288 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[October, 
Fall Feed for Cows. 
It's of no use to think of keeping up the 
quantity and quality of our butter, if we neg- 
lect the fall feeding of our cows. When the 
grass has been bitten by the frost several times, 
it loses its sweetness and its substance. There 
may be enough in bulk, but the animals do not 
like it as well, and it does not make as much 
milk or fatness. The pasture feed must be gradu- 
ally supplemented by fodder. And we can well 
afford to go to the trouble and expense of it, for 
butter sells at very remunerative prices. Corn 
stalks not yet dry will generally be eaten up 
clean, and a few thrown out morning and night 
are not only relished, but have a direct and 
marked effect on the milk product. Sweet ap- 
ples especially, fed in reasonable quantities, are 
good ; but do not let the cows have the run of 
the orchard. Pumpkins are first-rate, a few at 
a time, twice a day, with all the seeds removed. 
Cabbage leaves, beet and turnip and carrot tops, 
and such like garden refuse, are excellent. A 
little dry hay may also be given to advantage, 
feeding out only what will be eaten up clean. 
A few pints of bran or corn meal, or a few 
ears of soft corn, or some oil meal may be fed 
daily. Yet the change from simple pasturage 
to this extra feed should be made gradually. 
All acknowledge the importance of this care- 
fulness in spring, when passing from dry feed 
to grass. There should be similar care exercised 
in the fall, or the yield of milk will fall off. 
Cows or sheep that are in good flesh, not to say 
fat, at the beginning of cold weather are half 
wintered. Just now it is that feed tells best. 
The fresh bracing air gives an appetite; the an : 
noyance of heat and flies does not wear off the 
flesh ; animals can feed all day and sleep all 
in Agriculturist. 
night, and the weather is not cold enough to 
make it necessary to consume much of -the 
food or of the fat, to keep up the animal heat. 
Veterinary Physicians and Surgeons. 
The almost utter lack of reliable veterinary 
practice in this country is a matter of the 
weightiest concern. We are in the constant 
receipt of letters describing disease and death 
among animals, to which, of course, we can not 
reply satisfactorily. Now and then one forms 
the subject for a basket item, but it is a very 
wrong thing in general to attempt to prescribe 
or give particular advice for either live stock or 
mankind, depending upon descriptions of the 
disease received by letter and not from profes- 
sional men. Every other civilized country in 
the world has its veterinary schools, encour- 
aged or supported by Government. Many Gov- 
ernments give the graduates of these institutions 
employment with permanent situations, locating 
them in different parts of the State, so that at a 
moderate rate anybody may consult them. In 
this country we have here and there a few sec- 
ond rate veterinarians, and a very few who may 
be considered really scientific men. Horse and 
cow doctors, such as they are, abound: they 
bleed, bore horns, dock horses' tails, blister and 
physic all the animals they can get placed in 
their charge. Most of them -have been gradu- 
ated as jockeys or stable bo3'S in the city, or as 
blacksmith's clerks in the country. It is an art 
with them to get horses to " doctor." They in- 
volve the simplest ailments in mystery, and a 
horse once in their hands is kept sick and at 
charges as long as possible. 
We ought not to be content to suffer this con- 
dition of things. The owners of fine stock in 
the country, the officers 
of our agricultural, and 
stock-breeding - societies 
ought to bestir them- 
selves. The State boards 
of agriculture should lie 
stirred up by way of 
remembrance, to act. 
Legislative aid should 
be obtained, to send 
young men abroad to 
become well educated 
veterinary physicians. 
They would have large 
practice just as soon 
as the people could be 
convinced that their 
knowledge was founded 
upon real science and 
not quackery — and we 
might soon be able to 
have veterinary schools 
and hospitals connect- 
ed with the agricultural 
colleges now likely to 
be soon established in 
almost every State. At 
least a professorship of 
veterinary medicine and 
surgery ought to be re- 
quired by the act of in- 
corporation of these in- 
stitutions. Already the 
tendency to turn the 
farmers off with a pro- 
fessorship or two in con- 
nection with an institu- 
tion devoted to commer- 
cial and industrial education, is to be observed 
among those interested in the agricultural col- 
lege grants. We ought to talk up this mat- 
ter, to read up upon -it, to discuss it at every 
Farmers' Club, at the meetings of the agricul- 
tural societies, at Legislative farmers' meetings, 
and wherever farmers get together. Incite 
promising young doctors to turn their studies 
in this direction where the way is open, rather 
than have to elbow their way through life in the 
crowded ranks of the regular medical profes- 
sion. Good results will surely come of any 
movement honestly made for the promotion of 
sound veterinary knowledge and practice. 
-m— — ^ «a— _— 
Digging and Sweating Potatoes, etc. 
• 
This season has been of a character to make 
many small potatoes, and these have a value for 
making pork not to be disregarded. We have 
never tried letting the pigs do the gleaning, and 
possibly this would save both the potatoes and 
the labor. When potatoes are dug, do not neg- 
lect putting them in heaps to sweat. The 
heaps should each contain about a cartload of 
merchantable potatoes ; they should be covered 
with tops and left three days to a week, then 
sorted over and barreled, or put in on a bright 
dry day. When barreled, abundant ventflation 
is requisite, two 2-inch augur holes in every 
third stave and four in each head will answer. 
Saving Seed. — While the vines are thrifty, 
examine them ; if any doubtful plant is found, 
dig every potato in the hill. Finally, dig them 
yourself and keep a basket for the product of 
any bill in which there is a suspicious looking 
tuber. Potatoes do notmix in the hill, but now 
and then a seedling or a tuber left in the ground, 
makes a mixture even in carefully planted lots. 
