370 MODERN FARRIER. 



The particulars connected with this branch of ru- 

 ral economy will, it is probable, be fully detailed in 

 the improved Agricultural Survey of Essex, in so 

 far as regards that and the neighbouring districts. 

 But as the mode of suckling adopted in some parts 

 of Scotland is extremely different, it may not be 

 improper to give a short account of it in this place. 

 As soon as the calf is dropped, it is put into a box 

 made of coarse boards, four feet and a half or five 

 feet long, and four feet or four feet and a half high, 

 and about two feet wide, according to the size of 

 the calf. The boards are not put so close but that a 

 sufficient quantity of air is admitted ; light is, how- 

 ever, carefully excluded ; and the box has a cover 

 for that purpose. The box stands on four feet, 

 w^hich, at one end, are four inches high, but at the 

 other only two inches ; and, as there are holes at the 

 bottom, all wetness is drained off. The bottom is 

 also covered with straw or hay, which is changed 

 twice a week. For seven or eight days, milk is but 

 cautiously given, for unless a calf is fed moderately 

 at first, it is apt to take a loathing to its food. It 

 should be bled in about ten days ; and, afterwards, 

 as much milk given it fresh from the cow, either 

 twice or thrice a day, as it will take. The bleeding 

 should be repeated once a week ; and at all times 

 V. hen a calf loathes its milk, and does not feed well, 

 bleeding ought to be repeated. These frequent 

 bleedings prevent diseases from plethora, to which 

 calves are subject, even when not fed so high, and 

 still more so when they are. A large piece of chalk 

 should be hung up in the box, which the calf will 

 lick occasionally : this contributes nothing to the 

 whiteness of the veal ; but it amuses the animal, 

 and corrects that acidity in the stomach which 

 might otherwise be engendered, and which certainly 

 often takes place. A cow calf is reckoned the best 

 veal ; if a bull calf is suckled, he ought to be cut 

 when about a v>'eek old, otherwise the veal will nei- 



