ESSEX SOCIETY. 9 



consumptions than the whole Materia Medica, and that for per- 

 sons in health, it is often better unboiled than boiled. 



But for food simply, almost anything could be spared better 

 than milk, in some of its forms. How then does it become ev- 

 ery farmer to increase the quantity, and improve the quality. 

 It is but lately that the attention of cow keepers has been dis- 

 tinctly called to the subject of kind treatment of milch cows. 

 Keep this, too, before the people. It is not necessary, exactly, 

 that the cow should be separated from our parlor by a glass 

 door only, as is the case in Holland. But personal attention 

 and kind treatment she should have. So too, a warm barn, 

 and yet not the stived and sickly underground stables where 

 the cows are often kept in London, where they rarely if ever 

 breathe pure air, and are often found with tubercles in their 

 lungs. Pure air is indispensable, even if it cannot be had with- 

 out being cold. Let them be kept dry, and prevent all accu- 

 mulations of dungy matter upon their hips. But cows should 

 not be curried severely — an animal of a thin skin dreads a 

 heavy carding exceedingly. But by using a stiff brush only, 

 in many cases, the glossy smoothness may be secured, and the 

 skin left without being scratched. This should be used, how- 

 ever, only where the hair is thin. The skin should be reached 

 and invigorated every day with something, effectually but 

 mildly. 



Should neat cattle have their food at three feedings in twen- 

 ty-four hours, or should they have little at a time and often ? 

 The latter will answer, where we can be sure of giving it 

 often. But I incline from observation, to favor' the idea of 

 three feedings daily. First ascertain how much they need, 

 and keep to that, varying it only with the weather, giving 

 more in cold than in warm weather. It is objected that they 

 will blow upon it and leave it. This is most apt to be the 

 case with oxen just out of the yoke, — and, by the by, it is an 

 excellent custom with many to put nothing before oxen till 

 they have time to cool and get quiet. Cows and all neat cat- 

 tle may become as regular to their three meals as swine do, 

 and thrive as well. When at liberty in good feed, they take a 

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