MARSH 3 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
in place of tallow and grease, the latter sub¬ 
stances being so largely used as food by the 
lower classes. This tar, which is carefully saved 
as it exudes from the wood when burned, was 
first used as a substitute for wheel grease in 
Russia, as it is to this day, and then for the fill¬ 
ing and dressing of skins. By a system of care¬ 
ful inquiry and literally following his nose during 
his visits to some of the great Russian tanneries 
and curriers’ shops, Mr. Jewell found this com¬ 
pound in a great kettle ready for use, and thus 
the mystery was solved. It is not expensive, 
costing but about $10 a barrel, and ho imme¬ 
diately ordered ton barrels and sent them, with 
instructions, to various leather manufacturers in 
this country. The result is that genuine Russia 
leather goods are now made in America, and 
doubtless will Boon bo sold at nearly 50 per cent, 
below former prices. 
Bait it ijusbanimj. 
COWS “COMING IN MILK.” 
The time is now at hand when cows are com¬ 
ing in milk on dairy farms, and a word by way 
of suggestion will not be out of place. There is 
no season of the year when stock requires more 
vigilant attention than now, since neglect and 
want of care will be very likely fo result in 
serious losses. Cows near the time of calving 
ought not to bo exposed to driving storms of 
sleet and snow that frequently occur in February 
and March, because, by being thus exposed, they 
not nnfrequently contract colds which lead to 
serious disorders after calving, thus injuring 
the usefulness of the animal if not frequently 
resulting in total loss. We have known of seven 
cases of garget to come from exposure of cows 
to storms just before calving, and in many 
instances animals have been treated for '’horn 
ail ” and other fancied disorders when tho whole 
trouble wan nothing more than tho effect of 
cold and exposure. On all stormy or bleak days 
t is better to keep tho animals hot sed ; and box- 
stalls or soparnto stables should bo allowed 
where more liberty is permitted than in tho 
stanchion. Wo arc aware that many dairymen 
hold to tho opinion that cows that aro “coming 
in" aro safer in the stanchiou than out of it; 
and there is a large number of dairymen that 
allow their cows to calve while in tho stanchion. 
This seems to us to be a cruel practice; it is 
contrary to nature since the animal cannot 
choose her position and iB liable to slip and 
strain herself in tho worry to got to her calf to 
perform the necessary cllico of cleansing it. 
Of course, there is less trouble to tho dairy¬ 
man to keep his cows in stanchion at such times, 
and less room is required in the management of 
his stock, but tho loss of a single animal not un- 
frequently more than balances all the gain to be 
obtained from this practice dmnug tho yoar. 
We have frequently Been cowh slip and become 
bo wcakouod in the back, while attempting to 
rise in the atanchiou after calving, a:; to become 
useless for milk, and in some instances the 
inversion of tho womb, or casting of tho “calf- 
bag ” may bo traced to the convulsive efforts of 
the cow m a confined position where she cannot 
readily help herself From abundant, practical 
experience with cows, calving in the stanchion 
and in tho loose box, or stable by herself, we aro 
convinced that the latter is by far tho boat 
practice. Parturition having been accomplished 
the COW should be loft quietly with the calf, the 
licking and cleaning of it, being one of the opera¬ 
tions which nature designs, aa not only beneficial 
to the mother but to the calf, the gentle friction 
increasing circulation, thua giving warmth and 
vigor, which soon enables it to draw its sustenance 
from the mother without difficulty. Or tho calf 
may be assisted to take its first milk and will 
then ordinarily be able to got its food without 
help. 
Some dairymen insist that the cow, soon after 
calving, ahould be allowed to go to the trough 
and take all the cold water that the appetite 
craves. We do not approve of this course, pre¬ 
ferring to give her a pail of tepid water in which 
a little bran is mingled, making a thin gruel. 
Our practice has been to give freely of tepid 
water, or sufficient to satisfy thirst, and not 
to allow cold water from the trough until tho 
third day, and not then if the cow seems to be 
weak or ailing. It is important that tho milk 
from the udder be completely drawn soon after 
the cow has calved, and if the hag is swollen or 
inllamcd it will require attention in thin respect, 
frequently three or four times during tho day. 
So soon as the feverish condition of the cow in¬ 
cident to calving, shall have subsided, generous 
feed should bo given, bran masheH at first which 
may be increased gradually with additions of 
oaten meal and rations of roots of which man¬ 
golds and carrots aro host, as they give no un¬ 
pleasant flavor to the milk. 
