Practical Agriculture. 
4:93=227 
orn out of due season, and, if reared, it must be treated as a hot- 
ouse plant until the following spring ; and by the unnatural 
,'ason at which it was calved, the animal is to a great extent 
eprived of the genial rays of the sun and the invigorating and 
'freshing breezes, the fond caresses of its dam and the free 
sercise of its body, all of which are essentially requisite for the 
oung calf's healthy growth. The dam has to be kept through 
tie winter upon good and expensive food, or she will give no 
lilk." 
Suppose that a heifer is to calve late in autumn, the very same Autumn 
bjections are in force, except that there is less danger of calving, 
uerperal fever at calving. The natural tendency of the cow is 
> yield most milk directly after calving ; but the circumstances 
nder which she has been kept for many months check rather 
lan favour its production, and the lacteal organs have become 
luch less active before the cow obtains the spring succulent 
)od which is most conducive to the production of milk, 
he calf, too, has to be raised like a hot-house plant, i.e. it is 
ouse-fed, and subject to unnatural treatment at a period of its 
fe when the foundation of its constitution should be substantially 
lid. When dairying is a consideration, the cow is compara- 
vely unprofitable during the best season for milk. Suppose, 
ow, that a heifer is to calve in April or May, she must be with 
16 bull in July, or early in August, at a period when both 
,iimals have been partaking of young and succulent vegetation. 
7hile in-calf, she can be kept in the most inexpensive manner 
aring the winter ; and as spring advances, and the day of par- 
irition draws near, her food should be improved, and she can 
3 allowed a few hours daily in the pastures. The young, rich, 
dcy grasses will then purify her blood and develop her milking 
roperties. In a few days after calving the heifer finds in the 
istures the food best calculated to meet her wants, at a time 
hen her natural tendency to produce milk is most active, 
he calf has free liberty in the open air, its vital organs, as 
ell as every muscle, being brought into healthy action by fresh 
r and exercise, and the foundation of a robust constitution early 
id. Compare this with the winter " hot-house " treatment, to 
hieh. the words of Dr. Hitchman of Derby (a Shorthorn breeder) 
•e applicable ; — " Exclude a young growing animal from light, 
"ep him warm by means only of the carbonic acid gas which 
" has breathed from his lungs, and by the decomposition of his 
etted bedding and the ammoniacal gases which emanate from 
is secretions, and you plant the seeds of scurvy, black-leg, and 
lose other complaints which carry off calves suddenly and 
)pelessly." 
There is no doubt that one reason why we hear so much of 
