4 * 
THE RURAL. NEW-YORKER. 
tiainj !)usbatit)njr. 
GRAIN FOR DAIRY COWS. 
T. H. HOSKINS, M. I). 
The question is often mooted, “ Does it pay 
to feed grain to cows in milk ?” I have heard 
it discussed for a whole day in an agricultural 
meeting, and as I sat. at the reporters’ table 
taking down he words of the speakers^ came 
to me forcibly how much is lost in ail such 
discussions for want of a dear understanding 
of the question, to begin with- For it was 
plain that 1 he question, as stated, was too 
broad. Ii was like asking, "Does it pay to 
raise potatoes?” It may, or may not, accord¬ 
ing to circumstances, and people may discuss 
such a question forever without reaching any 
definite results. 
One thing all dairymen will admit- that the 
profit of dairying consists of the surplus in 
hand after paying for the. keep of the cows, 
the cost of labor, and the interest on the capi¬ 
tal invested, Otic dillienlty in getting at the 
real profit of a dairy is, that very few fann¬ 
ers have any exact knowledge in regard to tke 
cost of keep or of labor, and consequently have 
only a very vague idea as to whether their 
dairies pay anything, and if anything, how 
much. Under such circumstances how can 
any farmer and least of all one who has never 
tried but one way be qualified to discuss the 
subject? Yet I have heard the most positive 
expressions of opinion given by just such men. 
In the last discussion of the kiud which I 
attended, a little questioning brought out the 
fact that the only man - out of ten or a dozen 
who took part in the argument who had any 
figures to produce in confirmation of his views, 
was the one who fed his cows the most grain 
aud he was able to show a very satisfactory 
profit. 
Suppose the question to be stated in this 
way—" Under what circumstances will it pay 
a dairyman in this .State, or couuty, or town, 
to feed grain to his cows ?" Theu suppose the 
disputants to come prepared with the figures 
to show the results of their trials of one or 
more ways of feeding, we might here look for 
something of practical value to come out of 
the discussion. The actual result in each case 
would lie found to depend, I think, first, upon 
the goodness of the cows. If a herd is so infe¬ 
rior that no quantity or quality of feed would 
force the average annual butter yield above 
125 pounds per cow. and they would yield that 
quantity on the ordinary grass and hay feed of 
the farm where they were kept, then it is plain 
that it would not pay in that dairy, to feed 
grain. 
But, second, suppose it is found that the 
herd is of such a quality that it can be made to 
increase its yield by better feeding; does it 
follow that even then it would pay to feed 
grain? Might it not be that some cheaper 
feed would bring the herd to its highest yield ? 
By improving the pasture: by growing some 
green crop to feed iu a dry time: by cutting 
the hay earlier; by not (logging the cows; by 
having better and warmer stabling; by feeding 
more or less green feed in the winter, might 
not tins herd be pushed to its fullest capacity ? 
If so. then plainly it would not pay to feed 
them grain. 
But again, thirdly, suppose that by careful 
breeding, purchase and selection, a herd is got 
together so superior in milking quality that, 
after every practical improvement has been 
carried out in the matters of care and hand¬ 
ling, aud all practicable improvement is made 
iu the feeding without grain, it is still evident 
or possible that the herd is not doing its best- 
what should prevent the ambitious dairyman 
from trying whether a ration of grain in some 
l'onn would uot give additional yield without 
injury to the cows and with profit to the 
owner ? 
Here comes in another element to be con¬ 
sidered —can wc. with perfect pasturage, or 
with good pasturage, green fodder, early-cut 
hay, warm stables, roots and skillful handling, 
develop the productive capacity of the best 
herd of dairy cows to its highest profitable 
point? Some experienced meu will say it can 
be done. Theu wc have to ascertain (allowing 
that everything iu the way of yield that is pos¬ 
sible, is possible of Attainment under this sys¬ 
tem), whether, nevertheless, more profit might 
not be made by substituting grain for a part of 
the hay, or for the green fodder iu summer, or 
fur tlte roots. These arc all legitimate prob¬ 
lems for experiment, and must be worked out 
practically by each individual according to his 
opportunities aud his practi.al skill uud 
ability. 
1 think it will be apparent to the intelligent 
reader that the question, even when brought 
within the much narrower limits we have put 
about it, is still one that, does uot admit of u 
single, definite answer. The inherent quality 
of larms, the condition of the markets, the re¬ 
lative prices of grain and grass at any particu¬ 
lar place, or at any particular time, must, be 
taken into account before a satisfactory decis¬ 
ion can be attained. But one tiling I think is 
sure—as Mr. Beecher is reported to have said 
be thought it no sin to let a fast horse go fast, 
so it is good economy to feed a good cow well. 
