230 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



[Feb. 11, 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1825. 



jFarmci-'s (Kaleirtar. 



Attention to Stock. — Care is as necessary as 

 labour to successful cultivation; and hard work 

 will avail nothing, if lubouring hands are accom- 

 panied by a heedless head. A moment's negli- 

 gence — some apparently trivial slip of memory 

 — or casual omission of duty, may nndo what 

 months of toil have effected. The neat stock of 

 some folks will always look as if the crows had 

 sent compliments to them, even when their 

 owners have all the means of good keeping at 

 command. This phenomenon is caused by want of 

 care — want of minute, critical attention to little, 

 but ind:spensible things. Cattle must not only 

 be well fed, but must have their food in due 

 season. They likewise require good water at 

 command, dry lodging, and are less injured by 

 cold than by dampness. '• Nothing," says an old 

 English writer, "in winter beats out cows and 

 oxen, or makes them pitch [fall away] more 

 than their being wet on their back and loins ; 

 for cattle carrying their hides wet day after day, 

 is as bad to them as it would be to us to wear 

 wet clothes. The same injury arises to poor 

 straw fed cattle, working in wet weather ; one 

 day's work in such case harming them more 

 than three of equal labour in dry weather." 



" Cattle well summered,''^ says Mr Lisle," are 

 half aiin^frerf, th(it is to say, caflle going to their 

 winter's quarters in high condition, will pre- 

 serve a good plight throughout the winter ; — 

 whereas such as have been fed upon short com- 

 mons during the summer, and go to hay or straw 

 in a weak condition, are liable to become iiporse 

 or even to drop off in the winter, paiticularly 

 if it be unfavourable. Very young cattle and 

 old cows are the most dangerous stock, under 

 these circumstances." ]\lr Lawrence, in com- 

 menting on this paragraph, says, " To the above 

 well grounded position may bo added — Cattle 

 well wintered are half summered ; they are able 

 to encounter either extreme of rank and sur- 

 feiting or low summer keeping, with greater 

 safety than weak and starved cattle." 



It is very proper, and indeed aintiost indis- 

 pensible, that every farmer should keep an ac- 

 count of the time when his cons are driven to 

 the male. Mr Lawrence says, " The period of 

 GESTATION with the cow, having a bull call', is, 

 according to my own accounts, Uvn hundred and 

 cigli-iy-seven daijs^ or forty-one weeks,^ with the 

 variation of a few days, either way ; a cow calf 

 comes in about a week less time." Mr Lisle 

 says, that a "cow should be dried within two 

 months of her calving, as, to milk longer most 

 necessarily impoverishes both cow and calf to a 

 greater amount than the value of the milk." 



The following modes of drying away the milk 

 of cows have been recommended. Mr Lisle says, 

 " half-miik the cow two or three times, and a- 

 noint the udder with tar. Also, if the milk re- 

 turn, and irritate the cow, whilst she is at grass, 

 drenches of a \>m\ of verjuice, at two or three 

 days' distance, are directed." Mr Lawrence, 

 however says, " I apprehend the verjuice would 

 be more aalely and eftectually bestowed upon the 

 udder tbao j»iternally." Clarke, one of our ve- 



terinary writers of reputation, relates that a 

 horse was killed by a drink of a pint of vinegar. 



Monk's " Agricultural Dictionary," an English 

 work of reputation, gives the following recipe 

 for drying cows, which it is intended to fatten, 

 or which have approached so nigh to the time 

 of their calving, that it is thought improper to 

 milk them any longer. 



" Take an ounce of powdered alum ; boil it 

 in two quarts of milk, till it turns into whey ; 

 then take a large handful of sage, and boil it in 

 the whey till you reduce it to one quart ; rub her 

 udder with a little of it, and give her the rest 

 by way of drink; milk her clean before you give 

 it" to her ; and as you see need requires, repeat 

 it. Draw a little milk from her every second 

 or third day, lest her udder be overcharged." 

 We believe, however, that in this country there 

 has rarely occurred much difficulty in drying a- 

 way the milk of cows. The means which we 

 have frequently known used, have been poor 

 keeping and half milking. 



" The progress of the cow in her gestation 

 being duly watched, every needful assistance 

 may be administered to her, immediately before, 

 and at the critical moment of parturition. It is 

 the custom in some parts to decrease the quan- 

 tity or quality of keeping a few weeks previous- 

 ly to the cow's calving, witfyhe view of lower- 

 ing her condition, lest her being too full of flesh 

 may be an im|)eili(i.ent to her delivery. 1 am led 

 both by theory and observation to condemn this 

 practice. 



" Nothing, however, can be more improper 

 than over-latness in the lemale. A judicious 

 breeder will preserve such a medium in this 

 affair, by observing with the females such a reg- 

 imen as will impart to them sufficient nourish- 

 ment without overloading them with fat." 



