1854. 
THE CULTIVATOR 
119 
Bone Disease. 
Mr. Tucker— I have read the inquiry of A. T. 
Tuttle of Enfield, and the answer of Prof. Nash, 
and the information given is of great importance to 
farmers on old dairy-worn farms. 
The cause of the disease, as the symptoms are des¬ 
cribed, is confirmed by the observation of farmers, in 
this section; for how can it be otherwise, when the 
cow takes from the soil, 50 or 60 pounds of bone earth, 
in her milk and the annual calf, besides the supply for 
her own frame. 
The cure, all things considered, the most profitable, 
is to dry off the cows immediately, and give them a 
chance to recruit; then turn into beef. If milking be 
continued when so reduced as scarcely able to walk 
about, the cows will not pay the cost of bone meal and 
extra keeping, as it will take a much longer time, 
where a change cannot conveniently be made in pas¬ 
ture and winter keeping. 
I think soiling sickly cows for the‘dairy, would cer¬ 
tainly be very unprofitable for the farmer, on land 
where this disease prevails. 
The preventive of Prof. Nash would be an effective 
but rather expensive one on large pastures of cheap 
worn out land, where it would be impracticable to use 
the plow; but so much depends on the cost of mate¬ 
rials, the distance to .the market where they can be 
obtained, we should try to manage if possible, and it 
certainly is, to prevent the disease. 
I believe the best way consists in changing stock 
often, and at some distance, where the farming lands 
arc comparativeiy new; and to keep only cows enough 
to make dairy for family use, and to keep sheep in 
their place, and go to raising mutton and wool, for 
that is good business: and I know sheep will do well 
on land where this disease is common with cows. 
The bone disease has been in this section for years, 
and is now on different farm* in all stages. I do not 
know of an instance where cows have died with it, un¬ 
less killed to be put out of misery. I have assisted in 
skinning and examined the bones of several cows, 
when I have taken the strongest bones in the carcass, 
and could break them as easy between the thumb and 
finger of each hand, as I could a piece of common 
window glass. Yours, Porter Walbridge. Tol¬ 
land, Gt ., FeVy 27, 1854. 
Best Peed for Milch Cows. 
Messrs. Editors —One of .your subscribers says he 
would be glad to know the best plan of feeding milch 
cows in fall and winter. In the remarks you make on 
the above, you say that you hope some who have had 
experience will give you more particular and accurate 
details, as but little has been ever given to the public 
on this subject. Willing to contribute my mite to the 
interest of your Cultivator, I send you my experience 
in (not making milk) but in feeding cows, so as to get 
the greatest quantities of good milk at the least cost, 
for this is the great object in view at present. Before 
the blight came on the potato, perhaps this tuber was 
the most profitable to feed out to cows to get a large 
quantity of milk, but not of good quality. I knew a 
man that kept 30 or 40 cows for raising milk for mar¬ 
ket. He used to raise from three to four thousand bush¬ 
els of potatoes a year before the blight, to feed to his 
cows; but it would not do to feed potatoes at present 
prices. # 
In answer to the inquiry, I beg leave to present the 
following, which by experience I have found to give 
the greatest quantity and best quality of milk: 
Eor every cow, boil half a bushel of turneps; when 
boiled soft, add 4 quarts of bran, mix well, and let it 
stand till cool. Give your cow a boiled mess like this 
once a day, and you will find ymir milk increase, and 
the milk does not taste of the turneps as it does when 
they are fed raw. By adding the bran while the tur¬ 
neps are hot, the bran swells, and you get the full good 
of it. This I have found to be the best and cheapest 
way to get the greatest quantity of good milk. C. G. 
Swampscott , Mass., Feb. 15, 1854. 
Good Heifers. 
Messrs. Editors —I have two heifers, from the 
milk of which has been made, during three months 
ending the 23d of Feb. last, 254 lbs. 9 oz. butter. “ Ab- 
by Folsum,” the eldest, will be 4 years old next April, 
and “Victoria” was 3 years old last Sept. As near 
as their pedigree can be traced, they are | Durham. 
Their sire is a full blood Durham, and was bred by 
Mr. Haswell, of Hoosick, N. Y., and purchased of 
him by Mr. Eli Wright, of this town, some five or 
six years since. He has recently been sold to a gen¬ 
tleman in Petersham. 
The milk which yielded the above named butter, 
was placed in a pantry contiguous to the kitchen, and 
the door separating them kept open most of the time; 
consequently the milk was warmed most of the time 
at a temperature far above the freezing point, and but 
a few pans were frozen during the coldest days. The 
cows were fed on the best of second crop hay, grown 
on tfie intervale of Deerfield river, and soil of a sandy 
loam. The following are the expenses of keeping and 
the profits arising therefrom: 
Coivs, to meal-bin and hay-mow , Dr. 
To 241 bushels of meal consumed, consisting of two 
parts corn to three of oats,.$16 22 
“ keeping on hay 92 days,. 26 13 
t u interest on cows at $50 each,. 1 50 $43 85 
Contra , Cr. 
By 37 lbs. butter sold at 22c.,. $6 14 
“ 217 9-16 lbs. do. do. 20c.,... .. 43 51 
“ 140 qts. new milk given to calves first 10 
days after cows came in, at 2c. per qt., 2 80 
“ new milk used in family, 117 qts., at 2c.,.. 2 34 
“ skimmed milk fed to calves and pigs,. 10 00 $66 79 
Giving a balance in favor of cows of $22,94 
One dropped her calf on the 22d and the other on 
the 24th of Nov. last. James Childs. Deerfield , 
Mass., March 2, 1854. 
Documentary History. —We have failed to ac¬ 
knowledge the receipt of a copy of this work in De¬ 
cember last, from Hon. II. S. Randall, late Secretary 
of State, for which he will accept our thanks. 
