b ON THE RIZARING OF CATTLE. 



tion. In addition, therefore, to all that is necessary for its 

 own sustenance and existence, the cow forms a new and 

 complete animal ; it also secretes food for this new animal, 

 which is to sustain and increase it for a considerable time 

 after its birth; for the milk, like the blood, is the most 

 perfect food, and contains every substance of which the body 

 is built. When sucking- is at an end, should we not imitate 

 nature, a sure and unerring- g-uide to philosophic truth ? 

 Any animal — whether cow, horse, sheep, or pig- — having- its 

 own existence to support (I Avill add, in ag'ricultural lan- 

 §-uag-e, ''in g-ood condition"), a new animal to form, and 

 one also to feed, is, to say the least of it, in a most important 

 and interesting- condition. Is such an animal to be sent to 

 feed upon a scanty pasture, to be turned into a wet and 

 miserable farm-yard, or kept upon straw, and an occasional 

 turnip, until she is little better than a bag- of bones ; and 

 then, forsooth, to expect a, fine healthy offspring-, with an 

 abundance of milk for its sustenance ? And if such brilliant 

 expectations are not realized, the fault is to be laid upon the 

 poor beast, — ". She is not a good milker ;" or to the land, — 

 ^' It will not do for rearing-, or for dairy purposes ;" in sliort, 

 ■upon anything- rather than upon their own stupid, ignorant, 

 and thoughtless minds. Breeding- stock, gentlemen, cannot 

 he kept too well ; thev' are, in truth, feeding- stock to others, 

 and oug'ht to have the best a farm affords; the best pastures 

 in the summer, with cabbage, and common turnips in the 

 autumn; Swedes, sweet straw, oil -cake, and hay in the 

 winter; and in the spring-, after calving-, some mang-el- 

 wurzel, steamed potatoes, and hay, until the grass time 

 ag-ain. 



To nourish the young- animal in the womb af its mother, 

 an additional quantity of food must be g-iven, and this cpian- 

 tity must be increased as the state of pregnancy advances; 

 and the kind of additional food must readily supply the 

 materials of the g-rowing- bones and muscles of the iwtus, 

 and contain a larg-er fpiantity of starch or sugar, also, than 

 the mother in her ordinary state would require. This is 

 required by the circumstance that the mother must now 

 breathe for herself and her young- — the cjuantity of blood is 

 increased, more oxyg-en is taken in by the lung's, and conse- 

 ijuently more carbonic acid is g-iven oft". A certain pro- 

 portion of bone and muscle also must be supplied to the 

 young' animal by the food g-iven to the mother, or the bones 

 and muscles of the mother herself will be laid luider contri- 