Strict attention should be observed in keeping 
milch cows in well ventilated and warm stables 
and not allowing them (<> lie exposed to storms 
and cold. The animalB should be kept in a 
vigorous, thrifty condition until time to turn to 
grass. It is a great mistake to allow milch oows 
to run down thin and weak during the spring 
months, since, by this course a large share of 
the season will be required in roeuperating, and 
during this timo the habit of yielding a small 
quantity of milk will have its influence all 
through the season. Tho only way to get tho 
best returns is to keep tho animals in thrifty 
condition from the first and to stimulate a full 
flow of milk before the time for turning to 
grass, and then, when turned upon succulent 
food the most abundant returns may bo expected. 
The practice of carding cows in spring adds 
greatly to their productiveness of milk because 
it improves health aud odds to their comfort, 
Tho one great soi.net of success hi tho manage¬ 
ment of milch cows is comfort in its broadest 
sense ; and t his not only includes good feed and 
good quarters, regularity in feeding and milk¬ 
ing, but kindness in all its various phases ex¬ 
tending even to tones of the voice. The dairy¬ 
man must have a genuine love for his stock and 
then it will pay him back to its utmost capacity. 
■ -»»» ■ — - 
THE VERMONT DAIRYMEN. 
The recent Convention of Vermont Dairymen, 
at Burlington, seems to have been a very inter¬ 
esting and successful meeting, notwithstanding 
the heavy snow-storm which impeded travel on 
all tho Northern roads. 
President Buckram, of tho University of Ver¬ 
mont, gave the address of welcome. In the 
course of his remarks, as reported in the New 
England Farmer, he expressed tho opinion that 
farmers, as a class, need to understand their 
business better. The difference between under¬ 
standing and not understanding one’s business 
is thedifforence between success and failure. He 
spoke of tho success of Astor, Stewart, aud Van¬ 
derbilt, and attributed it mainly to tho fact 
that, they thoroughly understood their business. 
He thought it a vast undertaking to understand 
agriculture in all its branches—to know about 
soils, of what they are composed, and to what 
crops best adapted; to know about domestic 
animals, their brooding, food, and diseases ; 
about tho various cropB grown, the methods of 
cultivation, their harvesting, and marketing. 
There aro two departments in every business 
tho theoretical or scientific, and tho practical or 
mechanical. Tho best success is attained when 
both are mastered ; but it is not necessary that 
both be mastered by the samo porson. In sne- 
eessftil dairying thoro must boa knowledge of 
chemistry, of physiology, botany, and other 
sciences. This is the theoretical. Tho knowl¬ 
edge of milking, churning, curing, and storing 
the product is the practical. Every dairyman 
may not need to bo ramiliar with all the details 
in each department; hut the knowledge should 
be accessible to all- 
He was in favor of experimoutal stations, and 
thought tho experimental farm should be con¬ 
nected with the college. He would not. have tho 
work done at these farms just lilie the work at 
the homo of the farmer, but better. Ho referred 
in high praise to the work of tho Vermont Dairy¬ 
men’s Association, and the wisdom of gathering 
together onoe a year the best talcut from all parts 
and then spreading the results broadcast over 
the land. The address waa listened to with pro^ 
fonnd attention, aud seems to have been very 
suggestive throughout- 
The President, Hon. E. D. Mason, made a 
happy response to the address of welcome. Ho 
also urged the needs of an experiment station or 
farm, where the numerous and perplexing ques¬ 
tions that arise in dairying can be tested and 
settled. He thought such a station in Vermont 
would pay many times its cost to the farmers aud 
dairymen of the State each year. 
At the afternoon session the subject of milk 
was discussed by Mr. O. J. Alger, of Burlington; 
H. P. Wakefield, of Massachusetts; and Messrs. 
Stoddard and Wood, of Vermont. Mr. Alger 
is a milk dealer, and was interested in low rather 
than high prices. He thought eight cents per 
quart in wiuter, and six cents in summei, paid 
the milk producer pretty large profits when milk 
was only worth two and a half cents if made into 
cheese. The milk sold in Burlington he believed 
to be pure, aud only varied with the breeds from 
which it was produced. Dr. Wakefield gave 
a detailed account of the milk produced for 500 
children under his care. Ho preferred the Ayr¬ 
shire. In summer tho food of the cows was 
pasture and two quarts of bran oacb every night. 
In wiutor tho quantity of bran was doubled, and 
each cow received two pockB of roots daily. Ho 
would allow & cow to go dry about one-fourth of 
the time. The 41 cows gave an average of six 
quarts por day for 365 days in the year, during a 
period of eight years. His best cows gave 5,282 
quarts for the year. Mangolds were the most 
profitable root to grow, and all roots are fed im¬ 
mediately after milking. 
Mr. Wood feeds his cows two quarts of meal 
each, por day, as long aa the cows aro giving 
milk, whet her summer or winter; but in wintor 
thoy get in addition two quarts of bran. He 
obtained an average of 275 pounds of bntter per 
cow this year, and has made 300 pounds per cow 
in favorable seasons. 
