66 
ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN’S ASSOCIATION. 
titty 
( 1 
.a 
* Z 
I i 
* ,5 
i 
* 
iJ 
i 
w M 
gi«$■ 
ca 
! 3 fl 
irsi 
£ 
£3 
m 
I 
Q 
^3 
it 
t • 
! 2 
* c .i>l 
HOW TO CONDUCT A DAIRY FARM. 
BY D. C. ADAMS, OF DUNDEE. 
The average dairy farm farm consists, perhaps of from two tc 
two hundred and fifty acres. A farm of this size can I think be man¬ 
aged to better advantage, and will yield a larger return for the laboi 
bestowed and capital invested than would a greater or less number o 
acres. Such a farm will, if mostly available and well managed, keep 
from sixty to seventy cows, which is as many as should be kept ir 
one herd. Good, well arranged, convenient barns, of sufficient capa¬ 
city to accommodate the whole stock are indispensible to success ir 
dairying. 
It is worse than folly to attempt to get along with cheap boarc 
stables or inferior, inconvenient barns. The lack of money to build if 
not sufficient excuse. Better be in debt for what they will cost thar 
be without them. The economy of food and labor will pay the inter¬ 
est two fold. The buildings should be substantially made and so ar¬ 
ranged as to economize labor to the utmost. 
The most improved, modern barn for the dairy is built with high 
well-lighted basement, of stone or brick mason-work ; with drive-wa} 
through from end to end, so the manure can be loaded directly on the 
wagon and taken to the field. It should be built with, at least, twenty- 
foot posts above the basement ; by so doing, sufficient room will be 
provided for storing nearly, if not all the fodder required for wintering 
the stock. On the floor above the basement considerable space mus 
be allotted for cutting stalks, storing feed, etc., and should be so ar¬ 
ranged that the feed may be drawn through scuttle holes, to places 
convenient for feeding. One large barn is preferable to more smallei 
ones, it costs less in proportion to its capacity, and will be found mor< 
convenient. 
Special care must be taken in preparing the milk for the marke 
or factory. The pails, strainers and cans must be thoroughly cleansec 
and aired some time before using. Wooden pails should never be 
used. The milk must be well cooled, and scrupulously clean. 
Use a wire and cloth strainer combined, and rinse it off with clear 
water frequently while milking ; but you must not depend too much 
upon the strainer. If dirt is allowed to get in the milk it cannot bt 
wholly taken out. Do not allow your cows to wallow in mud, or lit 
in manure. 
Sloughs should be drained by tiling or ditching, and if the latter 
the ditches should be covered or fenced. The stable 1 must be kepi 
well cleaned and supplied with bedding. The refuse of cut stalks 
answer well for this purpose, as they rapidly absorb the manure, sc 
the barn will be comparatively dry, and the liquid which would other¬ 
wise be lost, will go to the fields with the manure. If these precau¬ 
tions are observed your cows will be kept clean, and with proper care 
in milking you will have clean milk. 
The milk house should be adjoining or near the barn, and built 
with due regard to keeping out heat and frost, and in a cooling tank 
with an abundant supply of water, which, in temperature, should not 
