LARGE COUNTRY VILLAS. 339 



appearance than this Ime, and yet it is very difficult to prevent it; the only 

 way, indeed, is to suiTound the trees with guards (see p. 264. to p. 267.) ; but 

 even these are not always efficacious, and they are not at all ornamental. 

 Many persons, to avoid this unpleasant appearance, plant no trees in the 

 paddock where the horse or cow is to graze, and separate it from the shrub- 

 bery by an iron fence. Others do not suifer their cows to graze at all, but 

 keep them constantly in the cow-house, and feed them with cut grass, grains, 

 and hay. 



402. The management of cows, when kept in the field, is very simple ; as 

 they require scarcely any other care than milking at regular times, and taking 

 care that they have an abundant supply of water. Cows are very particular 

 in having clean water; and where there is a pond, they generally go into the 

 deepest part before they attempt to drink. They like to chew the cud in the 

 shade ; and if there are no trees in the paddock where they graze, they should 

 have an open shed to afford them shelter during the hottest part of the day. 

 A cow is seldom healthy if she is kept always iu the same field, as she is very 

 delicate in her appetite, and does not like grass that has been trodden down 

 or lain upon, till it has quite recovered itself. She also requires long grass, 

 as she twists the grass round her tongue before she bites it, instead of nibbling 

 it like sheep and horses. The cow dung should also be spread with a fork ; 

 as, unless this is done, strong, common grass will spring up from every place 

 where a patch of cow dung has lain, and this grass no cow will eat. Cows 

 kept in a field, should not be put in a cow-house at night; as they are very 

 apt to take cold if kept in a warm cow-house all night, "and turned out about 

 sun-rise. They are peculiai'ly sensible to all changes of temperature, espe- 

 cially from heat to cold. They also give less milk when kept in the cow- 

 house all night, and turned out in the morning ; as they will seldom eat dry 

 food when they have been used to grass. It is also a well-known fact that 

 grass about sun-rise, when the dew is just evapor'ating, is very unwholesome 

 for cows, and very apt to make them what is called hoven, or blown. Before 

 sun-rise, while the dew is on the grass, it is not unwholesome ; and hence 

 cows which sleep in the field are always found by the dairy-maid, when she 

 goes to milk them at sun-rise, to have finished their morning meal, and to be 

 standing, chewing the cud. When, on the contrary, they are turned out at 

 sun-rise, they are too hungry to wait, and they begin to eat the grass 

 immediately. 



403. Management of cows kept constantly in a cow-house, — Unnatural as it 

 may seem, it does not appear that constant confinement has any bad effect 

 upon the health of the cow, or occasions any diminution of her milk. We 

 have already mentioned (§ 354. in p. 259.) that in some of the large London 

 dairies cows have been kept for two years in the same stall without being 

 once untied ; and in some country places the same plan is adopted, partly 

 from motives of economy, and partly to prevent any injury being done to 

 the shrubberies. That this plan is most economical, is evident from the fact, 

 that three acres of grass land is generally allowed to each cow, by persons 

 calculating how much stock a farm will maintain ; while one acre is sufficient 

 for a stall-fed cow, if only one-half be kept in pasture, and the other sown 

 with beans and carrots. The cow should be fed four times a day, in summer 

 alternately with grass and lucern, and in winter alternately with hay and 

 carrots. The grass should be given fresh ; but the lucern should be allowed 



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