1886 
THE AURAL NEW-YORKER. 
fotts from flit iiural’o W.g.®. £am 
LAMB RAISING AND FEEDING LAMBS. 
WATER AS ESSENTIAL AS FOOD. 
It is a very common notion that sheep need 
very little water, some going even so far as 
to assert that they do best if entirely deprived 
of it when at pasture, and given but a scanty 
supply when kept on diy feed. Nothing could 
be more erroneous. Of every 100 pounds 
live weight, not less than 75 are simply wa¬ 
ter, and every particle of the solid part is 
taken up by the “absorbents” only as dissolv¬ 
ed in water, and the process of digestion can 
be carried on only when the forage and grain 
are floating in water. The fact is, few ani¬ 
mals drink more, in proportion to their 
weight, and none drink so often as sheep when 
the water is accessible. Even when fed two 
full rations of roots per day, they will be 
found, though drinking but little at a time, 
drinking many times each day. 
THE WATER MUST BE CLEAN, 
that is given for drink to any kind of stock 
to have them do their best. Bub while cattle, 
or even horses, can be so accustomed to dirty 
water, or that quite foul with the soakage of 
the manure piles, that they will temporarily 
drink it almost in preference to pure water, 
sheep will never become used to such water, 
and will absolutely suffer from thirst before 
they will drink even a limited quantity. 
They are quite as particular about the clean¬ 
liness of thuir drinking dishes. Let asheep put 
merely its foot into one of these, or let the 
shepherd wash only his hands in one, or let 
the least particle of manure fall into it, and 
no sheep will do more than “snuff” the water 
until the vessel is cleaned and filled afresh. 
It is therefore essential that the drinking 
vessels should be so placed that no droppings 
can fall into them and that the sheep cannot 
put their feet into them, and at least twice 
each day every one should be looked at, and if 
in auy way fouled it should be emjJtied, scrub¬ 
bed out and refilled with clean water. 
THE WATER SHOULD BE WARM. 
It is a common practice to compel sheep to 
take what moisture they must have by eating 
snow-, or by drinking water from ponds or 
troughs out-of-doors, and often containing ice, 
or frozen over. This is not only cruel, but 
foolish as well. Nothing taken into the sys¬ 
tem ns food or drink can be appropriated or 
even digested, until it is warmed to the tem- 
perature of the stomach, which is full-blood 
heat or a little more. And as all the animal 
heat comes from the consumption of food, and 
at a great disadvantage in its generation, it 
seems absolutely foolish to pump water from 
wells (from which source most stock water is 
supplied! usually at a temperature as high as 
60°, and allow it to cool down to 32° before it 
is drank by the lambs. 
The rule, then, in watering feeding lambs is 
to give them plenty, to furnish it clean and in 
clean drinking vessels, and either to pump it 
directly into the troughs from the w'elis or to 
keep it in tanks in the barns, where it will re¬ 
main at least os warm as it came from the 
well, and, better, if it could be artificially 
warmed to about 70 to 75 degrees before it is 
given to the lambs. 
Mr. A. W. Morse, of Madison Co., N. Y., 
asks if we would not advise the sowing of 
flax-sets! with oats or barley as a food for 
sheep, the crop to be used with and without 
thrashing. We certainly would not so ad¬ 
vise, for two reasons: first, the flax straw is 
not only worthless as a food, but it rots so 
slowly that unless it is run through a cutting- 
box, it is a nuisance in the manure; second, 
tlax seed contains altogether too much free 
oil to be a healthful food, except in very small 
quantities, and, further, the oil w hich it con¬ 
tains has a commercial value much higher 
than its feeding value, and the residue after 
the nil has been extracted, is worth almost as 
much as was the whole seed, anti a ton of the 
residue is worth several times as much as a 
ton of the whole seed. We should prefer to 
raise the flax separately, sell the seed to the 
oil mills, and purehaseeake in its place, and to 
sell the straw to the paper mills. 
