LIVE STOCK. 178 



derive very great benefit from them. This will save their teeth, and prevent 

 them from choking themselves, as they might readily do with a piece of bone. 

 Those who have no old bones should purchase a few, and treat them in the 

 way indicated. 



Straw and Bran. — Professor Henry, of the Wisconsin Erperiinental 

 Fann, holds that it is wise economy on the part of the farmer who has a 

 great straw stack, and small herd of cattle, and some hay, and who will not 

 enlarge his herd, to sell the hay at $1 or $8 per ton, and spend the money in 

 buying bran at $11 and $12, and feed it with the straw, together with some oil- 

 meal. Good bright straw is made equal to hay by the addition of the protein 

 in the bran and mieal, and the whole is thus made into a far better quaUtj- of 

 manure than usually comes from the usual way of feeding the hay, and half 

 washing the straw. 



Feeding Bran \Tith Meali — For winter feeding, where cattle are kept 

 in staUa and heavily fed, there is no better divisor for com meal than wheat 

 bran. It is also cheap, and lumishes what the com meal lacks. When cat- 

 tle are fed on com meal as the principal food for fattening, it is apt to clog 

 if fed in too large quantities; hence, our best feeders are in the habit of using 

 bran as the cheapest and best means for rendering the meal fed more di- 

 gestible. 



Rings on Co-ws" Horns. — The first ring appears when the bovine is two 

 years of age, and sometimes before. The ring gradually increases during 

 the third year, and is fully formed at three years; the second ring appears 

 during the fourth year, and is complete at the end of the fit^h year; after 

 that one additional ring is formed each year. A cow with three rings is six 

 years old; with four, seven years old. After nine or ten years the rings are 

 no indication of the age. 



Care or Oxen — Oxen that work on frozen roads, although there is no ice, 

 should be shod. The rough, hard surface wears down the hoofs very fast, 

 and causes inflammation of the interior; the trouble may not become appar- 

 ent until later, when the mischief is diffictilt to repair. If the feet are tender 

 and hot, and a slight lameness is perceived, examine the hoofs between the 

 elaws, cleanse the feet, and apply the needful remedies without delay, and 

 80 save trouble in the future. 



To Exterminate Rats and Mice. — An English ag^cultural paper says: 

 "Several correspondents write to announce the complete extirpation of rats 

 and mice from their cow-stalls and piggeries since the adoption of this sim- 

 ple plan: A mixture of two parts of well-bruised common squills and three 

 pares of finely chopped bacon is made into a stiff mass, with as much meal as 

 may be required, and then baked into small cakes, which are put down for 

 tixG rats to eat." 



CS«rget in Cows._It is said that eight drops of tincture of aconite dropped 

 <m a piece of bread and mixed with the food at night, and next morning four 

 drops more given in the same manner, will generally "complete the cure of 

 garget in cows. 



Scours in Calves. — For scours in calves, a raw egg broken into their 

 milk is the most effectual remedy. A piece of rennet soaked in mUk is alsQ 

 good, but we prefer the raw egg. 