There is another point in connection with 
the subject that it might he well to mention. 
There are Eastern dairymen who are feeding 
large amounts of Western grain to their cows, 
quite as much for the manure as for the milk. 
Though they believe they are. more than get¬ 
ting their money back in an increased butter 
or cheese production, they still look with the 
most satisfaction and hope of ultimate gain, lo 
their larger and much richer manure piles 
which, used as a top-dressing for mowings anil 
pastures, will enable them to increase the 
number of emvs they cun carry from year to 
year. This attempt to arrest some of the prai¬ 
rie fertility in its way across and out of the 
country and over sea, is, in my judgment, a 
worthy one, and likely, in judicious hands, to 
he profitable; but. uot to men whose manure 
stands for six mouths in the year beneath un¬ 
spouted eves, or the liquid excrement of 
whose stables runs to waste. These \i Ill not 
find much profit in feeding grain to dairy c . v . 
Orleans C’o., vt. 
&!}f |oultru Jjatt), 
POULTRY LABORS REWARDED. 
Having caught the poultry fever two years 
ago, 1 commenced the business of raising fancy 
ponltry on a limited scale, keeping the farm 
stock on hand as a reserve in case of failure 
with more fancy breeds. 1 selected Houdans, 
Light Brahmas and the Plymouth Hocks to tost 
their qualities fur breeding purposes. 1 kept 
my former stock in the old hennery, and built 
for the fancy breeds a new house eighteen by 
twenty-five feet and two stories high. As J was 
determined they should not suffer the cold of a 
severe winter, I was very careful to make close 
joints, and in addition lathed and plastered the 
building throughout. After the completion 
thereof, the fancy stock took possession. It 
was my delight to look at them in their new 
home. I visited them quite Often during the 
day, and ouco each evening. 
It was not long before I heard them sneeze 
on entering their quarters at night. Never 
having had the roup on my premises and 
knowing nothing of the disease, L believed 
they had taken a slight eoid. lmt wmu>l- m'iou 
recover. Presently a swelling commenced 
about the eyes, aud they began to discharge 
from the nostrils. 1 then consulted a fancier; 
to my surprise tie pronounced it to be the roup. 
Hale's remedy was recommended, and I used it 
with good effect, losing but a small number of 
those taken with the disease. I tried to find 
the cause, but could uot. and 1 was kept busy 
administering medicine to new patients con¬ 
tinually. Finally, I invited a brother fancier 
to visit my hennery in order to get his opinion 
as to the cause of the sickness. After a thor¬ 
ough inspection ol tlie premises, hu advised 
more ventilation. I set about the work imme¬ 
diately, cutting air-lioles on each side of the 
building, near the celling to prevent the cur¬ 
rents of air passing over the hens’ bodies while 
roosting upon their perches at night. In a 
short time the disease began to disappear, and 
now tor several mouths I have not had a case 
of roup upon the premises. I am convinced 
that the disease was caused by want of a suffi¬ 
cient ventilation. 1 must also recommend 
cleanliness of the pens. Do not suffer the 
droppings to lay months, or even weeks in the 
building to taint the air with pestilential odors. 
Keep the house free from vermin, and I am 
satisfied there will be little or uo disease among 
the poultry. 
I do not attempt to instruct breeders of ex¬ 
perience ; I would rather apply to them for 
information ; but from a perusal of these notes, 
such as myself who are commencing the busi¬ 
ness either for pleasure or profit may receive 
some benefit, and gain some hints for the con¬ 
struction of any buildings they may propose 
to erect. By profiting by my experience they 
may be relieved from much of the trouble and 
expense that have fallen upon me. Although 
I had kept poultry running at large upon my 
farm for more than twenty years, as I paid no 
attention to their wants (food excepted) I was 
as ignorant of lheir necessit ies as if I had never 
kept any fowls upon the premises, and 1 pre¬ 
sume the majority of farmers know as little of 
the care of poultry as l knew when I placed 
them in unventilated quarters. I soon learned, 
however, that extra care and attention arc 
needed to produce results sufficiently profit¬ 
able to encourage one to continue the business 
until success rewards his efforts, and a like 
experience has doubtless led many others to the 
same Conclusion. C. S. Cooper. 
Bergeu Co., N. J. 
-- 
A GOOD WORD FOR THE DORKING. 
