then direct to a point in 
the slit first named, midway between the 
teats and the root of the tail. It is the safest 
way to draw the skin off with a windlass or 
a horse, hut when this is inconvenient, great 
care should he taken not to cut or hack the 
skin, as a cut partway through the skin is 
quite as had as a hole. 
Instead of a knife for removing the Bkin, 
a bone or hard wood Instrument shaped 
like a knife should he used, as it can he done 
almost if not quite os rapidly and with no 
danger to the skins. 
If the skin he a veal, it should now be 
weighed and the weight marked down, as 
veal skins are purchased by the pound. But 
whether a “ deacon” or a “veal” it should 
be stretched out on the floor or some level 
place, and about t wo pounds of salt, applied, 
taking care that every spot is touched. The 
better way is, after sprinkling the skin as 
evenly as possible, to take an old brush or 
the lmnd and rub the salt thoroughly in. 
After laying for a day or two, if In the way, 
it should be hung up and allowed to dry 
under cover, but not exposed to the sun. If 
the skins are on hand after the first of.Tune, 
they should he frequently whipped, to pre¬ 
vent the working of moths. 
The taking off and care of skins should 
not he left, to young and careless boys, but 
should receive the personal attention of the 
farmer, or some trusty person. For skins 
taken care of in the above manner, and free 
from cuts, the tanner can afford to pay a 
price considerably above the market for or 
dinary skins, as they run. Damaged, “ slunk 
and dead skins,” have a value, but should be 
sold as such, for what they are worth. 
-♦♦♦- 
RETURNS FROM FOUR COWS. 
Mr. T. J. Bussey of Macedon, Wayne 
Co., N. Y., sends us the following statement, 
showing the product, and receipts from four 
cows, during the year 18(19. Tbe yield of 
butter, it will be seen, is two hundred and 
seventy-eight pounds per cow, a yield well 
worth recording: 
“ Having noticed many inquiries through 
the columns of the Rural, whether keeping 
cows and hogs pays, in reply 1 will give the 
avails of four cows the past season; the 
average lime of cows calving being the 18th 
of April ■ 
Sold three calves, four weeks old, for.. .$27 25 
Raised one culf worth... 15 00 
Butler luuda ilurinp the season, 1,113 lbs.; av- 
enittr price per lb., SSc... .. 367 29 
Also nmdo 1,568 Iba. pork, ul 12c. per ib. 168 16 
Tool I.- .$597 70 
8sId porkers consist ol a sow and seven 
piit». the hitler belntf ten days old the 
lkth of April, for which I bald.$36 00 
In addition to the sour unlit were ted 
tO<) bush, potatoi-s, worth 30c.. 30 00 
10 bush, com, worth fl. 10 00 
10 hush barley screenings, 50e. 6 00 
Deducting value of hogs and feed. $80 00 
Leaving profit Of Cows. $617 70 
Per hnad. $129 42X 
Said cows were fed on nothing but grass 
until the 23d of November, when I com¬ 
menced feeding clover hay that had been 
summered over, and a peck of potaloes each 
daily. I am now making seventeen pounds 
of butter per week, and feeding nothing but 
timothy hay." 
- 
An Oregon Dairy Report. — In rending; the 
RURAL I noticed several reports of dairies, and 
concluded to send you I he proceeds of my dairy 
for the past two years, commencing Jan. 1st, 
1808, and endlug Jan. 1st, 1870. The first year, 
from eight cows, I gold 2,016 pounds of but tor, 
which brought me $918; eight calves, worth $45 • 
buttermilk sold, $18.95 : 800 pounds pork from 
sour milk, sold for $88. Total, $1,069.96. 
The second year, from nine cows, I sold 2,370 
pounds butter for $1,088.92 : nine calves for $45; 
liulIn tuilK sold, $38.14 ; 000 jiOumls pork,, sold 
for $99. Total, $1,$51,08, The above roceipis 
were in gold. The cost of keeplmr was about 
$32 per COW, to wit: hay, $10 : 3,000 pounds of 
bran per cmv, $22. I feed my cows bran all 
summer, and hay from the 20th of November to 
March 1st, or Into March some time, .stabling 
them from the 1st of November to the 1st ol 
April. My cows run in the woods for pasture.— 
H. M. Humphrey, Portland, Oreyon,1870. 
-- 
Improved turd sink. I recently heard of a 
curd sink constructed on a plan which was new 
to me, ns it may be to you. The one described 
was seen in a cheese factory in Canada. The 
sides uf the sink were precisely like those In 
common use, but it had no hot-torn. ITpon the 
inside of the sink mid near the lower edge stout 
cleats were affixed. Upon these cleats rested 
the date and strainer doth. Underneath, and 
quite as wide as the Mink, was placed a V- 
Shaped trough to catch the whey, and made of 
hall-inch pine. The advantages of a sink thus 
constructed are two. The whey passes instantly 
from the eurd as soon as it reaches the sink, and 
the process of cooling the curd is facilitated bv 
the current of air from beneath.— Gardner ft. 
