12 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[January, 
Lean Calves make Mean Cattle. 
Calves and yearlings, at this season of the 
year, are often fed upon the coarsest fodder, and 
needlessly exposed to the weather. They are 
brought in late from the pasture, several weeks 
after they have ceased to thrive, and are kept 
upon poor fare, all through the Winter. The apol¬ 
ogy for this is, that the farm produces a certain 
amount of poor hay, which must be used up, and 
the young cattle eat it better than the older ones, 
And are therefore kept upon it. This is destructive 
of the best interests of the farmer, for it is all 
the while undermining the constitution of his 
stock, thus preventing their future thrifiy growth. 
It is highly important to remember that the 
constitution of a horse or cow is determined in 
the first three or four 
years of life. It is par¬ 
ticularly liable to injury 
in the early stages of its 
growth, and if stunted 
there, it never attains a 
full development. The 
farmer lays the founda¬ 
tion of the future charac¬ 
ter of the animal at this 
early age, making the 
most of the good quali¬ 
ties it inherits from his 
parents, or aggravating 
the bad ones. He is as 
really a builder in the 
feeding of an animal, as 
the man who rears a 
house. The young ani¬ 
mal wants good rich food, 
the best which the farm 
produces, particularly 
that which abounds in 
the raw material for 
making muscle and bone, that it may perfectly 
elaborate the osseous structure, and clothe it with 
flesh. If a farmer wants the best oxen, the best 
milkers, the fastest roadsters that can be made 
out of his slock, he must give them a fair chance 
in the first and second Winter. 
It does not look reasonable that bog hay, and 
moldy, damaged corn stalks or hay, will make 
strong bones, or cover them well with muscle. 
Many a man has tried the experiment, and the 
result has been uniformly unsuccessful. The 
abused animals always come out in the Spring 
looking thin and cadaverous, every bristling hair 
and projecting bone uttering its remonstrance 
against the misguided owner. Even bulls that 
are to perpetuate the herd, are frequently kept in 
this half starved condition with the other young 
cattle, and are put to use before they are half 
grown. What can a man expect with such man¬ 
agement of his stock, but miserable runts, that 
cumber rather than adorn his farm. Let the 
colts, calves, and yearlings have the best of hay, 
and the careful attention of the owner through 
the foddering season, if horses of good speed and 
bottom, good milkers, and strong oxen are 
wanted.—Bog hay should be held at a discount. 
Look after the Breeding Animals. 
The cows are dried ofT, and there is no more 
immediate profit from them. Some are so short 
sighted, as to stint their cows when they cease 
to give milk. They are often exposed to the 
weather at the stack yard, or if housed, are fed 
upon second rate fodder. 'This is miserable ma¬ 
nagement, whether we look at ihe future profit 
from the cow or from her progeny, it should not 
be forgotten, that the cow' at this season usually 
eats for more than one. Her value as a milker 
next Summer, depends upon her treatment dur¬ 
ing the Winter. She wants all the food she can 
digest, and good comfortable quarters. If she 
come out in good flesh, the fat pastures of June 
will be turned into milk and butter for the benefit 
of her owner. If she come out lean, it will take 
half the Summer to recover flesh, and to get into 
condition to give a full flow of milk. If the calf 
is to be raised for stock, it is still more important 
that the cow should be well fed. Its future good 
qualities will be very much affected by its foetal 
life. Breeding sheep, swine, and all domestic 
animals, should have the owner’s eye every day. 
Well fed dams will, ordinarily, produce strong, 
healthy offspring, repaying extra pains four-fold. 
What Kind of Sheep l:av. Yo i? 
In taking our usual round through the New- 
York Live Stock markets, last week, we were 
led for the hundredth time, and more strongly 
than ever, to note the great difference between 
the various breeds of sheep on sale—or rather 
the difference between some blooded sheep, and 
others with very little blood in their bodies, 
and what there was of it of very poor quality. 
