32 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



" In Devonsliire, the rules commonly followed in rearing calves, are 

 nearly as follows : The greatest number are usually dropped between 

 Candlemas and May, and some much later; but the most experienced 

 breeders prefer the earliest. They are permitted to suck as much as 

 they like, three times a day, for the first week, after which they are 

 suckled by hand, and fed with warm new milk for three weeks longer. 

 They are then fed, during the two following months, twice a day, with 

 as much warm skim milk as they can drink — in which some breeders 

 mix a small portion of finely pounded linseed cake,* or meal ;#after 

 which the meals of milk are gradually abated, and at the end of four 

 months they are wholly weaned from milk, and left to themselves at 

 pasture. 



" In the northern counties of England, it is a common practice to give 

 the calves equal parts of milk and sweet whey, made lukewarm ; but as 

 this mode often produces scouring or looseness, we think the following 

 method, which was a few years since communicated to the public by a 

 spirited and experienced breeder, is greatly preferable. For the first 

 four or five weeks, he fed them regularly, but oftener than is usually 

 done, with new and skimmed milk, at the end of which time his calves 

 were gradually taught to drink strong watei'-gruel, consisting of equal 

 parts of bean or oat-meal, mixed with the gruel after the latter is 

 removed from the fire. This method of treatment he is stated to have 

 pursued with great success for many years ; his calves being strong and 

 healthy, while every thing that could tend to retard their growth was 

 effectually prevented. 



"In the county of Norfolk, calves are fed with .-kiinmed milk, in which 

 is mixed a little wheaten flour ; they have also chopped turnips in a 

 trough ; and some hay in a low rack. As soon as these animals learn 

 to eat turnips freely, they are no longer supplied with milk, these roots, 

 with the addition of a little hay, furnishing them both with food and 

 drink. The period of x'aising calves in the above mentioned county, is 

 from the first of October to the first of February; but the time of feed- 



* Lest we should be understood as indiscriminatolji rocommendinji the use 

 of linseed as food for calves, either in form of infusion or of ground oil cake, 

 we would say that its use in the rearing of dairy stock, cattle for labor, or for 

 store, should be avoided. We are of opinion that its use once begun cannot 

 be discontinued ; and that while it forces the animal to early maturity, and 

 keeps it in high condition, profitable to the breeder of beef, still it is injurious 

 to certain faculties and functions necessary to be preserved in animals whose 

 service begins at a later period of life — such as the dairy cow, and the work- 

 ing ox. This matter is more fully discussed in the following pages. Tiie remarks 

 applied to linseed, we would also apply to all articles of food, of a highly 

 stimulatinji and I'attcniuu nature. 