Another good friend at Orville, Ohio, asks 
if we are not mistaken in preferring a mix¬ 
ture of kerosene and lard oil or kerosene aud 
fried meat fat to kill ticks in preference to a 
decoction of tobacco. Wo have tried both, 
and while wo kuow that tobacco water will 
kill ticks and lice if put on strong enough, it 
nearly kills the animal as well, and, besides, 
it is nasty to apply, unless used by one who 
has already poisoned his system by its filthy 
use, and, further, the sheep cannot be safely 
dipped in cold weather. The other mixture is 
equally efficacious, .much more easily applied, 
does not make either sheep or applier sick, 
and really increases the growth of wool. 
We are receiving many letters asking if we 
are really keeping our stock as we describe in 
these notes; and if the writers may come and 
see. We answer that we would scorn to 
write anything for the press not based on our 
actual experience and knowledge, unless we 
so said. We not only invite all to come and 
see for themselves; but we ask the dozens 
who have come and who are constantly com¬ 
ing to see, to tell what they have seen. They 
are not. only at liberty to expose us, but are 
urged to say if they have not found every¬ 
thing fully up to their expectations. 
Pain] Ijnsliammj. 
A GOOD DAIRY. 
About two years ago, I asked a reliable dai¬ 
ry farmer,Mr. Comfort,to weigh the milk from 
each of his cows separately. He had not been 
accustomed to keeping any milk records, but 
he agreed to do so. so that I might have the 
results for comparison. He is a reliable, hon¬ 
est and well-to-do farmer, who has been in 
the dairy business in Iowa for 15 years; and 
when moving from the vicinity of Palestine, 
Illinois, he left a dairy that had few superiors. 
Ho has the reputation of baring the best dairy 
in Buchanan County. He feeds well all Win¬ 
ter, and usually sells about 500 pounds of milk 
per day for the season. He keeps aliout 20 to 
23 cows on an average. His cows, Summer 
and Winter, are in fine condition, and ready 
for the block at any time he is compelled to 
sell because of a failure to breed, or for other 
reasons. I give below the figures obtained 
from him: 
Lbs. M Ilk 
each cow- 
grave, Feb. 
1st, 1885. 
Date 
of 
Calving. 
Date 
of 
Service. 
i w,. 
oSt 
Lbs. 
Escut¬ 
cheon. 
24 
Oct. 27, '5M. 
Dec. 17, ’81. 
1100 
Good. 
20 
Nov. 10, vi. 
Dec. 28, VI. 
1050 
Fair. 
23 
Jan. 20, ’85. 
- 
1000 
Poor. 
29 
Jan. 26, 85. 
— 
1060 
Fair. 
10 
Juno 10, vi. 
— 
1150 
Good. 
20 
June 12. VI. 
Dec. 30. VI. 
WOO 
Very good 
8 
March 9. 'S4. 
June 24, V4. 
1200 
Good. 
31 
Jan. 29, V>. 
— 
1025 
Verygood 
24 
Nov. 3, ’84. 
— 
mo 
21 
NOV. 20. VI. 
— 
1050 
Fair. 
6 
May 9, VL 
June 30, VI. 
1000 
Good. 
13 
June 15, '84. 
July 4, VI. 
1100 
•* 
lfi 
May 1, ’84. 
July 2, ’84. 
1200 
Very-good 
23 
Dec. 15. ’ 84 . 
— 
11 O' 
Good. 
29 
Dec. 20. '84. 
non 
Fair. 
9 
305 
June 23, 'SI. 
Aug. 8, V4. 
1150 
Very good 
Of my own herd I keep weekly milk records 
the entire year, and am therefore enabled to 
make some interesting comparisons, from 
which the reader may draw his own conclu¬ 
sions. 
Date of Calving. 
Date Served. 
Feb. 1. ’85. 
Lbs. Milk. 
Comfort’s. Writer’s. 
Comfort’s, j Writer’s. 
C’a. W’s. 
May 1. Vi. May 1, VI. 
Mar. 9. '84. Mar. 3, VI. 
June 10 .vi. Mar.81,’84. 
May 9, '84. Apr. lfi,'84. 
July 2. VI. Sept. 24. 