In one pen, heavy fat wethers were selling 
readily at an average of about $10 each—some 
of the best as high as $12—while in the very 
next pen was a lot which went slowly at $2. 
We could but wish the breeders of these latter 
animals present, to see the $8 extra so readily 
paid for the superior formed animals, while their 
own were in little demand even at ti e low 
price named. The poor and good were of about 
the same age, and the difference in the cost of 
raising them, was undoubtedly in favor of those 
selling for the most money. It is a noteworthy 
fact that sheep of common breeds and poor 
blood, with long legs, large heads, and slab sides, 
often consume, without taking on fat or flesh, 
as much food or even more, than the well bred ■ 
and well formed animals, which always keep 
fat. The first cost of getting this improved 
stock is about the only extra expense, and then 
they are a constant source of profit as well as 
of pleasure. 
These thoughts are peculiarly appropriate now, 
as this is the season of year to provide breed¬ 
ing bucks. If a farmer has only common stock, 
let him resolve that their progeny shall be of 
a better grade, by introducing a well formed 
blooded male, even if it he attended with consider¬ 
able additional expense. The particular breed 
to be chosen must depend upon circumstances. 
If raised chiefly for wool, a mixture of the 
Merino is desirable; but if producing mut¬ 
ton for market is had in view, the South- 
down, Leicestershire, or Cotswold, are prefer¬ 
able, as these furnish a larger carcass, fine ten¬ 
der meat, and take on fat readily. 
We present herewith an engraving, a sort of 
model, though this one is somewhat dispropor¬ 
tionate, perhaps, in the rump. Not long since 
we saw a fat sheep sold in this city for $100 1 
which was in form very nearly like our engrav¬ 
ing—not quite so deep in the breast, nor so level 
along the belly. Let farmers compare this with 
the stock in their yards, and see if there is not 
room for improvement in their breeds of sheep. 
They will find large hams 
and shoulders far more 
profitable, than long 
necks and overgrown 
heads and horns. If near 
good meat markets, seek 
an admixture at least, o( 
Cotswold, if not the 
pure bred, of which wo 
give a specimen. If a 
little remote from mar¬ 
ket, but yet so situated 
that there is any profit 
in selling or using mut¬ 
ton, adopt the South- 
downs, which yield fair 
wool and excellent meat. 
If wool be the only ob¬ 
ject, then bring in the 
Merino blood.—And, we 
would ask here, why are 
not more sheep raised in 
this country 1 Wool of 
all grades seldom fails 
to command a high price ; and when to the value 
of the fleece we add the good meat yielded, there 
is no doubt of the profitableness of sheep. No 
other an m il is kept with less care, and they 
come early to productive maturity. At one year 
old. the lamb is ready for shearing, and for slaugh¬ 
ter. The general testimony from most parts of 
the country is : “ We can not keep sheep on ac¬ 
count of the dogs.” Is this sol Are our farmers 
sacrificing millions of dollars a year that they 
might derive from sheep-raising, on account of 
the existence of an excess of worthless dogs 1 
We believe this to be the case. There is much 
to be said on this topic, and our pages will be 
open to the subject of sheep culture during this 
year. 
Cattle’s Tongues—Curry-combs. 
The tongue of a cow or ox is suggestive. It 
is armed with a compact bed of spines, very 
rough tolhe touch, and adapted to a variety of 
uses. With this pliable member, it draws grass 
between the teeth for cropping, and all other ar¬ 
ticles of food when necessary. It comes in play 
in reaching up into the limbs of trees for foliage 
or fruit, or in reaching over walls and fences af¬ 
ter forbidden crops. The tongue is also used in 
disturbing the hair and skin on all parts of the 
body within reach, and the inaccessible parts of 
the head are curried by mutual accomodation. 
No sight is more common in a herd of cattle, 
than ibis reciprocal toilet of the tongue. Here is 
nature’s hint for the use of Ihe card and curry¬ 
comb. These tools are especially called for in 
Winter, when cattle are kept in stalls, with tliei. 
COTSWOLD SHEEP 