In the tirst volume of the New England Far- 

 mer, page 1.57, we publi-hed from Monk's Agri- 

 cultural Dictionary the following passage: 



" Those cows wliJch give the greatest quanti- 

 tv of mi Ik are most profitable for suckling calves, 

 for rich milk is said net to be so proper food for 

 calves as milk which is less valuable for dairy 

 purposes. Milk which contains a large propor- 

 tion of cream is apt to clog the stomachs of 

 calves; obstruction puis a slop fo their thriving, 

 and sometime* proves fatal. For this reason, 

 calves should be fed with the milk which first 

 comes from the cow, which is not so rich as that 

 which is last drawn." We have had the testi- 

 mony of a very judicious jiractical cultivator to 

 confirm the assertions in the paragrapli almve 

 ntioted, who informs ns that he has ascertained 

 Liy actual and repeated experiment, that those 

 cows which give the poorest milk lor the dairy 

 are the best for suckling calves. 



" No calf, lamb, or other animal," says Mr. 

 Lisle, " should he caught by the tail, as it strains 

 and inflames the loins and kidneys." 



The tirst calf of a heifer is said to be best for 

 rearing; and the reason assigned is, that the 

 dam is not reduced by milking her while she is 

 \vith calf 



Erratum. — In the communication of the lion. Judge 

 Li.NCoLN, ill our last paper, page 222, third line of the 

 first column, for " prospects and value," read " prop- 

 erties and value." 



JYational Legislature. 



.SEXATE.— Ja.v. 28. A bill was reported to provide 

 for the seizure and sale of property brought into port 

 in violation of the revenue laws- 



A memorial was presented on the subject of the a- 

 trocities committed by pirates on the cnast of Cuba. 



Ja.v. 31. The question being for striking out that 

 ■Section of the bill for the suppression of piracy, which 

 authorizes the blockade of the ports of Cuba, a long- 

 debate ensued. This motion was opposed by Mr Mills, 

 Mr Lloyd, and Mr Barbour, by eloquent speeches of 

 great length, and supported by Mr Van Buren. 



Feb. ]. The Senate resumed the consideration of the 

 bill for the suppression of piracy, and after debate it was 

 decided to strike out tlie section. — yeas 37, nays 10. 



Feb. 2. Th is day was occupied principally in atten- 

 tion to private and local business. 



HOUSE. — Ja.v. 28. An engrossed bill making fur- 

 ther provision for the punishment of certain crimes a- 

 gainstthe United States, was read a third time, passed, 

 and sent to the Senate. 



The provision in the bill for regulating the Post OiEce, 

 limiting the papers, to be received by printers in ex- 

 change, to fifty, was expunged. 



Ja.v. 31. k resolution passed, requesting information 

 from the President touching the capture and detention 

 of American fishermen in the hay of Fundy. 



Feb. 1. This day was occupied in appropriation bills. 



Feb. 2. A bill from the Senate, providing a compen- 

 sation to the persons directed by the Electors to deliv- 

 er votes for President and Vice President, was reported 

 and ordered to be engrossed. ^ 



Feb. 3. Mr Clay, the Speaker, requested the at- 

 tention of the House to a note, published in the Na- 

 tional Jntelligencer, by Mr Kremer, a member from 

 Penn. in which he adopted as his own a previous letter, 

 published in another print, containing serious charges 

 against him in regard to the Presidential election. This 

 address, after debate, was entered on the Jsufnal of 

 the House, and a further consideration of the subject 

 postponed until to-morrow. 



JMassacluiset Is Lcgisla t urc. 



SENATE.— Feb. 2. The Committee, on the subject 

 of giving notice to the debtor of the?ale of mortgaged 

 estate, made a report that no alteration is necessary in 

 the law providing for the sale of rights in equity to re- 

 deem real estate. 



A number of bills passed to be engrossed, and some 

 to be enacted. 



A question relative to striking out a clause in the 

 Amherst College bill, providing that the Government 

 shall not be pledged to grant pecuniary aid to said 

 College, was decided in the negative. — Yeas 10, 

 Nays 21. 



Fee. 3. A Committee was joined, in concurrence 

 with the House, on the subject of limited copartner- 

 sh?ps. 



The Senate adjourned at an early hour to attend to 

 the adjourned meeting of the Board of Overseers of 

 Harvard College. ^ 



Feb. 4. A bill to establish a College in .\mherst, I 

 passed to be engrossed. I 



A bill concerning costs in criminal actions before Jus- ' 

 tices of the Peace, was read a second lime and com- 

 mitted. I 



Fjlb. 5. A resolve was passed providing for the Ag- I 



