LIVE STOCK. 



may be the reverse in another ; and, 

 as a general maxim, it may be laid 

 down, that the fewer mouths he has 

 to feed, unless tlioy |)roduce an evi- 

 dent protit, the less loss he is likely 

 to incur. But this rule admits of 

 many exceptions. It is of great im- 

 portance, in taking a farm, to calcu- 

 late the extent of the arable land, so 

 that it can be properly cultivated by 

 a certain number of pairs of horses 

 or oxen. It is an old measure of 

 land to divide it into so many ploughs ; 

 that is, so many portions which can 

 be tilled with one plough each. When 

 there are several of these, it is useful 

 to have an odd horse over the usual 

 number required for two or three 

 ploughs, to relieve the others occa- 

 sionally. The work is thus done 

 more regularly and with greater ease. 

 Where there are two ploughs, with 

 two horses each, a fifth horse should 

 be kept, and so in proportion for a 

 greater number. The odd horse will 

 always be found extremely useful, if 

 not indispensable, and the expense 

 of his keeping will be amply repaid 

 by the regularity and ease with which 

 the whole work of the farm will be 

 done, and the relief which occasional 

 rest will give to the other horses. 



" The other part of the live stock 

 kept on a farm nuist depend on vari- 

 ous circumstances. Where there is 

 good grazing land, the profit on the 

 improvement of the live stock, or 

 their produce, is evident and easily 

 ascertained. But where animals are 

 kept upon artificial food, or fatted in 

 stalls, it is often a difficult question 

 to answer whether there is a profit 

 on their keep or not. In most cases, 

 the manure which their dung and lit- 

 ter afford is the chief object lor which 

 they are kept. If manure could be 

 obtained in sufficient quantities to 

 recruit the land at a reasonable price, 

 it might often be more advantageous 

 to sell off all the hay and straw of a 

 farm, and to keep only the cattle ne- 

 cessary to till the ground or supply 

 the farmer's family ; but this can 

 only be the case in the immediate 

 neighbourhood of large towns. In 

 the country at a greater distance no 

 466 



manure can be purchased ; it must, 

 consequently, be produced on the 

 farm ; and for this purpose live stock 

 must be kept, even at a loss. The 

 management and feeding of live 

 stock are, therefore, an important 

 part of husbandry. The object of the 

 farmer is, principally, to obtain ma- 

 nure for his land ; and if he can do 

 this, and at the same time gain some- 

 thing on the stock by which it is ob 

 tained, he greatly increases his prof- 

 its. Hence much more skill has been 

 displayed in the selection of profita- 

 ble stock than in the improvement 

 of tillage. Some inen have made 

 great profits by improving the breed 

 of cattle and sheep, by selecting the 

 aniinals which will fatten most read- 

 ily, and by feeding them economical- 

 ly. It requires much experience and 

 nice calculations to ascertain what 

 stock is most profitable on different 

 kinds of land and in various situa 

 tions. Unless very minute accounts 

 be kept, the result can never be ex- 

 actly known. It is not always the 

 beast which brings most money in 

 the market that has been most prof- 

 itable ; and many an animal which 

 has been praised and admired has 

 caused a heavy loss to the feeder. 

 Unless a man breeds the animals 

 which are to be fatted, he must fre- 

 quently buy and sell ; and an accu- 

 rate knowledge of the qualities of 

 live stock, and their value, both lean 

 and fat, is indispensable. However 

 honest may be the salesman he may 

 employ, he cannot expect him to feel 

 the same interest in a purchase or 

 sale, for which he is paid his com- 

 mission, as the person whose profit 

 or loss depends on a judicious selec- 

 tion and a good bargain. Every farm- 

 er, therefore, should endeavour to ac- 

 quire a thorough knowledge of stock, 

 and carefully attend all markets with- 

 in his reach, to watch the fluctuation 

 in the prices. It will generally be 

 found that the principal profit in feed- 

 ing stock is the manure ; and to this 

 the greatest attention should be di- 

 rected. A little management will 

 often greatly increase both the quan- 

 tity and quality of this indispensable 