Weeks, Syracuse, A. F. 
\omtstic Kc0tt0miL 
CONDUCTED BY MARY A. E. WAGER. 
A CHAPTER ON WASHING. 
I gite my way of washing, which I find 
from years’ experience to be cheap, quick, 
easy, and effectual. I want good soft soap, 
(no consecrated Icy, as an old wash-woman 
calls it) made in the old-fashioned way, of 
ley from bard wood ashes and grease. No 
other preparations whatever, for I have seen 
more clothes injured than benefited by them. 
But those who cannot obtain this must, of 
course, use the next best tiling they can find. 
Nearly every family, if they would save the 
bits of meat from the table, rinds, refuse, 
grease, and beef bones, might have good 
soap the year round. Next, good rain water, 
or, with care and experience, hard water can 
be cleansed with wood ashes, and is tt good 
substitute. I often use it to boil in, ifclotliea 
are very dirty. Then for blueing, good in¬ 
digo, tied in a doth, answers my purpose 
the best of anything. 
Now, it, is a fact understood that Monday 
morning is washing-day, and, as far as pos¬ 
sible, the clothes to he washed are all kept 
together, that there may be no unnecessary 
labor in running over the house after them, 
or coming across stray garments when the 
washing is half done, to eausn delay. The 
first fire, in addition to getting breakfast, 
heats water for a suds to soak the clothes in 
in cold weather; (in hot weather it will do 
to use cold water) prepare the suds in a tub; 
have them a little warm, but not. hot; sort 
the white cotton clothes, placing the line 
ones at one side of Lite tub, together; then 
the coarser. If any are very dirty, they may 
be soaked in a pail separate. Soak the parts 
most soiled. Table linen should have boil¬ 
ing water poured over it., let stand till a lit¬ 
tle cool, then rinsed and placed in the suds. 
Let the clothes soak about half an hour; 
then add hot water, to make it just, com¬ 
fortable for the hands, and rub on aboard, 
the cleanest first. Put in the boiler of warm 
Water a little soap ; do not let this get so hot 
but what you can stir in the clothes with 
the hand; fill the boiler two-thirds full, and 
pul up the lire; boil quickly—twenty min¬ 
utes is long enough—washing the others out 
while these are boiling add a little hot 
water after, and a little more soap, but don’t 
break your Ua^j’ubbing long. Soap tbe 
dirtiest spots the fit st clothes and some 
of the water out of the boiler; put in cold 
water, then, the rest of the clothes - while 
these are boiling, suds the first in just water 
enough to cool them so they will not burn 
the hand, having ready another tub of warm 
water to throw them in, stirring them often, 
leave these and suds the others, in the same 
water, with cold added. If the streaks are 
notout they may need a little rubbing on 
the board. If there is room, place them in 
one side of the rinsing tub, or first rinse the 
fine ones. Blue in another water, wring dry 
as possible, and hang on the line directly. 
Wash well with the hands in the rinsing- 
water. Do not use too much soap, as it will 
require extra rinsing to remove it. 
Now -we will commence with Hie other 
clothes. If there is white flannel, it should 
be washed in a weak, hot suds, rinsed in 
water as warm, with a very little soap and 
blueing; wrung well; they should he well 
shook out and straightened. If the sun is 
very hot, dry in a shaded place. Put the 
calico clothes in the sudsing water, with 
dirty socks a-soak in a pail. Wash quickly, 
but he very careful to rub all stains and 
grease spots well—the lightest colors first 
Throw in the tub of rinsing water as hist as 
rubbed out. Don’t let them lie wet, to wait 
for an extra suds, as they will fade. Rinse 
in two waters and starch. 
Do not boil flour starch, but rub the flour 
srpoothly iu cold water; then pour water 
enough from the boiling teakettle to scald it 
till it begins to look cloar; if you scald it 
too much it will separate. Dry In a shaded 
place, if convenient. These may be left in 
the rinse while socks are rubbed out in the 
same suds, put in a pail with hot water 
from the boiler over them; then after the 
calico is hung out, wash out of this tvith the 
hand, and rinse well in warm soft water. 
Turn iu the first suds, and ruli on thu board. 
Socks will he much softer if dried in the 
shade. Colored clothes should never he left 
out over night, as the dew will fade them. 
