488 Cultivation of Grafs Land Cow-keeping When with Calf. 



readily, but are prevented from its being omitted through inattention ; which is 

 othervvife often the cafe. Betides, the great trouble, inconvenience, and lofs of 

 time in driving them to a diftance, is avoided. From twenty to five-and- twenty 

 or thirty cows are fufficient for one bull. They fhow their -inclination for taking 

 the male by riding upon the other cows. 



After three or four months, cows may be afcertained to be in calf by prefling 

 upon the off flank with the hand, as where that is the cafe the calf is found to 

 ftrike againft it. 



They are mown to be near calving by their fpringing at the udder and the bear 

 ing; the former becoming more fully diftended with fluid, while the latter is larger 

 and more fvvelled out. Heifers, or young cows, are faid to fpring the fooneft at 

 rhe bearing, and thofe of the older kinds at the udder. 



From accidents and other caufes, it fometimes happens that cows flip or Jlink 

 their calves before they are fufficiently grown. Where this occurs, it is efTen- 

 tially necefTary to remove fuch cows immediately from the cow-yards, or from mix 

 ing with the other cattle, for a few days. But where cows are much fubject to 

 fuch accidents it is the beft method to get quit, of them as foon as poffible, as they 

 will feldom turn out profitable, 



In two, three, or four days, according to circumftances, after the cows have 

 calved, it is the practice of the London cow-keepers to fend the new-dropped 

 calves to be fold, as they would not be faleable before. The cows are thus left in 

 full milk from within a few days of the time of their calving. But in other fitua. 

 tions that cannot always be the cafe, as the demand for fuckling-calves is lefs ; 

 they muft therefore be often fuckled by the cow-keepers. 



Where it is not the practice to bind up the cows in houfes for the purpofe, ef- 

 pecially during the winter feafon, which feems by much the beft method, warm well 

 fheltered yards, with open fheds, mould be provided, in order to protect the animals, 

 and prevent their being expofed to the weather, as -by fuch means they will afford 

 much larger fupplies of milk than where they are left in a ftate of expofure to 

 wet and cold in open dirty yards, as is often the cafe. The bottoms of yards for 

 this ufe mould be well laid with fome fort of hard materials, and the dung be fre 

 quently fcraped off them, fo as to keep them as dry and clean as poflible. They 

 fhould alfo have plenty of good clean water todrink of at pleafure. If due attention 

 be not beftowed in thefe refpects, which is feldom done, it is impoffible that the 

 advantages that might othenvife be the cafe can be derived from them. 