June 24, V4. June 13. 
Not bred. Sept.3. 
June3t>. VI. July 27. 
1 
mm 
Hfg 
The No. 1. cow of Comfort’s is a seven-year- 
old, and said by himself to be the best in his 
dairy. The writer's cow which calved at the 
same time, is a two-year-old and gave 9,192 
pounds of milk for the year, which sold for 
*P3.22. at the creameries where prices varied 
from 50 cunts to *1.04 per 100 pounds. The 
remaining Comfort cows are also compared 
with two-year-olds. These figures certainly 
show that there is a remarkable difference in 
cow's, and that in all well managed dairies, 
the greatest care should be used in making 
selections to (ill vacancies. I am confident, 
having visited Mr. Comfort's dairy many 
times, that both herds were fed equally well, 
and that the comparison, though not strictly 
scientific, has an important practical worth to 
every reader. Both parties fed liberally of 
bran, and ground oats and corn the entire 
IVinter, with all the good Timothy hay they 
would eat. 
I am quite sure it does not pay to keep a 
cow that gives only 4,500 pounds ]>er year, aud 
yet hundreds of such are wintered year after 
year. Generally speaking, dairy cows are too 
small, averaging perhaps 1,000 or less. The 
size is due, of course, to the average inferior 
care of the heifers when young. The size as 
well as the quality of Iowa dairies generally 
needs improving by a mixture of other blood. 
Jessup, fa. j. N. MUNCKY. 
MANAGEMENT OF COWS COMING t\ MILK. 
A large majority of the cows of the coun¬ 
try are coming in milk during this season. 
Care should he taken to have them in a healthy, 
thriving condition; but not fat nor rapidly 
taking on fat. Such cows are liable to inflam¬ 
mations and fevers. A relaxing mess of feed 
now and then, just before calving, will lie 
found beneficial, if the udder is excessively 
caked aud hard, it is better to draw a little 
milk from it thau to let it remain iu this pain¬ 
ful condition. It will help to ward off garget. 
More udders are spoiled, however, in drying 
off, than by inflammation created by an excess 
of milk secretion just before coming in. The 
evil comes from the seeretiou of more milk, 
w'hen milking is stopped, than can be absorbed 
and gotten rid of by natural processes. Hence 
the bag, or a portion of it, may be spoiled, hut 
the trouble will not be noticed until the cow 
comes in milk again. Care should be taken 
when drying off a cow, to see that the milk 
does not thicken in the teats, but constantly 
grows more and more watery. If the milk 
thickens, draw it off. In ease the cow is thin 
and weak in the Spring before calving, feed 
her generously, but not excessively, and get 
her system in good tone. Avoid all heating 
foods, like corn-meal, except in small quanti¬ 
ties. leas fattening but more strengthening 
and cooling diet is preferable. Wheat bran, 
middlings, oat-meal, and roots or moderate 
rations of sweet silage are good. Cows at 
this season should he carefully protected from 
sudden changes of w'eather. Give them free¬ 
dom, and a chance to sun themselves on fair 
days. Avoid exciting them, or suddenly set¬ 
ting them in motion, or in any way hurrying 
or hustling them around. Last, give them a 
quiet place by themselves. t. d. c 
CATALOGUES, ETC., RECEIVED. 
Sixteen Years’ Experience in Artifi¬ 
cial Poultry-raising.— By James Rankin, 
published by the Phelps Publishing Co., Spring- 
field, Mass. This excellent little book is evident¬ 
ly the work of one who has handled and mani¬ 
pulated incubators. Mr. Rankin does not 
hesitate to say that his first experience with 
artificial inculiation was unsatisfactory aud 
unprofitable. It was only after he had care¬ 
fully studied the matter in every detail that 
he could report even a fair success. We be¬ 
lieve in this way of stating the question. 
Money can be made in the poultry business: 
in some instances wonderfid profits have 
been secured. These were not made by any 
bap-hazard operations, but were the legiti¬ 
mate outcome of study, observation and ex¬ 
periment. The teacher who starts with this 
acknowledgement is likely to lie reliable. We 
advise all those who think of procuring an in¬ 
cubator to secure this little book and study it 
carefully. Price, 25 cents. 
