n8 My Little Farm 



that I ever heard of going wrong after leaving me 

 was killed by abundant " mashing," the more 

 injurious after my dry bill of fare ; and when I 

 examined into the particulars, I found that every 

 day for five months, they had forced him to 

 swallow at least three times the quantity of water 

 he required. 



As I do the work, it is obviously lessened to a 

 very large extent. In addition to the saving in 

 calf-health, food-stuff and money, I can feed a 

 dozen calves in the time the neighbours take to 

 feed three, and this part of my preaching at least 

 ought to be popular, in a country where effort is 

 so objectionable. If they do not increase the 

 result by the same effort, as I do, they can take the 

 more probable course of maintaining the result 

 and lessening the effort. If I cannot make their 

 work more productive, I can at least make their 

 laziness easier. In any alternative, they stand 

 indebted to my economy in working power, and 

 they have the farther choice to acknowledge the 

 benefit either in gratitude or outrage, according to 

 direction. Could an indispensable teacher be 

 more accommodating at his own expense ? 



In my scheme, there is yet another factor. The 

 calf does not live by milk and meals alone. No 

 matter what the treatment in milk and meals, no 

 calf of mine ever depends for the rest on pasture 

 only, however ample. At every stage in the 

 nursery, and at every time of the year, I provide 

 something more ; from May to September, 

 vetches ; from September to January, rape and 



