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THE farmer's CALEN-DAR. 



769 



Horses should be made comfortable. Don't shut up several 

 horses in a low, close, dark stable unless 3^ou wish to breed dis- 

 eases of the lungs. The horse should have a stable high enouffli 

 for the circulation of the air over him; there should be^'no cracks 

 through which the cold air can blow on him. Rub the horses' well 

 when they come warm to the stable. {See article on " Construc- 

 tion OF Stables," — page 2t6.) 



Sheep should ba housed by this time, and coupled with the rams 

 for April and May lambs. Allowing the ram to run with the sheep' 

 is a miserable practice, but if it is followed, no ram should be al- 

 lowed to run with more than fifty sheep, but if kept apart and 

 allowed but a single or once repeated service, a full grown ram 

 may serve double that number. Obtain a fuU-bloodecrram of the 

 breed you desire to raise, if possible. Poor sheep are poor prop- 

 erty; good sheap, of either the wool or mutton breeds are o-ood 

 property. 



Brood Mares should be kept in loose boxes, or roomy stalls, so 

 that they may lie at ease, and change their position at will. Have 

 them, and all norses, sharp shod, so that they shall be in no dan- 

 ger of slipping upon the ice. Give regular exercise in a sunny 

 yard or on the road. 



Cows giving milk or dry, should be well fed and kept gaining. 

 If the cow is in good condition, she may be milked to within four 

 or five weeks of calving, without injury either to herself or her 

 calf If in poor flesh, and kept on dr}^ hay and stalks, she should 

 go dry two, three, or four months. A cow that has a hard time in 

 calving should be well fed, to give her strength, and milked until 

 the new milk springs, that the calf shall not be too lar,ii;e. Throw 

 no fodder tipon the ground, but feed in boxes or racks. Foddei 

 left by the horses and cows, should be sprinkled with salt and 

 water and fed to the sheep. Have water convenient to the yard, 

 or in it, and j^rotect the pipes, now, against freezing. 



Manure. — Well composted manures may well be hauled on the 

 fields whenever there is good sledding, but ordinary barnyard 

 manure should be kei)t under cover. Spread out all the manure 

 from the stables and yard under the sheds, and do not leave it ex- 

 posed to the air, the tVeezing, thawing, and the bleaching which it 

 will get if left out. Never keep the manure of the horse stables 

 by itself, but always mix it with the other manures. Horse 

 manure loses its ammonia more readily than any other manure, 

 and becomes heated, \\\q\\ fire fanged, then dry and almost worth- 

 less. Nearly one half the value of stable manure is lost by leaving 

 it unprotected through the winter. 



Implements.— yiow is the time to have a thorough overhauling 

 of all tools. They should all be hunted up, cleaned, and put 

 under cover. The ploughs, spades, hoes, and all iron implements 

 should be rubbed over with an oiled rag to prevent rust. 1 hero 



