barn part or all of tbo time when the pastur¬ 
ing is not good, one can have a large supply 
of manure with which to raise full crops. 
I should favor soiling entirely unless one is 
very favorably situated as to pastures. The 
cows should have daily exercise and a never- 
failing supply of pure water at the barn, if 
possible. They should have a small quantity 
of salt daily. When they are kept in the barn, 
they should have all the feed they will eat up 
clean twice a day, and should be fed from six 
to eight o’clock in the morning and from three 
to five In the afternoon. They should have 
all the water they will drink immediately after 
each foddering; but they should never be 
allowed to drink ice water. Good, early-cut, 
upland hay should form the basis of their 
food, supplemented with silage, corn-fodder, 
or any other good, sweet fodder. They should 
have grain twice a day while giving milk. 
One quart of corn-meal, one quart of cotton¬ 
seed meal, and two quarts of shorts make an 
excellent ration. If one objects to silage, a 
good supply of roots should be furnished, and 
of these carrots and parsnips are best. Cows 
should bo thoroughly cleaned every day with 
a card and still’ brush; the brash should be 
used most. Milk just, before feeding in the 
morning, and just after watering in the even 
ing, dividing the time as nearly as possible. 
“Regularity” should be written in a conspicu¬ 
ous place, and strictly adhered to, as cows are 
very sensitive about being fed, watered, 
aud milked at regular intervals. No one 
who is not geutlo and kino should ever 
be allowed to handle the cows. They should 
have a steady milker. Their udders should 
be thoroughly wiped with a cloth before 
being milked. Do not brush them imme¬ 
diately before milking, as the operation 
would fill the air with dust, which in settling 
would get into the milk. Never use a wooden 
pail for milk; tin is much better. As soon as 
possible after it has been drawn,strain the milk 
through a flue wire and a cloth strainer, and 
cool It at once. Never allow the cows to be 
run or hurried. Each cow’s milk should be 
thoroughly tested, to ascertain her value as a 
butter cow. One will be apt. to (iud that some 
of his best-looking cows that give a good flow 
of milk, are nearly worthies ns butter produc¬ 
ers. If n cow will not make at least25(1 pounds 
per year, with the above treatment, she should 
be discarded at once. Cows should go dry 
from four to eight weeks, as they need a rest,, 
and their milk should not. be used when near¬ 
ing the time of parturition. Most butter 
should be made in Winter, as the demand is 
then greater and the price higher. By using 
a thoroughbred male of whatever breed one 
prefers, and raising the heifer calves from the 
best cows, the herd can be improved to a great 
extent, aud the butter production, be largely 
increased. 
Hillsborough Co., N. H. 
Or let him run with his dam on the prairie in 
a state of nature, and what can beat, liimf 
Such instances ns those brought r,o our notice 
at the Chicago Show, were, simply individuals 
Of different breeds, in the hands of different 
feeders, and the successful man might have 
been successful with another nnimnl; but Mr. 
Gillett’s success in converting Short horns 
into beef is so recent a confirmation of my HO 
years’ experience, both in this country and in 
England, that I feel myself entitled to refer 
to it. 
In comparing the Hhort-horu with other 
breeds, with most of which I am familiar, I 
consider the Hereford, for the shamble, ns 
nearly, if not quite, the equal of the Short¬ 
horn. but not for the dairy. The Polled Aber¬ 
deen or Angus, comes next; for I consider 
money value consists of quantity of beef as 
well as quality. The Devon and Welsh cattle 
make first quality beef, but are not to be com¬ 
pared In weight of carcass or in quantity of 
milk with selected Short, horns. While the 
Ayrshire may excel the Short-horn ns a milch 
cow, she cannot compete for beef; and while 
the Jersey is the dearest little cow In tho 
world as a pet and a producer of “gilt-edged 
butter.” she has a specialty, and is not adapted 
to produce beef for tho million. The Holstein 
T believe to ho very like the Short-horn before 
it was Improved (the latter breed was selected 
from a cross of Dutch and Holderucss—York¬ 
shire—cattle), and while very valuable in the 
dairy, she is not so profitable an animal for 
beef, or the labors of Messrs. Codings, Booth 
& Bates are of no avail. 
Fauquier Co., Va. 
PRIZE ESSAY. -Class III. 
