THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



49 



CALVES RUNNING WITH COWS. 



A wriler in the Farmers' Cabinet saj's — " My 

 experience extends to many hundred cases, lor 

 upon the hills ol' JSootlaml it is the universal prac- 

 tice to permit the calves to remain with their dams 

 durin<r the summer, hut such are never known or 

 expected to make superior cows Ibr tlic dairy, and 

 lijr this reason. 



" J)epend upon it, to make a deep milker, the 

 bag must be periodically distended, antl those wlio 

 suppose that to allow ilie calves to remain v/ith 

 their dams through the summer would be to the 

 injury of" the cows, liave not come to that conclu- 

 sion without ' reason or evidence.' Besides, does 

 not the writer in a measure admit the possibility 

 of the case, when he thinks it possible that the 

 cows, under such treatment, might grow fat ? — as 

 they assuredly will — it is not often that cows, 

 when kept to the pail, are troubled with this incon- 

 venience." Lothian. 



A COmPARISON OF THE DIFFERENT BREEDS 

 OF SHEEP. 



From tlie Western Fanner and Gardener. 



In the western states, where land is, of course, 

 not so valuable as in the east, the Bakewell breed 

 of sheep, although of a more tender constitution 

 than the Southdown and Cotsvvold, and of coarser 

 and smaller fleece, may be advantageously kept 

 ibr their wool, notwithstanding its quality is rather 

 coarse ; it appears, however, Irom all the informa- 

 tion on this subject, (the comparative value of the 

 breeds ol' sheep,) that the Southdown and Cots- 

 wold, are much hardier, better nurses of their 

 lambs, and require less attention through our 

 winter, and will live on shorter pasture in summer. 

 The Merino and Saxon sheep have often too much 

 the same objection as the Bakewell ; they are of 

 rather weakly constitutions, and not very good \n, 

 rearing their lambs. Some of the Southdown 

 wool is pretty fine and makes good cloth ; the 

 mutton is, perhaps, superior to all other kinds, 

 (excepting some ol" the small Welsh breeds,) 

 their constitutions are very vigorous and etrooij, 

 and they will make a living in any situation. The 

 Cotswold are equally hardy, but want richer keep 

 than the Southdown, their fleeces weigh heavy, 

 and their quarters have been known to reach SO 

 pounds in England. Some of the Southdown 

 and Cotsvvold lambs have weighed, at six months 

 old, 60 pounds, and when full grown 240 pounds. 

 It seems, amongst many other "hard cases" in 

 agricultural efforts (Ijr improvement among farm- 

 ers, very difficult to convince people of the be- 

 nefit they derive from having good slock. They 

 complain too much of the first cost, without con- 

 sidering that in two or three years there is a fair 

 prospect of not only seeing their money back 

 aeain, but probably ten times as much more. 

 We do not wish to advise farmers to go beyond 

 their means on much uncertainty, but we do say, 

 that twenty dollars laid out for the best breed of 

 pigs, and fifty to one hundred dollars (or sheep, 

 or one hundred to two hundred dollars towards 

 improving their cattle, will, with proper manage- 

 ment and attention to the sale of their produce, 

 pay a handsome profit at the end of a tew year?, 

 Vol. IX.-4 



besides supplying superior articles at cheaper 

 keep (on account of the fattening properties of the 

 best breeds) (or domestic use, and enjoyment of 

 both sight and taste. We subjoin, in the first 

 place, a comparative statement of the value of 

 the difl'erunt breeds of sheep. 



Saxon iamb 6 months old, weighing 18 pounds 



at 6 cents, gl 08 



JNIerino lamb do .do 20 1 20 



Bakewell do do 30 1 80 



Cotswold do do 60 3 60 



Southdown do do 50 3 00 



In the second place, their wool 

 Saxon fleece weighing 3 lbs. at 40 cents $1 20 



Merino do 3 31 93 



Bakewell do 5 20 1 00 



Cotswold do 10 25 2 50 



Southdown do 5 31 1 65 



Of course this is rating the best breed of sheep 

 at the price of the common kind, which cannot be 

 for a long time to come. These animals are now 

 worth about twenty dollars each at least. 



In the third place we give a comparative state- 

 ment of the value of sheep when full grown ; — 



Saxon sheep weighing 50 lbs. at 4 cents §2 00 



Merino do GO 4 2 40 



Bakewell do 110 4 4 40 



Southdown do 240 4 9 60 



DOMESTIC ANIMALS — THEIR DISEASES AND 

 FOOD, 



For tlie Farmers' Register. 



Reason would say to us that no iarmer should 

 be without horses, cows, hogs, and sheep. If the 

 question be asked, which of those animals could, 

 with most propriety, be dispensed with, perhaps it 

 would be ditlerenlly answered by difi'erent persons. 

 Althougla the horse is very valuable, yet we could 

 use oxen, and dispense with him. Although the 

 hog yields the greater portion of our meat, yet we 

 could dispense with him. Although the cow 

 yields us meat, milk, butter, and leather, yet we 

 could (though illy) dispense with her. Although 

 the ox yields us labor, meat, and leather, yet we 

 could dig with the hoe and spade, and (though 

 illy) dispense with him. But tlie sheeji yields us 

 meat for sustenance, and wool and leather for 

 comfort, and how can we dispense with liim 1 



After an understanding that each (ijrmer is to 

 depend on his own resources, (and this is the true 

 principle,) if the question be asked me, which of 

 those animals 1 would first relinquish? I would 

 answer the hoiz; — second the horse — third the cow 

 — and lastly, the sheep. I can make bread with- 

 out the horse or ox ; lean subsist witliout bacon 

 or beef, but the sheep affords me both meat and 

 clothing ; therefore, with a single choice, give ma 

 the sheep; but, as above remarked, I think that no 

 liirmer should be satisfied with less than all. But 

 as there are exceptions to many general rules, so 

 with this; for markets afl'ect localities, and locali- 

 ties affect health — consequently, the circumspect 

 farmer will adapt his business to his situation, and 

 depend on barter to supply his wants, always re- 

 membering that this bartering is a consumption of 

 time, consequently costly. 



