4 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Afeil 3, 1860. 
experiments is re-opened by the writer on “ The Science of 
Gardening,” at p. 400 of our last volume. But why do not 
the pomologists try that system to improve their desserts ? 
If the Laburnum and the Cytisus united their blood in 
the formation or scar at the edges of the wounds, and the 
scar was from the wood of two-year old shoot or upwards, 
there is nothing known to us why such a scar should not 
be ripe and fruitful of buds. Then it follows, that if you 
or they were to graft three, four, five, or more, year old 
grafts of the Ullstun Pippin on equally old or older 
branches of the Court-pcndu Plat, and the growth of the 
present buds were after that hindered, so as to force the 
scars at the junction ultimately to throw up a shoot, the 
result would be a cross superior to pollen fertilisation. 
Or if you were to splice the footstalks of two leaves—say. 
Gloxinias or Farfugium grande, and the variegated or 
plain Coltsfoot of our own fields, put them in for cuttings, 
root the two, and unite them by the same means, and 
when you get a root-stock, cut away the leaves and force 
up buds from the union of the spliced parts. And where 
is there an end to such experiments ? but we are all 
nodding, and some foreigner will make a fortune by this 
splicing, and we shall, open-mouthed, say what a simple 
thing it is after all. D. Beaton. 
HOW TO FARM TWO ACRES AND MARE 
THE MOST OF THEM. 
(Continued from page 395, Vol. XXIII.) 
FEEDING THE COW. 
This should be done not less than six times a-day, and 
practice will enable any one to understand how much an 
animal will eat; but though all waste must be strictly 
guarded against, still there will be a little refuse hay or' 
coarse green meat left in the feeding-rack or trough, 
which the cow will not eat. If this is'not much, do not 
stint her, so as to compel her to eat all this, as she will 
only do so when severely pressed by hunger ; but remove 
it every time you feed her, and so regulate the quantity 
that not more than one-tenth, or at most one-sixth, of the 
hay given her be wasted. Of course, all smaller food she 
will eat up wholly; and at seasons when hay is dear, it 
will pay to have it cut into chaff, and the latter mixed 
with such other food as is given to cows. Brewers* grains, 
malt dust, or bran are all good in their way ; but much 
depends on the quality of the milk wanted. If quantity 
be the object, make arrangements with some brewer to 
supply so many grains weekly, and, if possible, have them 
fresh; but they will keep well if packed very tight in an 
old cask with the head open; stamp them well in, and 
cover them over at top with something to keep out the air, 
and they will remain fresh and sweet for several weeks. 
About 2s. 6d. per quarter is a fair price ; but, like other 
things, this varies. Malt dust is more for improving the 
quality of the milk than for increasing the quantity. It 
ought to be wetted and mixed with the cut hay, and if 
sweet the cows will soon become fond of it. Bran ought 
also to be dampened a little and given the same way; but 
as these things will not bo given at every meal, it is 
prudent to make a rule to give the cow the food she most 
prizes at the time she is milked. Most cows look for 
being fed at this time; and she might as well have the 
best food at this time as any other It is hardly necessary 
here to say that brewers' grains increase the milk most 
of anything; but it is very thin, and does not make much 
butter. _ Those who keep cows for supplying districts 
with milk alone usually give them largely of grains, 
which, as before stated, increase the quantity very much, 
giving rise to the idea that it has been watered after 
milking ; whereas it is the feeding of the cow that often 
causes it to be so thin. In summer the green food will 
render needless any other stimulant, but the milk will be 
good then. In winter, however, something in addition to 
hay will be wanted; and as it is better not to begin the 
Mangold Wurtzel until January or February, when it 
has sprouted a little, some other food must be given. 
Those who want to have a rich milk may give oil-cake in 
a small quantity daily; but in a general way the Swede 
Turnips, in addition to brewers’ grains, malt dust, or bran 
will be sufficient; and the cheapest and best of these may 
be given in the required quantity at the fitting time. 
The routine of the feeding may be thus :—Two meals at 
milking times, to be of cut hay and the other mixture 
mentioned above ; once Swede Turnips or Mangold 
Wurtzel, and twice hay; with now and then a little 
straw, which they will eat when not given them in regular 
course. Plenty of good water must be within their reach 
at all times, and the yard well littered with straw or fern ; 
and in winter an occasional run out in a field or lane for 
an hour or two to exercise herself will be beneficial. 
Kind treatment will always insure a reciprocal feeling on 
the part of a cow; but do not teaze her and learn her 
improper tricks by handling and seizing her by the horns. 
The playful wrestling between a mischievous boy and 
an animal often teaches the latter what it was not aware 
of before—its own strength; and it sometimes turns its 
superiority to anything but an agreeable purpose; as a 
cow, unlike a dog, may be spoiled with handling, though, 
of course, a certain amount of kind treatment is not only 
advisable but essential to success. The shed having a 
place to fasten the cow up by the neck, she may then be 
milked at all times, and all short food given at that place. 
Loose hay may be given her at some other corner; but 
do not place the hay in a high rack like those in an old- 
fashioned stable, as a cow would only drag it down and 
waste it on the ground. 
THE CALF. 
Before calving a cow will not be expected to give any \ 
milk for about six weeks or more; and if she should be 
disposed to continue in milk, let her be gradually dried 
of, by only half milking her once or twice, and afterwards 
missing one milking time entirely; and at the time she is 
expected to calve let her be watched. And as it would 
not be proper to bring up a calf where the milk is of so 
much more value, it is better to remove it at once from 
the cow, and feed it by hand with the milk from her for 
about a week or so, and then sell it to those who buy 
such calves to bring up. In some parts of England all 
calves are brought up this way—no suckling at all, and 
they do just as well; and after they are no longer thought 
worthy of new milk they have it skimmed. And as the 
keeper of only one or two cows often wants the whole of 
the milk they give, it would be better to disregard the 
calf entirely than bring it up for three months or more 
and then sell it for veal. This, however, is the keeper’s ■ 
affair ; only it is better, when it is determined not to 
bring up the calf with the cow, not to let it suck at all. 
At the time of calving the cow must not be treated with 
much green food in summer, as that is liable to bring on 
milk fever; and if she be rather inclined to get fat, keep 
her sparingly for some time prior to calving. In winter 
this disease is not so common, but it does occur then. 
The most likely victims are those inclined to fatten, and 
its prevention and cure are alike difficult: the latter 
might be said to be almost impossible. Calves are some¬ 
times afflicted with gripe ; but usually they thrive pretty 
well. When they are given skimmed milk, it is much 
improved by a large piece of hot iron being put into it to 
warm it; the chemical property imparted by the iron 
being beneficial in spite of the jeers of those who scoff 
at the hot-poker-heating-contrivance—no other mode 
seeming to answer so well. J. Robson. 
(To be continued.) 
New Potatoes. —At the last meeting of the Enniscortliy 
Guardians, Mr. Lett laid before the Board a sample of new 
Potatoes grown in the open ah ; they presented a most healthful 
