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7
where cows are kept, and to note minutely all particulars concerning
the general appearance of the premises, the drainage,
the ventilation, and the condition of the cattle.
There are eight cowkeepers in Rotherhithe, viz.:— two in
Paradise-street, one in Albion-street, one in Cow-lane, one in
Church-street, one at Ground-cottage, one in Baltic-place, and
one at Providence Farm on the Surrey Canal Bank. The first
five are in densely populous neighbourhoods, the last three on
the contrary are placed each in an open space, and at some
distance from the dwellings of the inhabitants.
The number of cows kept by each dairyman respectively,
varies much, one, namely, Mr. West in Paradise-street, had at
the time of my visit as many as thirty-one, the others have
each from two to eight. One shed, that of Mr. Wright, in Albionstreet,
is of brick, but all the others are of wood and tile
covered, their ventilation and drainage good, and the yards
clean and in order. The dairymen seem all impressed with the
wholesome opinion, that strict cleanliness is essential to the
health of their beasts, and indeed almost all the animals looked
in excellent condition, nor did I see a diseased cow among the
many which passed under tny notice.
The practice of most of the cowkeepers in London is the
following. A cow is taken a few days or weeks after calving,
and tied up in the cowhouse, and milked regular twice a day.
To increase the secretion of the milk a highly stimulating diet
is given, and some cows under this treatment will continue
giving a supply for eighteen months, two years, or even a
longer period. The want of exercise generally causes the
flesh of the cow to become loaded with fat, and notwithstanding
the pains taken to preserve it, the secretion of the milk in time becomes
scanty or ceases altogether. The cow is then sent or sold to
the bntcher, 1 cannot imagine that such a practice can either
produce good milk or sound meat, and I am happy to say, that
about half the cow-owners in Rotherhithe, profiting by the
meadows and pastures existing in the locality, turn out their
animals almost every day to graze, so that we are really more
favoured in this respect than many other parts of the capital.
Upon the whole, my inspection was an exceedingly satisfactory
one, as I had but little to find fault with. I would, however,
suggest that those cow-keepers, who live in the populous
parts of this parish, be compelled to have the dungheap removed
every day in summer, and every second day in winter, some of
them at present allowing the dung to accumulate for a week untouched,
which causes, more especially in warm weather, unpleasant
and deleterious effluvia to arise. If this latter point be
properly attended to, I do not consider the Rotherhithe