144 
Rearing of Calves. 
ferable ; it is at all times a safe practice to fast tliem at the time 
for the prccodinjr meal. 
As sprin<T advances, the supply of roots to the calves will 
necessarily be fyrcatcr, according; to their increasing age and 
ability to masticate. But it is noways desirable or economical 
to send tliein out to grass very early in the season. Last year we 
saw, on many farms along the line of the Central and North- 
eastern Railways in Scotland, lots of puny, half-starved calves 
crouching on the lee-side of the fence, while the Grampians yet 
retained a full share of their Avintry mantle, and the streams 
running seawards were flooded with the melting snow". This 
was in the early part of May, and we cannot profess to have 
fallen in love with the practice, though probably the unex- 
ampled scarcity of food in the north had something to do with 
it. Better far to spend a few pounds in artificial food, than to 
push the young stock out into the fields prematurely. And you 
Avill do well to beqin by giving them only a few hours afield 
during the day, bringing them in again at night to their pound 
of cake, with a bit of (hay) chaff for the older ones, and the mess 
of skim-milk and linseed gruel for the younger stock. 
If arrangements can be made for summer grazing the calves in 
a park, such as is usually found about a nobleman's place, they 
will do far better there than anywhere else. What with shelter, 
food, and water — the former alike from the l)iting blast, the 
scorching sun, and the tormenting flies ; the latter not only to 
drink of, but to splash about in the running stream — we say there 
house may be reckoned the chief. The owner would do well to have the house 
carefully examined — wash it out, and then try the floor with a pocket-level. If 
the fall is less than an inch to the yard, the bricklayer must be had to remedy 
the defect. Calves void a large quantity of urine in proportion to their size, and 
ample provision must be made for carrying it off freely. Let them also be well 
littered down twice a-day with wheat-straw, the boltens cut through the middle, 
and the straw shaken up together. Encourage them to eat a little sweet green 
hay from a rack before them, and also a few sliced roots, as soon as they will 
take to them. 
" ]jut for immediate action, if the scourge still continues. Watch the pre- 
monitory symptoms, viz. feverishness and refusal of food. Remove the affected 
animal to a warm place, and tie a cloth over the body, which will tend to keep 
up the vital powers. Give a dose of 2 ozs. of castor oil, with half a teaspoonful of 
ground ginger, and a whisked egg. This will remove the offending or irritating 
matter; and then follow up with the free use of 'Day's Gaseous Fluid,' according 
to directions on the bottle. Or if castor oil is not at hand, give about 3 ozs. of 
common salt, in a little wheaten flour gruel. And if the bowels still continue 
relaxed, and the evacuations too watery, the calf must be drenclied twice a-day 
with well-boiled and thickened wheaten gruel. But do not continue its use 
longer than is needful. It is well that nature be allowed to help herself a little. 
Before returning the animal to the calf-house, let the house be well flushed out, 
and washed down with water containing an ounce to the gallon of chloride of 
lime. This will remove any oli'ensive taint or smell- — a precaution very essential 
for the well-being of calves. In conclusion, be not persuaded to employ strong 
astringent medicines ; and do not rest satisfied with rearing less than every calf 
which is in a sound hcallliy condition at birth." 