This is my method, if clothes are washed 
well every week, but they may sometimes 
need rubbing iu a second suds before boiling; 
or, if they still look yellow, soak a few hours 
in the rinsing water. Fine clothes and 
sheets and pillow cases can be kept clear by 
pouring hot water over them in a tub; let 
them stand till the water is cool enough to 
wring out. This instead of boiling; and in 
warm weather it is much easier done. 
Begin the work with a pleasant smile, a 
cheerful word; then the men folks and 
children will learn not to dread washing- 
day. Be careful about spilling water on the 
floor or putting things out of place about 
the room. Do not make more fire than you 
need, nor leave your water boiling on the 
stove longer than you can help, as it will fill 
the whole house with steam. I could never 
see any use in smearing the outside of the 
tub with soup, or having a puddle of water 
to soak the feet in while washiug,or putting 
the clothes one has on a-soak. There is 
much more danger of taking cold. Don’t 
forget to soak and straighten np the brooms 
in the boiling suds. Try it; see how much 
longer they will last. They will sweep like 
new brooms every week. 
One thing more. When the clothes arc 
wrung ready to hang up, shake the water 
off the hands, and take a handful of fine 
salt, rub the hands and wrists well. It takes 
out that withered look and ail the soreness. 
This is worth remembering by all, ns no one 
would know by the looks of the hands that 
you had been washing; and they are not 
stiff and clumsy the rest of the day. Wash 
the tubs and put them where they are to be 
kept when not in use ; never leave them out 
in the sun to dry. Avoid all heavy lifting 
of tubs of water; even if you are not lamed 
at the time you will feel it afterwads. Carry 
off the water in pails. A Rural Reader. 
Potato Yeast. —The easiest, and quickest 
way of making yeast is as follows:—Wash 
and pare half a dozen potatoes; boil them 
perfectly clone; mash them thoroughly; add 
a handful of flour, and pour on enough of 
the water in which they were boiled to 
make a butter. Set this aside until it is luke¬ 
warm, and then stir in enough yeast to 
make it rise. This is put near the fire in 
winter, or in a warm place in summer, until 
it rises. It is then set in a cool place, and is 
ready for use. By this method it can he 
made ready for use in three or four hours.— 
Mrs. L. O. M., North Carolina. 
-- 
Domrmlr Inquiries.- A Now Subscriber nsltsif 
there is any way to make crystal mil gout a a fast 
color on cotton.—A Lady Subscriber uslts to bo 
informed If there is anything that will restore 
flannel or white woolen hose after they have be¬ 
come yellow.—L. J. asks If any one can tell her 
howto keep tlio hands will while iron inn; it 
hardens hers so as to spoil them for sewing,— 
Miss WAOF.a asks some of the Rural readers 
who have been abroad to toll ns about house and 
home matters in foreign hinds.— Sarah Burton 
asks some one to tell her the best way to boll 
and serve potatoes ho mat they shall Invariably 
look well and taste good, provided they aro of 
good quality.—Young Housekeeper asks the 
most approved mode for cooking parsnips.—Mrs. 
Emma Peters wants to know the nicest way for 
pritimring oelcry. cabbage and lettuce sala>i$and 
adds that “ there n-o fkvfew people In Ar^eriwi 
who know how to prepare good salads, that the 
tew get more enjoyment out-Of this life than 
they have any right to. exclusively.'*— Another 
Young Housekeeper, (who is pretty, we‘11 waycr, 
judging by her exquisite chirograptay,) says she 
“turns up her nose at the stuff called canrted 
corn, which appear* on many tables, and won¬ 
ders if people know how to cook It. Why didn’t 
she tel] how? Let. Homebody. 
THE CRISP-FEATHERED FOWL. 
J. M., Jacksonville, Fla., writes;—“Can 
you give me any information about the 
' crisp - feathered ’ fowl ? Arc they related 
to what is known in this country as the 
French frizzled fowl? What are their 
habits, and are they a desirable breed for 
the South?” 
We can find no difference between the 
“crisp-feathered” and French frizzled fowl. 
Bayard says these fowls were first found in 
Batavia, but Temmixck avers they are a 
native of Southern Asia, and arc largely bred 
and domesticated in Java, Sumatra, and on 
all the Philippine islands. They are known 
by Rrisbon as Galias crispus (frizzled fowl,) 
and as Qalius pennis rewlutis (fowl with 
rolled-back feathers) by Lin*naeus. The 
prevailing color of these birds is white, 
hut there are many specimens variously col¬ 
ored with black and brown. We saw a pair 
of these fowls in Western New York in 
1856, of a white-bluish color, and as nearly 
resembling in looks our engraving, herewith 
given, as is possible to imagine. 
