2co STATISTICAL SURVEY 



having cows to calve in winter , this I might allow, if 

 the dairy was the only object j but where the two ob- 

 jefts of dairying and rearing are united, I am convinced 

 the moft beneficial mode is, to have the calves dropped 

 in winter, or early in the fpring : in the fir ft place, as 

 I mentioned already, your calves are infinitely fuperior ; 

 and fecondly, inftead of having the beft part of the 

 month of May fpent before the calving time, as is ufual, 

 the cows being already in milk are in a fituation to take 

 advantage of the firft fpring of grafs, at which time, 

 although they will not give quite fo much milk, there 

 will be as much butter as if they were newly calved ; 

 and if it is taken into conii deration, that the calves arc 

 now reared, the quantity of difpofeable milk will be 

 full as much ; befides, winter calves begin to feed 

 much fooner than fummer calves ; and if a little atten- 

 tion is paid to put fome cabbage in the bottom of their 

 pail, or a fmall quantity of turnips cut neatly, they will 

 in a fhort time learn to eat either the one or the other, 

 and at the age of fix or feven weeks they will not re- 

 quire much milk : when turnips or cabbages are not to 

 be got, potatoes, boiled or raw, will anfwer the pur- 

 pofe full as well. This mode of rearing is ,praftifed 

 with the greateft fuccefs in Norfolk, where it is entirely 

 confined to winter ; and in Leicefterftiire the time ex- 

 tends from the beginning of December until March. 

 I find from experience, that calves treated in this man- 

 ner, and dropped at this feafon, are fully equal at the 



beginning 



