1875.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
183U 
by some dairymen, as antagonistic to good milking 
qualities, is prevented, and good dairy cows are 
thus made. The production of milk is a heavy 
drain upon the system of the cow, and a sound 
constitution, perfect digestion, and vigorous health 
are needed to sustain it. Exposure and spare feed¬ 
ing of a cow do not tend towards these conditions. 
Amongst the progenitors of the present highly 
valued “ Duchesses,” were remarkably prolific 
dairy cows, and the heavy milking Short-horns, 
wer<», and are so made by the very best of feed and 
care. It will pay to treat a native calf well, as it 
will pay to treat well a pure blooded calf of any of 
the choice breeds, and as the native stock greatly 
outnumbers the pure bred stock, it is very impor¬ 
tant that they should receive equally good care as 
the more costly and fortunate animals. Few farms 
have a well appoiuted calf-house, but we know 
from experience, that nothing upon the farm pays 
a better profit on its cost, than such a house. Its 
cost need be but very trilling. A good, comfortable 
house to accommodate 20 calves, may be ppt up for 
$100 and upwards, according to its style or finish. 
The cheapest, if it is only substantial, is as useful as 
the most costly. The object sought is profit, and 
therefore no unnecessary outlay need be made. It 
is best to have the house divided into separate pens 
or cribs, the least size of which should be 30 square 
feet, for each calf. Double pens to hold two calves, 
are objectionable for several reasons. Herewith 
we give plans of some excellent calf pens, which 
we find in an English journal, “ The Country,” and 
which are designed by a well known agricultural 
architect. These houses are divided into small en¬ 
closures or cribs, of the size before mentioned. In 
the plan seen at fig. 1, these are arranged against 
the wall, and are well lighted by windows. In 
front of the cribs is a broad passage, into which 
the doors of the cribs open. Doors, at a and 5, 
open from this passage outside of the building, 
(also seen at fig. 4), and at c, into the yard d, where 
the calves may be turned out for exercise. In the 
yard there is a feed trough, at e. Four windows in 
the wall between the passage and the yard, give 
ample light. It is important for the health of 
young stock, that there should be plenty of light 
and fresh air in the pens provided for them, and in 
the plans these requisites are amply supplied. In 
fig. 2 a passage is provided in front of the cribs, for 
' the purposes of feeding only, and that in the rear 
gpa --mu 
rv 
R 
i 
B 
S 1 
- 
a 
-I 
Fig. 3.—SHED WITH PASSAGE IN CENTER. 
is used only for cleaning the cribs and moving the 
calves. In other respects the plan is similar to that 
shown in fig. 1. In fig. 3 the cribs are arranged on 
each side of the passage, and the yard is reached 
through the door, a. Figure 4 is an end elevation 
of the building, showing the outer door, a, the 
-drains in the floors of the cribs, 6, and the parti¬ 
tions between the cribs, c, d. The floors of the 
cribs, as well as of the passages, should be of 
cement. The former are intended to slope from 
sach side of each crib to the center, where there is 
a small grated drain, by which the liquid waste is 
carried off. The partitions are made of lath, so as 
to offer no impediment to perfect ventilation. The 
Fig. 4.—END-SECTION OP CALF-SHED. 
cribs may be provided with feed and drinking 
troughs, or pails may be used. The latter are 
preferable, especially when the calves are young 
and are fed upon sweet milk, but it is always advis¬ 
able to have the feeding utensils sweet and clean. 
Calves are very sensitive to the evil influences of 
food that has been allowed to ferment and sour, 
and though they may thrive upon sour milk, yet 
a high degree of acidity is almost certain to pro¬ 
duce diarrhoea and sickness. A small box in which 
a quantity of powdered chalk is kept, which they 
may lick occasionally, would be a useful addition 
to the furniture of the cribs. The front of the 
cribs is also of open work, similar to that of the 
sides. The hinges of the doors of the cribs are of 
wood. The doors are barred the same as the front 
and sides. The upper and lower bars of the doors 
are extended, as are also the bars in the fronts, which 
meet the extended bars of the doors. Holes are 
bored through these extended bars, and pins of 
hard wood are inserted. The doors, when opened 
aud closed, are made to swing upon these pius. 
Sheep-Raising in Virginia. 
