AND FEEDING OF CATTLE. 15 



a plentifol supply of water, and, if possible, a shed to retire 

 into at pleasure, which will protect them from both sun and 

 rain. The linseed is best prepared by steeping- in cold water 

 from morning- to nig-lit, and from nig-ht to morning- ; and 

 when put upon the fire, not to boil more than twenty 

 minutes, thereby retaining- more of the essential oil, a g-reat 

 part of which is too frequently evaporated in steam by an 

 excess of boiling-, thereby rendering- the food less nutritious. 



V/hen your cows are put to g-rass in the spring-, they will 

 improve in their milk, so as to enable you to allow your last 

 dropped calves a plentiful supply of milk thrice in the day, 

 by which means you must try to g-et them up to the older 

 calves both in size and condition (and this may be done by 

 continuing- their new milk two or three weeks long-er, or, if 

 butter is an object, by giving-, after they are six weeks old, 

 half new milk for a few weeks) ; for nothing- adds so much 

 to the beauty of a young- stock, as to have them well matched 

 both in size -and condition. 



After your calves are weaned, they must be forced forward 

 with the best keep you can aiford them, such as clover fog-, 

 old land fog-, or young- seeds ; but care should be taken that 

 they never g-o upon clovers after rain, or when there is dew 

 upon them ; for at such times they are liable to g-et hoven, 

 or, if not, the effect of too much damp luxuriant food taken 

 upon the stomach is more than likel}^ to produce other com- 

 plaints, and none sooner than that fatal one known as black 

 quarter. 



About the middle or end of October, they shoidd be 

 brought into a shed at nig-hts, or, if the weather be cold, 

 taken in for winter ; they should then be supplied regularly 

 with good seed hay, and Swede turnips, cut, with one or 

 two pounds of cake each per day, and a plentiful supply of 

 litter, never forgetting that cleanliness is half meat. Choose 

 the warmest and best sheltered sheds for 3'our young stock, 

 as they are most liable to take cold ; in the following- spring 

 they will go out fi-esh to a good pasture ; and, if fortunate, 

 •will come up in October good rough beef, and then be put 

 on full turnips, with oat straw and a few pounds of cake per 

 day ; about the following- March or April, your first lot of 

 winter calves will be fit for the butcher, being then two 

 years and four or five months old. Your next lot of spring- 

 calves must then be pushed forward, and by the end of May 

 will also be fit for the butcher (they being- about two years 

 and four months old), and may either be sold or put to grass 