In the late Poultry number of the Rural, 1 
noticed that but little credit was given to the 
Dorking as an egg-producing bird, aud ol her 
merits generally only a low estimate was given, 
which, no doubt, the writer thought a correct 
one in her ease. Having had the poultry 
fever (slightly, perhaps), for a number of 
years past, and having during its course, tried 
a number of the different birds, without, that 
entire satisfaction that many experience with 
certain favorites of their own—if we judge by 
their statements as published in the various 
agricultural journals—a few years since we 
procured a trio of Dorkings, of the variety 
called Silver Cray Dorkings. They were of 
good size, and quite contented, compared with 
some of the smaller breeds, but they had more 
life aud ambition lo get a living than the Light 
Brahma Wc have now had them for six or 
eight years, and taking them as family fowls 
lor the farmer who wants eggs for his house¬ 
hold and chickens for his table, we think them 
ahead of all the Asiatic races and many of the 
smaller breeds, when eggs and fiesli are both 
taken into consideration. 
During flic past two or three years it has 
been difficult to have liens inclined to sit to 
furnish what chickens we wanted for our fam¬ 
ily use and to Keep up our flock from the pul¬ 
lets raised, so as not to have on hand a lot of 
old hens that are thought not to lay as well as 
young fowls the first season or two. We do 
not sell either eggs or chickens, us a rule : gen¬ 
erally all produced are used in our family, and 
this year we have had eggs very plentifully, 
and when the poultry number of I lie Ru UAL came 
to hand, we laid iu the scale seven uggs just 
laid, and they weighed 18 ounces. Probably 
seven eggs would average a pound the season 
through; and when a chicken or young fowl 
is dressed fur the table there is (if well fed), 
enough for a family dinner. So, in my expe¬ 
rience, instead of their being tender fowls to 
raise, and inclined to lay but a few eggs, 
they are quite the opposite. We liavc rarely 
lost a chick the last three years; not one with 
the gapes or any other disease l hat I know of, 
and but three or four in a hundred by accident, 
an immunity which we think proves them en¬ 
titled to be called hardy in regard to the rais¬ 
ing of the chicks. 
I am not prepared to say that they are the 
best of all fowls, as some say oi other breeds, 
but of any wc have ever tried they have come 
the nearest to what we think a fowl should be 
for the production ol eggs and meat for the 
farmer's table; and if it were uot for their su- 
perllumis fifth toe, and the large single combs of 
the cock, wc should think them much nearer 
perfection than we now do,—as these append¬ 
ages we consider detriments to them as a 
breed, and therefore objectionable. Others uo 
doubt differ with us in that respect, but it is 
from comparing our differences of opinion that 
good frequently results; hence this letter on 
the fowl question. Jonathan Talcot. 
Rome, N. Y. 
BREEDING POULTRY. 
I have had some experience in breeding 
poultry and have come to the conclusion that 
fowls must be bred the same as other stock. 
Tf you want, a herd of butter cows, you must 
buy them from a breeder who has made this 
point a specialty for a number of years and by 
so doing has originated a family that will 
transmit to their offsprings the qualities pecu¬ 
liar to their progenitors. To do this requires 
careful selection aud good judgment. Our best 
breeders don’t always get what they breed for; 
but the poor animals are throw n out and never 
used for breeding purposes. 
I have had Leghorns that wore very poor lay¬ 
ers. also Plymouth Rocks, and in fact both poor 
and good birds can he found in all breeds. If 
eggs arc what one wants, let him try the Leg¬ 
horn, keep an egg record, save the eggs from 
the best layers arid set no others ; theu lie will 
soon have a family of layers with an egg 
record worthy of being published. For gen¬ 
eral use I consider the Plymouth Rock A, 
No. L: but skill is needed in breeding them. 
When mating Plymouth Rooks there are 
many things to be considered that can only 
be learned by experience. Never select over¬ 
grown fowls for breeders. I have some extra- 
large Plymouth Rock liens aud find they lay 
fewer eggs than smaller fowls of the same 
breed. Lust spring I bred tou heu-turkeys 
weighing from 10 to 23 pounds each. Those 
that weighed over ISlbsdid uot hatch one-third 
ol their eggs, while the others hatched nearly 
all those put under them. It is impossible to 
o-ct an extra-large amount of butter from an ex- 
tra-beef cow. I find the same rule holds good 
with fowls. Feed and care are the chief requi¬ 
sites for successful poultry-keeping. 
Elyria, o. Joun Dinnkkhorn. 
FATTENING SHEEP FOR MARKET. 
This winter it is a question with the young 
shepherd aud with many who own small Hocks 
ol sheep, whether it will pay to fatten some of 
their flocks to add to the glut ted moat market. 