Mr. J. T. Ellsworth, of Massachusetts, said 
his herd.returned him, in 1875, $07 per cow be¬ 
sides tho calf, by his method of making butter 
and skim cheese. 
Mr. WnirriiE, of Pomfret, made a statement 
in regard to the yield of his herd of Jersey cows. 
'The cows kept through the year averaged 300 
pounds of butter per cow. He feeds two quarts 
of eoru meal per day to each cow through the 
whole year, and in winter six quarts of bran in 
addition. Ho cuts a portion of the hay and wets 
it with warm water, and gives a feeding of hay 
at noon. 
In the evening, A. W. Cheevkk, of Massachu¬ 
setts, gave an address on soiling, in which ho 
statod a cow may be kept tho year round on from 
one to two acres. E. W. Stewart, of Buffalo, 
N. Y-, also spoke on the subject at longth. 
On the second day Prof. Cross Y, of Amhorat, 
addroBsod the Convention on the diseases of 
stock, and especially those of milch oowb. “ Par¬ 
asites of Animals ’ was treated by Prof. Perkins. 
This was followod by other addresses by Dr. 
Green, of Richmond; Erof. Stuart, of Buffalo; 
Slander Wethkkkll, of Boston; G. B. Weeks, 
of Syracuse, and others. 
On the third day Mr. Coolet, of Vermont, 
gavo a description of his “ new departure’’ in 
sotting milk for butter making. It is another 
modification of the “Sweodisli System,” and 
differs from the Hardin plan in having the caus 
so arranged that when filled with milk they may 
be submerged m water and the temperature re¬ 
duced by aid of ice to from forty to forty-five 
degrees, Fabr. When milk is treated in this way 
ho claims the cream will ail rise in ten hours, 
or between milkings, and that the quality of the 
butter hi tho best. He had his apparatus on ex¬ 
hibition, tho cans provided with glass Bides, so 
that members of the Association could watch tho 
progress of tho cream in rising. Ho had tried 
different plans for getting the cream, and regards 
tho cold process as tho best; had tried shallow 
setting, but could cool quicker in the deep can ; 
had experimented in temperature from 130 1 
down to 35°, and found that 15 J waa tho most 
favorable for raising cream in tho short time 
named. We have before ub a small pampldot, 
giving in detail the leading features of Mr. 
Cooley’s system. Tho cans for setting tho milk 
aro about eighteen inohOH deep and ten inohoB in 
diameter. The covers arc arranged so as to 
reach over tho can, and are made dating, and 
when in pheo resemble a tin basin inverted. 
These covors prevent tho water from entering 
tho milk in the cans. The cans aro set upon 
slats in the water-coolers, which are lined with 
metal, and fitted with inlet and outflow for using 
spring water. 
Mr. Cooley takes the B»mo ground as that of 
Mr. Hardin, of Kentucky, that good, healthy 
milk from cowb properly fed, has no odors pro 
Judicial to tho making of fine butter, and henoe, 
requires no attention ; bill, on tho other band, 
can, with tho host results, be dosed up as soon 
as drawn from tho cow, and entirely oroludod 
from all outsido influences, by being submerged 
111 cold water. Mr. Cooley's invention is some¬ 
what novel, and, as wo aro informed, attracted 
considerable attention at tho Convention. 
Secretary Buss seems to have been indefati¬ 
gable In bis efforts to have an interesting and 
profitable meeting, and his labors in this regard, 
wo are glad to learn, were crowned with complete 
success. Hereafter we shall have occasion to re¬ 
fer at length to some of the papers read before 
the meeting. 
RAISING CALVES. 
Mr. T. B. Miner probably churns the milk, 
which accounts for his proposition to feed but¬ 
termilk. Much said by this gentleman is true; 
but an I have had very great experience In En¬ 
gland and in tho United States in raising calves, 
and as the trade with England is likely to cause 
much more raining to supply the moat for expor¬ 
tation, I will add a few remarks. It is very oasy 
to raise calves by hand, and wheu thoro iH no 
cheese made, and the cream only is churned, the 
skim-milk is all that is required, aa tho calves 
will do much better not to have anything mixed 
with the milk. I havo raiBed calves for forty 
years, and fed them ten years before that, for it 
was my job from the age of ten to help the serv¬ 
ant-girl feed the calves. 
In England tho raising is done by letting the 
calves suck for a week, and then warming the 
skim-milk wnich is sweet thoro when skimmed; 
but twice a day is quite sufficient for feeding, 
and in winter the o&lvcs have hay and some tur¬ 
nips cut, as soon as they will begin to eat, which 
is generally when about a month old tho Alder- 
noys a week or ten days sooner. 