We were highly impressed with their 
novel appearance, and as Aldrovandus 
says in his description of them, two pecu¬ 
liarities of the cock attracted our particular 
attention and admiration. First, that the 
feathers of the wings had a contrary situa¬ 
tion to those of other birds; the side which 
in others is undermost or inmost, in this was 
turned outward, so that the whole wing ap¬ 
pears inverted; the other, that the feathers 
of the neck w T ero reflected towards the 
head, like a crest or ruff, and which way 
the whole tail feathers also turn up. 
As near as we can learn, this variety of 
fowl does not possess any peculiar advan¬ 
tages over the common barn-yard breed, and 
is more interesting as a curiosity than val¬ 
ued for any practical purposes. They 
would undoubtedly thrive in our warm 
Southern far better than in our cold 
Northern climate; and for the novelty of 
the thing, if for nothing else, we should 
recommend our correspondent to breed 
them. Bement says the hens make good 
mothers; they breed freely with all other 
domestic fowls, and the offspring is prolific 
without end, the chicks being perfectly 
hardy, and make a good table fowl, though 
rather small.— l. 
BOLTON GRAYS. 
This breed of fowls derive its name 
from their having first been successfully 
raised in, and near Bolton, England. They 
arc now found in almost all large poultry 
yards in America, as well as in Europe. 
They are also known in some parts of the 
United States as the Creole fowl, from the 
mottled appearance of the hen, whose every 
feather is delicately marked with alternate 
bands of black and white, legs and feet a 
light blue, and very short. The neck-haclde 
is white. The cock's plumage is different 
from the above in many respects, his feathers 
being nearly white. His tail is black, and 
legs and feet the color of those of the hen, 
but are much longer. In weight lie is less 
than the hen. Those of my own raising 
weigh about five pounds to the lien, and 
about three and a-lialf or four to the cock. 
One singular peculiarity of the liens of this 
breed is that they are furnished with spurs 
over an inch in length, while those of the 
cock are much shorter. 
The Bolton Grays begin laying early iii 
February, and continue throughout the year 
If well fed. they will lay all the year round. 
Their eggs are below the average size, but 
what they lack in size is made up in number. 
As a breed, they are exceedingly hardy, and 
thrive where many breeds would perish. 
They arc not good setters, and their eggs 
must be scL under some other fowl. They 
are never inclined to wander away from 
their coops, and can tints be kept iu the city, 
us well as country. To all who desire a 
breed profitable iu every respect, 1 would 
recommend the Bolton Grays. f. w. b. 
-*-*-♦- 
DORKING FOWLS. 
Mr. Cameron is very much mistaken 
when he saj’s that the Dorking is a species 
of Asiatic fowl. All authors we ever read 
upon the subject aver that they are of 
English origin, and derive their name from 
the town of Dorking, in the county of Sur¬ 
rey, England. Dr. Ebf.n Wight of Boston 
was one of the first, if not the first, Importer 
of the Dorking fowl into this country. He 
imported his fowls direct from Dorking, iu 
1887 or ’38. lie says:—“ I received my first 
lot of Dorking fowls through a friend who 
was making a periodical visit at Dorking 
lie assured me that iL whs only after a trial 
of some two years that he could obtain them, 
and then by inducing a resident to go down to 
tbe ship and see them safely off for America, 
the producers of the stock being fearful that 
other sections of England might secure the 
breed.” 
At the Birmingham (England) poultry 
show, in 1853, the report says:—“The Rev. 
Mr. Boys, in Kent, took the chief prizes at 
Reigate, in Surrey — the home of the Dork¬ 
ings—for Dorking fowls. His birds were 
valued at £200.” Much other evidence could 
he adduced, if necessary, to substantiate ®ur 
assertion that, the Dorkings are not nn Asiat¬ 
ic breed of fowls; but by crossing the Brah¬ 
ma, Emeu, or other Asiatic breeds, would 
give the appearance of the Cumeron “ Silver 
Gray ” birds, and undoubtedly prove, as 
in this instance, a great acquisition to the 
poultry yard.— l. 
-- 
POULTRY NOTES. 
The Java Fowl. 
In answer to our correspondent’s query 
relative to the Java fowl, it. maybe said they 
are among the most valuable breed in tills 
country, and are frequently described as 
Spanish fowls. Their plumage is of a black 
or dark auburn color; legs large and thick; 
single comb and wattles. They are prolific 
layers, their eggs being large and as well 
flavored as those of the Blo.ck Spanish. They 
are a perfectly hardy breed and easily 
reared.—L. 
Game Fowls. 
C. D. A., Orwell, Vt,, does not believe 
there is any such fowl as Malay Game; he 
has never seen them described, ne regards 
the Malacca Games the best breed of games, 
everything considered ; the Sumatra Pheas¬ 
ant Game next. He prefers a game fowl to 
any other, and says, “I can raise more 
chickens from them, fatten them easier, and 
get a good weight on them.” 
