340 



THE GENESEE FAPwMER. 



dyestuffs, and chemicals. But, says the farmer, if 

 we are not protected by a duty on imported wool, 

 the price will fall: just as though we cannot make 

 wool as cheap as the foreign farmers ! Aud how 

 much better it is to receive the wool from abroad 

 than the cloth, as the latter kills the tarmer's best 

 customer, the manufacturer of wool ! 



Waiei-loo,y. Y., Oet.\5,iSoi. S. W. 



WINTEKING STOCK. 



Cold winds and the "sere and yellow leaf " of 

 autumn forcibly remind the farmer of the necessity 

 of early forethought and ample provision for the 

 care of his stock through the coming winter. Upon 

 the economical and successful manner in which 

 this is accomplished depends, quite as much as upon 

 any other thing, his success in stock growing aud 

 in farming. " The merciful man is merciful to his 

 beast," aud will not let the unkindly blasts of win- 

 ter blow all too harshly around its unprotected 

 head. 



The farmers tirst care for his stock should be 

 warm shed and stable room for the whole herd. 

 In our opinion, the stahle is the most profitable. 

 Stock, to do well, must be kept warm, as it is im- 

 possible for them to more than live while sl;i>'ering 

 on the sunny side of the barn, stock yard, or rail 

 fence. Every good farmer understands that a cer- 

 tain amount of animal heat is to be kept up, and 

 this is done by the consumption of hay, straw, and 

 grain, as heat is kept up in a stove by the combus- 

 tion of wood or coal. It is not proposed to enter 

 into the chemical changes produced in the case of 

 the food or wood, — both are well-admitted truths, 

 — and the question presented to the farmer is, 

 whether his animal or stove will be most easily 

 and economically kept at a proper temperature 

 under a well constructed stable or liouse, or out- 

 side, exposed to the cold winds of our northern 

 winter. 



If you have the stables and sheds all prepared, 

 you will make a note, and begin to look after the 

 stock. You will hud it bad economy to let them 

 range through meadow, field, orchard, and wood, 

 imtil compelled to come home by the thick falling 

 snow. You may, it is true, have your mow and 

 stacks untouched — but the cold frost-bitten grass 

 has afforded so little nourishment that your stock 

 has already lost flesh. Believe me, dear sir, every 

 pound lost now will cost the value of more than 

 double the number to replace after they come to 

 dry food. 



_ Commence early to put cattle in the stalls for the 

 night, and feed them there, in preference to feeding 

 in the yard or around some stack in a distant field. 

 Cattle will run over hay on the ground aud waste 

 much of it. Stacking at best is but a poor method, 

 for it will not take much cyphering to show that 

 the waste in saving and feeding out of doors will 

 soon pay for comfortable barns and feeding stalls. 

 By beginning early to feed at night the stock may 

 run out days. 



Good hay answers every purpose, but there are 

 stalks, oat and wheat straw which farmers design 

 as part of the forage for winter use. ISfc one con- 

 siders bread or meat alone, palatable food for him- 

 self and family ; neither should he calculate to keep 

 las herd through the winter on hay or straw alone. , 



Hay may be fed once a day, and as a change, cut 

 straw with the addition of a little corn or oatmeal, 

 or shorts, would be very advisable. Perhaps hay 

 that is good does not require cutting, but stalks and 

 straw repay cutting many told. We are satisfied 

 that it would be economy in ail respects to have a 

 good straw cutter, and hire a man, if necessary, to 

 take care of the whole herd, rather than feed coarse 

 fodder whole. 



Roots should not be overlooked. To keep cattle 

 in good coudition, they are very nutritious, and 

 serve as a change from the dry food in general use. 

 Carrots, turnips, and beets, can be so easily and 

 profitably grown that no good herdsman should 

 dispense with them. They are easily kept and cut, 

 and should be used once a day at least, mixed with 

 cut straw or stalks, or by themselves. It would be 

 just as reasonable to keep the farmer's family on 

 one kind of food, through the winter, as to keep a 

 herd of cattle on hay alone. Variety is essential to 

 a good appetite, and it is unquestionably true, that 

 roots will have the effect of making cattle more 

 healthy, just as fresh food and vegetables are better 

 for those who go down to the sea in great ships. 

 Many of the wasting and fatal diseases which dimin- 

 ish the herd in spring, in our opinion, might be pre- 

 vented by a judicious use of roots and grain in 

 winter. 



Water should not be forgotten when providing 

 for stock. It is not enough, that there is a brook 

 in yonder hollow, near half a mile from the barn, 

 for cattle can hardly afford to go so far in wet and 

 muddy weather, and in the deep snow of mid-win- 

 ter they will suff'er for want of water before they 

 will expose themselves to the drifts and cold bleak 

 winds. The water should be in the yard where it 

 will be as warm as possible, and where cattle will 

 be protected from the cold wind while drinking. — 

 Every one has observed the shivering of animals 

 after drinking largely in mid-winter. To prevent 

 this they should have it often, not less than twice 

 a day. It is the practice of many farmers to let 

 sheep go without water except that obtained by 

 eating snow, all through the winter. It is a greet 

 mistake. They will drink three or four times in a 

 day when they can have water without trouble. 



Salt is important in the winter treatment of all 

 kinds of stock, A supply should be placed where 

 they can obtain it at any time. This may be done 

 by putting some lumps in a box under a shed, — 

 They will taste a little nearly every day, never eat- 

 ing more than they need. When salted only at 

 long intervals they eat too much, producing bad 

 consequences. 



One great object with farmers in wintering stock 

 should be to make as much manure as possible, and 

 save all that is made. For this purpose, if not kept 

 in stables the cattle should be confined to the yards. 

 All the manure dropped in the snow path, when 

 wandering after water, or running at random over 

 the fields, is nearly a loss. Domestic animals are 

 the farmer's apparatus by means of which his hay, 

 grain, straw, rov)ts, etc., are manufactured into 

 flesh, muscle, and bone, as well as elaborated for 

 manure with which to feed the growing crop, and 

 keep the whole farm in the best condition. They 

 should claim a large share of the time and attention 

 of every farmer, for those who give such care reap 

 a rich reward, w. 



