RECEIPT BOOK. 75 



Cattle, from one year old to three, will usually 

 get a living in summer, and even thrive, upon the 

 commons, or in the meanest, and most bushy pas- 

 tures. And in winter the poorest fodder will keep 

 them alive. And as our farmers know these things, 

 they are very apt to treat their young cattle in this 

 manner. Those which are so treated, may often- 

 times become as hardy cattle as any; but they will 

 be small, and therefore not so profitable. Far- 

 mers in general are too ambitious to keep a large 

 stock of cattle: A necessary consequence of which 

 is, that they are pinched in their Ibod, and never 

 come to their full growth. Another ill conseqence 

 is, their growing unruly and mischievous through 

 hunger, learning to leap over fences, or break 

 through them, , 



It would certainly be more conducive to the 

 mterest of iarmers, to keep smaller stocks of cat- 

 tle than they do; for then they would be able to 

 feed them to, the full. Their oxen would be much 

 larger and stronger than they are, and their cows 

 would give plenty of milk, and bring large calves; 

 not to say how much they would save in taxes, by 

 reducing their number of rateable cattle. 



Farmers should allow their young stock the best 

 of pasture. This would keep them out of mis- 

 chief, prevent their learning bad tricks, and pre- 

 vent many ill accidents which befal them. And it 

 would he no small advantage always to know where 

 to find them. But, in the common method of treat- 

 ing them, it is too common a case for them to strag- 

 gle so far from home, that the owner entirely looses 

 them; <»r else spends as much time as they are 

 worth, in seeking after them. 



If a young stock vrcre well fed at all seasons. 



