State Convention—Butter-Making, Etc. 285 
which is for the storage of roots, the balance has a concave bottom 
and has been tramped so hard that it is now water-tight; this is used 
for manure, hogs and young cattle have access to it in winter, also 
the cows find it a cool retreat and freedom from most insects in 
summer. One-sixth of the second story is a granary, the balance 
stabling. The third story is used for storage. Cows are much 
easier confined and handled in the stanchion than any other plan 
I have seen. To remove the droppings a plank is raised back of the 
cows and its removal is easily accomplished. I then add a gener¬ 
ous bedding of dry straw, which seems to absorb the stable-smell 
effectually, as well as makes the cows comfortable, and lightens the 
further task of cleansing and milking the cow. Should I forsee a 
scarcity of straw, I should lay in a supply of dry peat or muck 
which abounds in our creek-bottoms and marshes, for the purpose 
of absorbing the liquids and foul odors of the stable. Dry sub- 
stauces in sufficient quantities have an astonishing effect in absorb¬ 
ing any foul odor. It will be noticed that a stable having perfect 
drainage, has an advantage in that respect over any other plan I 
have seen—economizing all the droppings of the cows, and at the 
same time it is sufficiently warm in the coldest weather to milk and 
attend to the cows in comfort. 
I am not so particular as to what I feed my cows as long as they 
have enough, and that which is sufficiently nutritious to keep them 
in good flesh. I will however drop a few words as to what I con¬ 
sider their best food. Grass, first in the spring, as soon as they can 
get a bite, and dry grass, bran, and meal in addition, until they get 
to full feed. I have tried to cultivate no other grasses but timothy 
and clover. These I know to be good, though when clover is 
% 
wholly used, some buyers of butter complain that the texture of the 
butter is softer and the flavor not as fine as when part timoth}' and 
other grasses are used for pasturage. On the other hand, the records 
show that one of the first premiums for butter at the New York 
State Fair of 1873, was made from cows pastured upon clover. 
This accords with my experience. At our State Fair of 1871, one 
of the judges of butter told me my June-butter was made from 
cows feeding upon clover; this was a little startling to me, for the 
gentleman was from New York and could have no other knowledge 
on the subject than what he obtained from an examination of the 
butter. He also told me that my September-butter was made from 
