Ch.XXXVIIL] ON CALVES. 441 



lukewarm gruel to tlie calf, instead of the first milk, or "beestings," of the 

 cow, which is then thrown away. This, however, is highly improper; for 

 this first aliment of the newly-born animal is a strong and viscid fluid, of an 

 aperient property, which powerfully assists in discharging the glutinous 

 fieces which have been previously accumulating in the intestines, Jt is also 

 of a peculiarly nourishing quality, seemingly intended for the very purpose 

 of early invigoration ; and, as it is not fit for the purposes of the dairy, the 

 calf should always be left for a few days with its dam. 



When the calf is cleaned, and has begun to suck, the navel string should 

 be examined, and if it continues to bleed, jMr.Youatt says — " That a ligature 

 should be passed round it closer, but, if it can be avoided, not quite close 

 to the belly. Possibly the spot at which the division of the cord took 

 place may be more than usually sore : a pledget of tow well wetted with 

 Friar's balsam should then be placed over it, confined with a bandage, and 

 clianged every morning and night ; but the caustic applications that are so 

 frequently resorted to should be avoided." Sometimes, however, when 

 all appears to be going on well, inflammation suddenly appears about the 

 navel, between the third and eighth, or tenth day; it should, therefore, be 

 daily examined until all danger of that kind is past, and if any swelling of 

 the part, accompanied by redness and tenderness, should appear, the tumour 

 should be well fomented with warm water until it be dispersed ; or, if the 

 inflammation continue, then surgical assistance must be resorted to, or the 

 disease may become fatal. 



If a male, the animal should be castrated as soon as possible after a 

 month has elapsed after its birth ; for the longer that operation is deferred, 

 the greater will be the danger attending it. 



The forwarding of calves to maturity, whether intended to be reared for 

 stock, or brought to an early market as veal, are objects of great impoi'tance 

 in every point of yiew, and their treatment has necessarily called forth the 

 ingenuity of the most intelligent breeders, for the purposes of developin"- 

 and improving their natural qualities. IVhen meant to he brought up for 

 Ktock, the cows should be so managed as to calve down by the middle of the 

 month of May at the farthest ; as late calves will not be sufficiently rrrown 

 to hardily stand the winter, and the earlier they are dropped in the sprino- 

 the better will they be able to meet the inclemency of the season. Those, 

 liowever, which are dropped in the winter, and housed during that incle- 

 ment season, will thrive surprisingly by being turned into the succulent 

 pastures of the ensuing spring. There are two modes of rearinor them : 

 the one, to allow them to run at large, during a year, with their dams; the 

 other, to wean them after a few days or weeks old. Of these, when a farm 

 contains sufficient rough pasture, the first is unquestionably not only the 

 least troublesome, but is generally found to be productive of the best cattle, 

 and in this manner a large portion of them are fed. It is, however, in 

 frequent instances thought more prudent to reserve the milk for the purposes 

 of the dairy, and then the calves must of course be weaned. 



The ^jrocpss of weanhif] is variously managed by different farmers ; but, 

 whatever may be the jilan which they adopt, they should never lose 

 sight of the object of rearing the animal to perfection ; which can only be 

 properly done by affording it ample sustenance while it is young. They 

 should recollect that the cow's milk, which is intended by nature for its 

 support, contains a large quantity of the richest nutriment, and if the calf 

 be deprived of that, it should have an equal amount of other nourishment ; 

 for, if stinted, it will assuredly grow up to be a gaunt and ill-thriven brute. 



When not let to run witii the cow, the most advisable mode, as it regards 