Tho least troublesome way is not to lot tho 
calf suck at all, as it will take to drinking the 
milk in a few minutes after trial. Give the 
mother’s milk warm from her for tho first wook; 
then give skim-milk, a little warmer than now 
milk, night and morning ; and when grass comes, 
let the calve« lie in a paddock with shade in it, 
and they will cat aa ranch grass as will do them 
good; and tills is all they will require, if they can 
havo about six quarts each of the skim-milk 
every morning, and tho same quantity at night. 
When throe months old they will do very well on 
any good pasture ; but they will grow faster if 
the milk is continued longer. 
When choose is mado, tho whoy has to lie 
given, and that is poor feed; but something 
mixed with that, as Mr. Miner advises, will do 
good, care being taken to give little at first, to 
guard against scouring. I havo raiBed a great 
many on whey, and given nothing but what tho 
calves would pick from mangers or troughs; 
though in those cases milk was conlinuod longer 
from tho cow, and some mixed with tho whoy the 
first few feedings. 
Of all the stupid ways of raising oalvoB, the 
i custom in the South and Southwost, of letting 
them suck at. milkiug-timo. boats othors, for the 
cow will not give her milk down till the calf 
comes to her; and there aro thousands of poor, 
ignorant men and women whothluk cows cannot 
be milked without the presence of the calf, and 
have no idea of using more than one hand at a 
time in milking. 
Tho timo is approaching when all the heifer 
calves will be raised, and thou the cream will be 
skimmed off and churned, and tho milk given to 
the calves. Then the importance of using the 
best, pure-bred bulls will be felt, and the country 
will bo enriched by the sale of meat, instead of 
sending corn and grain abroad. 
Working Farmer. 
-■ — 
CRUELTY TO ANIMALS. 
The Drovers’ Journal, published at the Union 
stock-yards, Chicago, Ill., Bays :—The Illinois 
Humano Society have for some timo past kept 
an agent at tho Union stock-yardB a portion of 
the timo, night and dayj for tho purpose of 
looking after such abuses as are referred to by 
our caption. Agent McDonald informs us that 
he has discovered considerable “ crookedness ” 
in tho treatment of cortain classos of live stock 
here, and that he has already prosecuted several 
cases, and means to keep it up until a stop iB put 
to at loaBt the most outrageous kind of treat¬ 
ment towaril certain kinds of stock that has 
been too much in vogue hero. 
One abuse complained of is, that certain 
butchers havo boon in tho habit of buying 
cattle for tho city trade and keeping them here 
anywhere from one to three or feur days with¬ 
out feed, which in all cases is simply outrageons; 
two or three of those parties have been arrested 
and fined for this kind of cruelty. Thon there 
are a pretty large number of men engaged in 
tho cow trade here; that is they make a regular 
business of selling milch cows and apringors, 
and some of these traders have been found to 
havo “ devious ways." One way has been to 
koop the cow and calf apart In such a way as to 
nearly starve the calf and cause the greatest 
possible amount of distress to the cow, so that 
she might show a fine bag, and thus be made to 
bring a big prico. Another way is to tako a 
very fin© wire and put ami fasten it around the 
calf’s jaw in such a manner that it would be im¬ 
possible for it to suck the cow, and in this man¬ 
ner the cow is shown bo havo an immense bag 
and as having fur more milk than the calf can 
take, although ll is by her side all tho time. 
Another trick in to got hold of a cow that has 
been milked two or three months, but iH without 
a calf; a loose calf of the proper age is picked 
up, and after lsjtng well washed with strong salt 
and water is put alongside tho cow ; of course, 
the cow licks it in the most affectiouate manner, 
allowing it to suck, etc., and horo iB a fresh cow 
with a young calf for the first customer that 
comes along. Borne three or four parties that 
havo been engaged in those crooked ways have 
been arrested and fined pretty heavily. Accord¬ 
ing to our observation, there is no kind of stock 
received at the Union stock-yards that has to 
suffer more than young calves ; they are often 
brought here in hot, dry weather, and after a 
run of porhapa twenty-four hours on the cars 
they aro kept here for a day or two in the pens 
without food or water before thoy are taken 
away to be slaughtered. We hepo the Illinois 
Humane Society will koop right on after all the 
crookedness of whatever kind in connection with 
the handling of live stock here. 
Horse-chestnuts, a German paper assertB, are 
really excellent food for stock, and may be 
given either fresh or kiln-dried for future use. 
Thoy may bo fed whole or reduced to meal, using 
as a precaution an extra supply of Balt. Their 
virtues, however, are not limited to cattle food, 
as 11% tbs. of spirit of 55 per cent, alcoholic 
strength have been obtained from 52 lbs. of meal. 
