No. 151.] 335 



niacal gas. Twice a week a thin coat of charcoal should be spread 

 over every barn-yard and compost heap. Muck will, to a certain 

 extent, answer the same purpose. " Lord Egremont, of Sussex, En- 

 " gland, used to have his cows tied up during the greater part of 

 " the year; he maintained that one-third of the food was saved, 

 " that his cows were fed with one-fourth part of the usual trouble, 

 " that more dung was made, and that there w^as no spoiling the 

 " ground. He stated that little more than half an acre may be made 

 " to produce grass sufficient, when cut and brought into the stable, to 

 " keep a cow nearly a whole year [in England.] 



Cows and oxen, as ordinarily treated, are much "hardier than hor- 

 ses, and not half as liable to disease. They will endure without ap- 

 parent suffering, extreme cold in winter, and intense heat in summer; 

 they W'ill bear confinement in stables, without much apparent detri- 

 ment to their health, for 18 months. I saw a milch cow in Geneva, 

 Switzerland, which had been confined to a stable for two years; her 

 owner informed me that during that period, she had not been out 

 more than ten times, and then only for an hour or so. She had ne- 

 ver been sick, and was a great milker. When I saw her, she appear- 

 ed to enjoy good health; her toes had grown very long. I found, 

 upon inquiry, that the persons who made milk-selling their business, 

 living in the vicinity of towns, not only in Switzerland, but Ger- 

 many and England, were accustomed to keep their cows in confine- 

 ment the year round, without injury to their health. I imagine the 

 same thing is practiced in the outskirts of the city of New-York. 



It would not be possible to keep the horse in the same manner,, 

 without exercise, and he retain his health, plainly showing that the 

 cow is much hardier in this respect. Still, I much prefer that cattle 

 should have a large yard to exercise in, and enjoy the air. 



My cows, during winter, have each a separate stall, in wdiich they 

 are fastened every night. In the morning, they are curried, brushed 

 and fed, after which they are turned in the yard, and left there during 

 the day. The only people in Europe who generally keep their cow 

 houses cleanly, are the Hollanders. Their cow houses are so neat, 

 that a person not over nice, might dine in them without much offend- 

 ing his olfactory nerves; they are universally airy, remarkably well 

 T'entilated, and perfectly protected from too great a glare of light, 

 •which is found to disturb cattle when ruminating, and to encourage 

 the annoying little fly. 