American Patent Portable House.— 
Circular from the manufacturing company of 
the above name, office 31 Wall Street, New 
York.—The design of this company is to fur¬ 
nish houses made in sections so that they can 
be put together without the aid of skilled 
labor. The poultry and dog houses will lie 
appreciated by those who hare no time for 
building. The light houses for campers, 
sportsmen, etc., are said to be almost as cheap 
as tents, and as easily erected. Full explan¬ 
ations of the houses are given in the catalogue. 
Send for it. 
T. C. Robinson, Owen Sound, Ontario, 
Canada. An excellent list of strawberries, 
raspberries, blackberries, currants, gooseber¬ 
ries aud grapes. The Fay’s Prolific Currant 
and Niagara Grape are well illustrated. Our 
readers kuow what we think of these. Tne 
Parry, May King and Jewell Strawberries 
are offered. The catalogue is well arranged 
and printed. Our Canadian subscribers will 
do well to note the address. 
Enterprise Poultry Farm.— Circular 
from Peter Beuerlieu, Newton. N. J. White 
Leghorns are put forward as the specialty of 
this yard. Brown Leghorns, both single and 
rose-comb, Plymouth Rocks. Wyaudottes 
and Light Brahmas are also offered. The 
Enterprise Chicken Brooder is advertised as 
the simplest, cheapest and most easily man¬ 
aged brooder in the market. 
Ant. Roozrn & SON, Overveen, Holland. 
De Veer & Boomkamp agents, 47 Broadway, 
New York.—A circular of gladioli, dahlias, 
lilies, amaryllis, ranunculus, etc,, etc. For 
88.75 as many as 225 bulbs and plants are 
offered. Orders received now will bo de¬ 
livered during April and May. The firm is 
trustworthy and liberal in every way. 
Berkshire Pigs. —Catalogue from Springer 
Bros., Springfield, III. The Berkshire Pig 
has wonderfully improved American pork. 
The auimals noted in this catalogue are ex¬ 
ceptional in breeding. South Down Sheep, Jer¬ 
sey cattle aud Light Brahma jioultry are also 
offered. A reliable firm. 
L. G. Sherman A Co., Nos. 32 and 38 South 
Water Street, Providence, R. I.—An illustra¬ 
ted catalogue of seeds of all kinds, creameries, 
churns, agricultural implements, etc. Free 
to applicants. 
Williams, Clark & Co., New York, 
send samples of their colored cauls, illustrat¬ 
ing the effects of the fertilizers sold by them 
The cards will be sent to those who apply. 
We do not by any means recommend any 
dealings with T. S. Gardner of the “Farming 
World,” Cincinnati and Chicago. By the 
way, what has become of that libel suit 
brought by him against an esteemed Western 
contemporary for its trenchant exposure of 
several of his “enter]irises”? The most pes¬ 
tiferous schemer may bring a suit for libel 
against any one who exposes the “true in¬ 
wardness' of his machinations; but such a 
fellow must either have some faith in his own 
projects or place great reliance on the gullibil¬ 
ity of juries to carry the case to trial.. 
Editor Pond, one of the proprietors of El 
Latino Americano, a paper alleged to be 
published regularly in this city, w as arrested 
the other day on the charge of carrying on a 
lottery in offering premiums for subscriptions 
to his paper. We have frequently denounced 
such practices not only for their immoral 
tendencies, but because in nearly ever}" case 
the concerns offering such lures are sheer 
swindles. The value of the goods offered is 
grossly exaggerated: any thing of real worth 
is always sure to go into the hands of a con¬ 
federate: most of the premiums are never 
sent at all; those that are given are worth less 
than the extra charges demanded for postage, 
packing, etc.; the papers that resort to the 
dodge are mere catchpenny affairs, which 
either collajise after the subscription season is 
over, or drag on a miserable, worthless exis¬ 
tence until they can get another chance of 
gulling another' set of dupes the following 
season. T. S. Gardner is accused of being an 
adept in this sort of “business.'’ Not long 
since he started, in Chicago, a paper to wdnch 
he gave the name of the “Chicago Farm Jour¬ 
nal,'’ prefixing the word Chicago to the name 
of our esteemed Philadelphia contemporary 
which has had an office in Chicago for some 
time. It is a common practice among sharp¬ 
ers to take for their “titles’’ the names of re¬ 
putable concerns (making such slight alter¬ 
ations as to escape prosecution from forgery,) 
in the expectation that some of the unwary 
public wall mistake the fraudulent for the 
honest.... 