GEO. W. GODDARD. 
pound to suit, customers. Work it enough 
to incorporate the salt, and then set it away 
in a tight box where it will retain a temper¬ 
ature of from 55 to 60 degrees. Let it. stand 
for 12 to 18 hours: then work it just enough 
to remove all the streaks, and no more. Tho 
moisture should all be removed by using a 
sponge while working, after which it should 
be put in shape for market. Never touch the 
the butter with your hands, use wooden pad¬ 
dles or ladles. Quarter to half-pound prints 
are very attractive for table use, ami are 
easily marie, either with a press or mold. 
Each print, should be wrapped in a piece 
of thin, white cloth; then put into what 
are called “trunks,” either wooden or tin, and 
placed in a refrigerator to harden, and then 
shipped to market us often as twice a week. 
I use square tin boxes filled with pans, which 
have a piece of tin across each corner, so that 
they may be set on each other, without touch¬ 
ing the butter. In warm weather these tin 
boxes are put inside of a wooden box, large 
enough to admit of a small quantity of ice, to 
keep the butter cool in transportation. Of 
course this method applies only to those living 
near large markets, where there Is a demand 
for print butter. Those living at a distance 
can pack their butter in good ouk, ash, or 
spruce tubs, whtch have been t horoughly soak¬ 
ed in strong brine It is nearly always a safe 
rule to dispose of one’s product as soon as 
ready for market, when it is fresh and will 
command the highest price. 
Huving described the operation at the house, 
we will now adjourn to tho barn. Good but¬ 
ter can be made from cows kept in barns as 
generally built, with cellars uuder them, pro¬ 
vided plenty of absorbents, such as dry muck, 
loam, cut straw, plaster, etc., are used, both 
as bedding for tho cows and also in the collar. 
The cellar should be cleaned out often, and no 
liquid allowed to stand in it. The best butter 
is made from cows kept. Ju a stable under 
which there is no cellar, the manure being 
wheeled to a shed or pit a short distance from 
the stublo. The stable floor should be water¬ 
tight, made either of plank or cement. The 
platform for the cows to stand upon should bo 
raised six inches from the gutter, the back end 
of which should be somewhat lower than the 
other to allow the liquid to run into a tube 
leading to a tank or manure pit, unless a great 
aiuouot of absorbents is used. The stable 
should be made warm, should bo light and 
well ventilated. Never fasten with tho old- 
fashioned stanchions; in them it is impossible 
for the cows to lie down with comfort. Some 
device should be used which would permit a 
cow to turn hor head to either side, and be 
very comfortable. Hay should not be kept 
over the cow stable, unless the floor is air¬ 
tight. The stables should be cleaned often 
and should be kept white;washed. 
I am in favor of silos and silage. I have 
one from which I have fed for two Winters 
with satisfactory results. I used 
■^xlisiCfUftUfOMS 
THEODW1NKLE RROWN IMBIBES SOME 
AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION. 
MIDBUMMER READING FOR 
PEOPLE. 
I HAVE beeu through the country a good 
deal on the cars, and like the looks of it. well, 
with the exception of the streets; the houses 
are not close enough together, and there is a 
lack of five-story fronts, and you can’t go 
ftlougaud look in plate-glass windows and see 
yourself aud other pretty things therein. The 
other day I drove out to see a farmer on busi 
ness, and wo looked over the farm, I was 
much interested in tho plow, and he showed 
me the use of it. I told him I had always 
thought the handles were shafts in which to 
put the horse, and that the man rode the horse 
while the plow came along behind of its own 
accord, all right and without any trouble. He 
said that was the old way; but they now bitch 
the horse to the other end, and It is pulled 
point first. I thought the old way the best, 
because it showed for itself that it would 
pull eusier, while the point would not be likely 
to run into tho ground at every step. Ho ac 
knowlodged that was true, but it could not be 
helped. I showed him how. by greasing the 
Plow, It. would run easier. He showed me his 
corn-field. T said I hud always beard that 
corn was planted on hillR, and he said that was 
true; but his land happened to be level, and 
he had no hills on which to plant his corn 
trees. I asked why he planted pumpkins 
among the coru. He said to afford something 
for the boys to sit on and rest while working 
in the fields. Tho idea was good. 
At intervals, ho suid, he hail grafted beans 
on the corn to make ready-raadesuccotash. I 
said l had always heard beans grew on bean 
poles, and he informed me that his bean poles 
had got uipped by the early frost, and showed 
no signs of budding out this year. Ho showed 
me I was wrong in thinking corn branched 
out with arms full of ears. I told him he 
ought to get that kind of com sots,and double 
his crop. On Inquiry, I found that roasting 
ears would soon be ripe. His potatoes were 
in blossom. I assured him that the vines 
looked as if they would soon be breaking down 
with potatoes. He thought so, too. I pointed 
out some red potato berries on the vines, but 
ho smiled and said if iVl look closer I would 
see that they wore potato bugs, i was much 
interested. He showed me his wheat bushes. 