In view of the low price of hogs in many parts 
of the country, many suppose the demand for 
tat sheep will he light and prices consequently 
low. Undoubtedly this supposition is in a 
great measure correct, yet in my opinion it will 
pay to feed a few sheep well so as to have 
them in first-class condition for market by the 
last of February or early in March. About 
that time there is always a fair demaud for 
well-fattened, winter-fed sheep. When the 
prices are high, it never pays to send a half-fed 
animal to market, and it certainly must be a 
losing business to sell poorly-fed stock when 
prices rule low. 
Tliis winter the best sheep only should be 
selected for fattening; all the others should be 
retained for wool-growing until better figures 
can be obtained for fat light-weights or stock 
sheep. Those picked out for the butcher 
should be fed generously and regularly, aud 
upon this point too much stress cannot belaid. 
Care should be taken, however, to give the 
sheep only just enough for one meal at each 
feeding-time. If they are given a superabun¬ 
dance of hay, they soon learn to be particular 
in selecting the best part only, aud if there is 
uot enough of tills at one feeding-time, they 
will wait half-hungry for the next. My own 
experience agrees with that of most successful 
sheep owners that fattening animals should be 
fed three times a day; though some of my 
neighbors think twice often enough. It is 
also very important that the sheep should not be 
allowed to suffer front want of water ; neither 
should they lack a supply of salt; for although 
salt is not so necessary to them iu the winter 
as in the summer, still they will thrive better 
if it is fed to them at least once a week at all 
seasuns. j. A. T. 
Auglaize Co., Ohio. 
Hanous. 
CATALOGUES, &c., RECEIVED. 
Penn. Fruit Growers’ Society. The twen¬ 
tieth annual meeting of this Society will be 
held in Adler. Hall, Reading, Pa., commencing 
January 15. 
The Illustrated Annual Register op 
Rural Affairs and Cultivator Alumnac’for the 
year 1879, containing practical suggestions for 
the farmer and horticulturist, witli about 130 
engravings. By J. J. Thomas, Luther Tucker 
Ar. Son. Publishers, 395 Broadway, Albany. N. Y. 
Shakers' Descriptive and Illustrated Annual 
Catalogue aud Amateur’s Guide to the Flower 
aud Vegetable Garden. Charles Sizer, Mount 
Lebanon, New York. This is a handsome cat¬ 
alogue of 8-1 pages, well illustrated, upon an 
excellent quality of paper. It deals for the 
most part with the good, old well-tried sorts. 
A Series of hooks for the farmer, by Con¬ 
rad Wilson. The present one, which is the 
first of the scries, treats of Chemical farming; 
its possibilities aud mistakes, illustrating the 
necessity and value of chemical elements when 
rightly used, and the danger of them when the 
conditions are wrong; including, also, au ex¬ 
amination ot the Stockbridge formulas. The 
price is 25 cts., or 50 ets. in cloth. Published 
by The Farmers’ Publishing Company, P. O. 
box 2095 or 104 Duane St,, N. Y. Each num¬ 
ber of this series is complete in itself. Conrad 
Wffsou Is well known as an earnest, thought¬ 
ful, indefatigable worker for the good of agri¬ 
culture, and we are confident that those who 
purchase this book will find in it instruction 
worth far more than it& trifling cost. 
The thirtieth semi-annual statement of the 
Travelers’ Insurance Company, which we pub¬ 
lish this week, shows the company to he iu a 
very strong position. It will be seen that there 
is a net surplus oi $057,107.38 over aud above 
capital ($600,1X10) aud all liabilities. A close 
inspection of its investments shows, too, that 
care and discrimination have been exercised in 
selecting securities that have at any time an 
available cash value. The statement shows 
that the gain in resources is substantial, and 
there is a gratifying absence of any “padding 
out’’with over-due interest, or other items of 
like character, that are not uuknowu devices 
in the statements of some companies. With 
the year just closed, tba Travelers’ has added 
$281,500 to its assets, and $40,700 to its surplus 
—an achievement as gratifying to the general 
public as to the company. 
-- 
It seems to be a fact that just in the ratio of 
a man’s ignorance on a subject is bis exceed¬ 
ing haste to express bis opinion ou it. This 
was aptly illustrated the other day by an anec¬ 
dote repealed in our bearing. 
Mr. Ex-Attorney General James Speed is an 
eminent lawyer practicing in the city of Louis¬ 
ville and living on a small farm on the out¬ 
skirts of the city. All ltis time being devoted to 
his profession, his farm knowledge is necessa¬ 
rily limited. His brother tells this joke of him, 
“ If I ask Jecms a law question, he hems and 
haws aud wants to know all the fuels, and then 
asks time to consult liis books; but If I ask him 
a farm question about the rotation of crops or 
the breed of cat tle best adapted to beef or milk, 
he answers me in a second. I suppose if you 
know nothing about a thing there is no need 
of hesitating in delivering your opinion. 