Justice Butt, of England, has just decided 
that a divorce obtained in this country from 
a marriage performed in England is invalid. 
The courts in several of our own Stares, with 
regard to marriages performed in them, deny 
the validity of divorces openly and legally 
obtained in some of the other States. Inves¬ 
tigations and exposure^ of late show conclu¬ 
sively that a very large proportion of the 
"divorces’' procured “without exposure” by 
the t'ellows known as “divorce lawyers,” are 
fraudulent aud absolutely invalid. * In thous¬ 
ands of cases the signatures of judges and 
court officers on the “divorce papers'’' were 
forgeries; while in a large number of eases 
the courts and judges, who were reported to 
have granted the “divorces.” hail absolutely 
no existence. Several prominent “divorce 
lawyers" in this and other cities and towns 
are now "fugitives from justice,'' on account 
of detection in such rascality. Frequently 
the divorced persons have married again ana 
have had children: but such marriages are, of 
course, illegal and the children illegitimate. 
People who have had recourse to underhand 
means for divorce, however, deserve little 
sympathy for haring been duped. 
To Several Inquirers.— The Co-Opera¬ 
tive Building Plan Association of this city, 
will send for cash the book they advertise..,. 
There is absolutely no chance whatever of ob¬ 
taining counterfeit money from the rascals 
who advertise “green goods.” through the 
mails. The real “shovel's of the queer” are too 
cautious to “give themselves away” in that 
fashion. These offers are ahrui/s made by 
sharpers, who. from the outset, intend to swin¬ 
dle all the "suckers” who may be mean and 
dishonest enough to deal with them. Of 
course, their dupes, bemgengaged in an illegal 
business, have no right to legal redress, and 
having intended to swindle their friends and 
neighbors at home, are, most of them, 
too conscious of the turpitude of their own 
designs to publish their folly aud rascality by 
“squealing.”.We do nor, by anv means re¬ 
commend “Dr. Wells’’ of this city, or his 
“treatment” widely advertised through the 
mails.A. L. Spencer & Co.. Farm and 
Household, the Conn. M-f-g. Co., and the Hart¬ 
ford Card Co., are oue anil the same. The 
many-named concern is said however to be fill¬ 
ing orders satisfactorily. ..We do not recom¬ 
mend the goods advertised through the mails 
by F. Crosby & Co., chemists, this city. 
T. P. Simpson, Patent Attorney, Washington, 
D. C., is reliable.Be very careful about 
paying money to "claim agents” at Washing¬ 
ton or elsewhere on account of pensions or any 
increase thereof, which they may say they 
are aide to collect for you from the Govern¬ 
ment. Of course, if no pension can be due for 
“war services,” the ageuts are either mistaken 
or trying to swindle you or Uncle Sam—and 
it is much easier to swindle you than Sam, 
however smart you may flutter yourself 
you are. Be still more careful if they say 
they have discovered a debt due to you by the 
Government, “not in the nature of a pension;” 
but about the true nature of which they are 
mysteriously silent. Even if they offer to 
collect the “claim” for a contingent fee. do 
not sign any power-of-attoruey they may for¬ 
ward to you, without consulting a lawyer in 
your own neighborhood. If you do not con¬ 
sider the "chances” at Washington worth his 
fee, why hot her your head at all about them, 
or run any risk from the sharpers and shysters 
that “till the woods” about the national cap¬ 
ital, and manage to swindle even the Washing¬ 
ton boarding-house aud hotel keepers? 
