ANIMALS AND THEIR PRODUCTS. 109 



to keep them in a thriving condition. This, in 150 

 days, would amount to 37^ tons, worth, at least, $375, 

 and he will soon find, if he did not know it before, that 

 his cattle will not gain $375 in value when fed in this 

 way — probably not more than half that amount, ex- 

 cept in those years when stock happens to be very 

 much higher in the spring than the fall before. 

 Three years out of four he will make a heavy loss on 

 his hay. The problem is, how to avoid this loss. If 

 he can keep his cattle more cheaply, and have them 

 grow equally well, he will gain in one direction ; if he 

 can keep them equally cheaply, and have them grow 

 better, he will gain in another direction : if he can 

 gain both these ends — keep them more cheaply, and 

 have them grow faster — then he will gain in both di- 

 rections. These are the points at which the feeder of 

 stock should aim. He must take the best care of his 

 cattle, and give them a variety of food. Let them have 

 pure water ; let it be where they can get it without 

 much trouble ; they should drink little and often, ra- 

 ther than drink enough at once for twenty-four hours. 

 Let them have salt always within their reach. Let 

 them have warm stalls, and a sunny yard, well litter- 

 ed, and thoroughly protected from all cold winds. If, 

 with these conditions, he will give them a little good 

 hay, daily, they will be so hardy, and so contented, 

 that they may be turned off with cheaper food for the 

 principal part of their living, such as second-rate hay, 

 cut straw, with a little corn-meal thrown upon it, roots, 

 corn-stalks, salt hay, swamp grass, almost anything 

 that can by possibility be eaten. If they are to be 

 turned off with much coarse fodder and little fine 