Having read the articles in the Agriculturist of 
November and February last upon “ Sheep-raising 
in Virginia,” I ask you to allow me to come to the 
rescue of Orange Co., as I think that your associ¬ 
ate must have gathered his information on the sub¬ 
ject at as long a distance from Orange C. H. as he 
did from Alexandria. I have been in the market 
for sheep since we came here in 1871, and up to this 
time have not been able to buy any healthy sheep 
for less than §3 per head. We have a flock of over 
300, and should be very glad to add to that number 
at $3 per head for fair stock. Our land is well 
adapted to sheep-raising, and our short winters en¬ 
able us to send our early lambs to market at least 
three weeks ahead of New York state. The major¬ 
ity of our farmers let their sheep run out all winter, 
and of course have to furnish “ rations ” occasion¬ 
ally for some hungry dogs, but as I have profited 
by the advice given in your valuable paper, and 
have my flock under lock and key every night, the 
result is that I have not lost one by dogs. Our en¬ 
closure is 100 feet square, with posts ten feet high. 
We have 12 feet in width on three sides covered in 
with a pointed roof, making a covered enclosure 12 
by 300 feet with a good loft overhead for fodder. 
The front side is a fence 10 feet high with dou¬ 
ble doors in the center, making the enclosed yard 
76 by 88 feet, which we divide' off by movable hur¬ 
dle fences as required, giving sufficient room for 
feeding purposes in each division, and all accessi¬ 
ble with double teams to supply fodder or remove 
manure, and this makes us secure from dogs, 
thieves and storms. 
In regard to our farms, I am satisfied that the 
land is as easily improved as the average of farms 
in New York state or New Jersey, and that our 
crops will compare favorably with those under the 
same treatment. In walking over our farm re¬ 
cently with a friend from New York state, I point¬ 
ed to the poorest portion of our farm, and asked 
him what that field of about 100 acres would be 
worth for farming purposes if located in New York 
say 300 miles from the city, the land to be of the 
same quality and in the same condition, and he re¬ 
plied not less than $75 per acre. I then asked him 
why it was not worth as much for farming purposes 
here as in New York state. Our winters are about 
a month shorter at each end. Our farms are much 
better watered. Our labor about one-half the price, 
and as good as foreign labor,and our markets equally 
as good and as accessible. The result of my expe¬ 
rience confirms me in the opinion that four years 
since induced me to move here from New York : 
“ That no state, north or west, holds out more in¬ 
ducements for farmers with sufficient capital to 
purchase stock and work their farms than Virgin¬ 
ia.” Our farms are too large ; my next door neigh¬ 
bor has over 3,000 acres. Our farm is but about 
2,000. We use steam power for threshing grain, 
shelling corn, grinding flour and meal, cutting 
fodder and sawing our lumber and firewood, and 
with such large farms it pays to do so. If your 
associate will give us a call on his next “tour 
of observation ” through our State, I think that I 
can show him a sufficient number of good farms in 
this vicinity to induce him to carry home a more 
favorable report than his last. N. B. Our farm is 
not for sale. H. 
Orange C. H., Va. 
A Way of Breaking Colts. 
In the Agriculturist of September, 1873, we illus¬ 
trated and described a method of breaking colts to 
harness, which, however, was incomplete, in that 
the driver, having no way of riding, had to walk be¬ 
hind the colt. A better method is here illustrated, 
by which the driver may ride, and have the colt 
completely under control. The rig is made of two 
long, light, but strong hickory poles, bolted to the 
axle of a light wagon or sulky. These are fasten¬ 
ed together by light tough hickory saplings, 
“ whipped ” to them by stout cord, wire, or hoop- 
iron in three or four places. A foot board is fasten¬ 
ed to them, and a light seat. The poles project in 
the rear beyond the wheels several feet, and at the 
end of each there is fastened a bent sapling, in the 
shape of an ox-bow. These reach to within a few 
inches of the ground. Their purpose is to prevest 
the colt from rearing if he feels so disposed, and 
they do this very effectively by" striking the 
ground, and throwing the whole weight of the 
“rig” and the driver upon him whenever he 
makes the attempt. The breaking sulky, as it may 
be properly called, is seen at fig. 1. In the 
engraving given on the following page is seen a 
method of preventing the colt from kicking. It 
consists of two ropes which are fastened to the 
check rein, and passing through loops or rings 
stitched to the back straps, are fastened to the 
shafts. If the colt attempts to kick, his head is 
thrown up, and as the two things can not be done 
Fig. 1.— BREAKING SULKY FOR COLTS. 
at the same time, he is simply prevented from kick¬ 
ing. However fractious a colt may be, he can do 
no harm in this rig, either to himself or the driver, 
and if patience and good temper are preserved 
and exercised, the colt will come to his work as 
soon as he finds what he has to do. The breaking 
should be done on a good, smooth, level road or 
track, and without any noise or hurry, keeping the 
animal easy, in good temper, and not tiring or 
worrying him. If the colt has been well treated 
and handled up to this time, he will probably go 
right off without any trouble or hesitation in this 
sulky, and if he does not at first, if he is given 
time, he will soon find out that he can do no mis¬ 
chief, and will not be likely to persevere in his 
attempts to do it, if treated as here indicated. 