T thought wheat grew in pods like beans, but 
he Raid it didn’t any more; and there was 
only one head to the stalk; I thought there 
were more. I had heard of farmers harvest¬ 
ing with scissors, hut he said that was done 
away with, and that now they went through 
the field with a kraut-cutter, as it did better 
work. When I spoke of his flax not being in 
pods yet, which, like cotton pods, contain the 
tow, he said it was a little early for them yet, 
but it would soon pod out. 
lie has a fine patch of water melons by the 
creek, so they could got all the wuter they 
wanted, and ha said it wus about time to put 
the sugar around the roots, as ho liked his 
melons sweet, and so do I. He showed me his 
new windmill on bis barn, and I said it was a 
good thing in thrashing time to cool the air 
TIRED CpUNTRY 
PRIZE ESSAY.— Class IV, 
C. F. HAYES. 
‘ THE BEST CATTLE FOR THE DAIRY AND THE 
SHAMBLES.” 
If, as I understand, tho one breed is wanted 
which best answers both purposes, I unhesi¬ 
tatingly maintain that the Improved Short¬ 
horn and its high grades answer that purpose j n 
the best manner. There is no doubt that as n 
milch cow, the Short-horn,if selected and bred 
for that purpose, is second to none for quan¬ 
tity and quality of milk combined. I say “if 
selected and bred” for the purpose; arid there¬ 
by I mean that the same means should be 
adopted as are uow practiced in the selectiou 
and breeding of the rich man’s pet, the Jersey 
of to-duy. There are milking strains of Short¬ 
horns; for instance, the Bates tribe of Prin¬ 
cesses were, I believe, all. good milkers, and 
many others have been known ancl noted in 
their day for that good quality. The dairy 
cows of England are almost invariably Short¬ 
horns aud their grades, both in the cheese¬ 
making counties and'in tho city dairies, the 
owners of the herds being particular, in buying 
a bull, to select one of amilkiug family,and iu 
rearing their heifer calves, to feed them skim 
milk, whey, and such food as will develop 
muscle, bone and large frames, with a good 
digestion, rather than the feeding properties 
for which a Short-hom is so notorious. 
If a heifer so’bred and reared, is judici¬ 
ously treated after dropping her first calf, 
aud she is fed food calculated to develop milk 
rather than fat, then, in all probability, a 
first-class dairy cow will be the result, for, in 
addition to hereditary milking properties, she 
has a largo frame, a vigorous constitution, 
and digestion to convert a large quantity of 
food into (iairy products, or a large carcass of 
beef, when her dairying days are over. Take 
the Short-horn steer for the shambles, and 
where do you find his peer, in size, constitu¬ 
tion, fine, mossy coat, and natural aptitude to 
fatten. Take him as a calf, ami feed him 
every day of his life with the sole aim of 
making.hee/ of him, and what can excel.him? 
one square 
of my bay aud put the silo nine feet below the 
floor. It is built of two thicknesses of hem¬ 
lock boards, with paper between. The bottom 
is cemented. 1 filled it in ’82, with coru and 
Hungarian Grass. It came out well preserved 
and, fed in connection with hay and gruin, it 
proved a valuable food for all kinds of stock. 
It increased the flow of milk and quantity of 
butter, the quality of which was not depre¬ 
ciated. 
In regard to the breed of cows to be kept, 
there are good and poor butter cows in all 
breeds and grades. We will admit that the 
Jerseys are justly highly prized for their beau¬ 
tiful golden butter; tho Guernseys, Holsteins 
and others have also their advocates. Good 
butter can be made from a good selected herd 
of almost any breed. In Summer they should 
have the run of a good upland pasture, and iu 
many sections it will pay well to feed from 
the barn, iu addition, nearly the whole season. 
To prepare for this emergency, we should 
commence by sowing rye in the Fall, to cut 
and feed it the first of May and first of June, 
to be followed by spring rye, barley and oats 
sown in April; sweet corn plauted from May 
10 to July 4, and Huugarian, sown from June 
1 to July 15, which, together with clover, will 
give a contiuuous supply of green fodder. Late 
corn and Hungarian can be sown on the land 
cleared of the early crops, thus securing two 
full.crops, and by keeping, the cows in the 
