THE CULTIVATOR, 
Oc 6nuier, 
The Cow made Profitable. 
Very many families keep but a single cow. They 
are not farmers, but they have learned that milk is an 
almost indispensable article of food for children, and 
that it enters largely and profitably into a great varie¬ 
ty of compounds prepared for the sustenance of the 
whole household. It is to them a matter of no sinall 
moment that the supply be regular and abundant. 
This can be secured in most instances in the country 
and small villages, only by keeping the animal that 
affords it. And, even though such a course could be 
shown to be wanting in economy, should the cow be 
found to consume more value than she is able to repay, 
still the immense convenience and luxury of a daily 
supply of pure, fresh milk, will more than counterbal¬ 
ance the odds. The milk which has been subjected to 
miles of churning in the dairyman’s can, is quite an¬ 
other article, to say nothing of dilutions and adultera¬ 
tions. But the milch cow, when properly treated, is 
not an expense. She is no pensioner. She is not to be 
ranked as a cumberer of the soil. It has been esti¬ 
mated, no doubt correctly, that four quarts a day will 
pay for her ordinary keeping If so, she may easily 
be made a source of profit. No poor family need be 
rendered poorer, or made to forego other enjoyments 
for the sake of this. 
The living cow is to man nothing more nor less than 
a self-operating mill, in which the grasses and coarser 
grains are converted into milk and meat for his use. 
Like all other useful machines, she transforms the raw 
material, and returns a product improved in quality, 
though of diminished quantity. Her food, when abun¬ 
dant and nutritious, is divided after digestion into four 
parts, and receives as many different destinations; and 
first, a specified amount must be retained by her for 
her own sustenance. Indeed she takes a pretty gene¬ 
rous toll for this purpose out of every grist brought to 
her mill. A second portion, highly purified and con¬ 
centrated, is returned in milk; a third, in the form of 
fat, goes to improve the quality of her flesh for food, 
and the fourth passes by the natural channels from the 
system. 
All machines are useful in proportion to the amount 
of service they are capable of performing. In the case 
©f the eow, this must depend mainly on the quantity 
of her proper food, which she can transform into food 
for man. The more highly she is fed, the more milk 
and beef she affords. This must be true of all breeds, 
even the least improved. And yet this will not be con¬ 
strued to imply that there is not a 'vast difference in 
breeds. 
On this principle I have managed for many years. 
I purchase in spring a new milch cow, somewhat ad¬ 
vanced in years, both because her milk is then richer, 
1 and she is liable to be less dainty in taking slops than 
2 when younger; and I may add, she can be bought at 
& less price. I give her all the waste food from my kitch¬ 
en, rather than keep a pig. She will give back the 
value in twelve hours, whereas a pig must needs have 
a credit of many months. I prefer the ready pay sys¬ 
tem. I have lost too much by trusting hogs. In win¬ 
ter I give a hearty cow, morning and evening, a mix¬ 
ture composed of a bushel of cut hay, ten quarts of 
com and cob-meal, and two pails of water. This will 
keep her busy most of the time, and during the first 
winter will go principally to milk, and the second more 
to beef, when she becomes fit to butcher. She is kept 
farrow, and is milked the whole time. With slight va¬ 
riations, according to ap'petite, <tc., I have treated a 
dozen or more in this way, and with manifest advan¬ 
tage. One cow thus managed I killed in February of 
the second 3 7 ear, while she was giving ten quarts of 
milk daily, and she weighed, dressed, 750 pounds, and 
had 70 pounds of rough tallow. She was of good size 
and a hearty eater. This is the best way I have ever 
tried for disposing of old cows. Their milk, when thus 
fed, is’of excellent quality, and until the fattening pro¬ 
cess begins, is very abundant. H. W. Bulkeley. 
JBallston, Saratoga Co ., N. Y., Oct. 28, 1853 • 
Training Steers. 
A writer over the signature of' L. M., in the Janua¬ 
ry number of the Cultivator, requests information as 
to the mode of breaking steers. Having had some 
experience in that thing I am induced to throw in 
my mite, but if the views should prove of no use, let 
them pass as worthless. I will speak of steers that 
have not been gentled by handling. Take a strong 
rope, such as is used for digging wells, to one end 
of which make a noose and knot to go over the 
horns; the knot is to prevent the noose from clos¬ 
ing too tight, thereby causing pain unnecessarily te 
the animals, as they are very sensitive about the 
root of the horn; boro a two inch auger hole in the 
side of a planked house, through which draw the rope, 
until there is enough to give the animal room to lie 
down; the second one in like manner, just so close that 
they can not poke each other. Let them stand in that 
position for four or five days, or until they are satisfied 
by handling that they can not pull away; then put a 
Naip ol halteeon on them separately and lead them 
about'in company of each other, say round a field, and 
they will soon lead like dogs; then tie them to the 
original ropq^, put the yoke on, tie their tails together 
with a leather strap in the long hair at end of tails, 
to prevent them sidling off and turning the yoke. If 
it should possibly occur that they get into difficulty the 
strap can be cut. Walk them about till they get a 
little jaded, without hitching to any thing the first 
time. When you want to take the yoke off, tie up to 
the original ropes, and a few times repeated, they will 
want nothing but to be shown how to work, which I 
prefer doing by cutting a small sapling or pole about 
15 feet long; put one end ip the ring of the yoke and 
the other .resting on the ground. When they are put 
to work, I prefer, as the best place, between the har¬ 
row and a gentle pair of oxen, the driver holding the 
