1848. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
23- 
HIMTS FOR THE SEASON. 
Shelter for Stock. —In providing for domestic 
animals in winter, the first requisite is shelter. It is 
remarkable that under all climates the temperature of 
the animal system when in perfect health, is nearly the 
same—about 100 degrees. This temperature or vital 
heat, is supported by the decomposition of carbon, 
which is supplied to the system in the form of food. 
The greater the exposure to cold, the more rapid is 
the dissipation of heat from the surface of the body, 
and the greater must be the internal supply of fuel to 
keep up the proper temperature. If the amount of 
food is deficient, the deficiency is made up by a decom¬ 
position of the bodily tissues—the fat, flesh, &c.—and 
the animal grows poor. If the insufficiency of food 
and the exposure continue, the body becomes more and 
more emaciated from the loss of its carbon, till at last 
it is incapable of supplying the quantity needed to sup¬ 
port the temperature, and death ensues. By protec¬ 
tion from cold, the consumption of carbon is lessened, 
and hence u warmth is equivalent to food.” 
But there are other advantages of shelter. Long 
exposure to wet, though the degree of cold may not 
be great, is injurious to the health of animals. The 
continued saturation of the skin with water, prevents 
the natural exhalations, and tends to induce disease. 
The fleeces of sheep are known to be much deteriora¬ 
ted from this cause. But if it did not injure the health 
of the animals, its effects would be prejudicial to the 
interest of the farmer in another way. It prevents the 
animals from enjoying that quietude which is necessary 
to thrift. The connexion between the nervous and 
muscular system, is such that whatever disturbs the 
former, sensibly affects the latter,- so that the animal 
may actually grow poor from no other cause than 
simply being rendered uncomfortable. For these rea¬ 
sons shelter—at least protection from storms—is as 
useful where the cold is not so intense as to freeze the 
ground to a great degree, as it is in a more northern 
climate. The dampness and mud in the one case, are 
as injurious as the greater cold but drier atmosphere 
©f the other. 
Feeding Srock. —A man who was noted for the 
excellence of his working-oxen, once observed to the 
writer, that he could seldom hire a man who was u fit 
to drive a yoke of good oxen to water.” We think it 
is quite as difficult to find a man who is capable of 
feeding cattle or other stock in a proper manner. 
There is generally a great deal of unnecessary waste. 
Some men will carry stock through the winter with 
half the quantity of hay or fodder that others will use, 
and yet the stock which has consumed least will come 
out in the best order. To feed economically, the ani¬ 
mal should have just the quantity he requires, and no 
more—none should be given to be trampled under foot 
and left, unless it is intended for manure, without being 
first eaten. It is best, generally, to feed undercover, 
in clean mangers; though in dry weather coarse fod¬ 
der, or that of inferior quality, maybe fed in mangers 
in the barn-yard, or on dry hard ground, or clean, hard 
snow. Coarse hay, clover and timothy, (herds-grass,) 
and corn-stalks had better be passed through a cutting 
machine, and if some bran, shorts, or a little meal can 
be added, the improved quality of the whole will ren- 
<d er it much better relished by the animals, and they 
will, in their increased flesh or milk, repay the cost. 
A good food for work-horses or oxen is cut hay, 
with from three to six quats of corn-meal per day- 
regulating the quantity according to the degree of la¬ 
bor to be performed. Oats and corn ground together 
make a good provender. Moisten the hay, and mix 
the meal with it it. If the labor is not severe, two 
quarts of meal with the hay, and the addition of a peck 
of carrots per day, will keep the horse in good condi¬ 
tion. The carrots are good for the blood, and will im¬ 
prove the horse’s health. Carrots are also valuable for 
milch cows—increasing the quantity and improving tho 
quality of the milk. 
Rowen hay, or after-math, is most suitable for calves 
and milch cows, or sheep. It is almost like grass, and 
will produce nearly as much milk. It is likewise good 
for fattening animals,- but for working-oxen and hor¬ 
ses it produces rather too loose a state of the bowels to 
admit of the muscular exertion which is required. 
Young cattle and sheep will be benefitted by a daily 
allowance of some kind of roots—potatoes, carrots or 
turneps. The succulence of the vegetables will ren¬ 
der their dry food more like grass—the most natural 
and proper food for such stock. January and February 
are the best months for disposing of the poorest fod¬ 
der. While the weather is coldest, the appetite is 
sharpest, and articles will be eaten which under other 
circumstances would be rejected. 
11 Breaking Roads” in Snow, is a business which 
the farmers of the northern section of the country are 
frequently obliged to perform. Were it not that this 
work is generally performed as a frolic, in which the 
whole neighborhood engage, it would be regarded as 
very laborious and a great burden. Formerly it was 
the practice to shovel a track through the deep drifts, 
and the travelled road was sometimes several feet lower 
than the snow on each side. But the objection to this 
was that the first snow storm or high wind filled up 
the road and rendered it impassable till it was again 
dug out. The best course is found to be to avoid dig¬ 
ging down as much as possible. Some narrow and 
deep drifts must be dug through to keep the road level, 
but the principal track is. made by pressing down th© 
snow. A couple of heavy timbers—round logs are 
best—are fastened together and held by a cross-bar so 
as to represent the form of an A. They should be 
twelve to fifteen feet long each, and be spread at one 
end to the width of ten feet. A plank may be fastened, 
edgewise, along the top of each log, which will pre¬ 
vent the snow from falling over and filling the track 
as the timbers are dragged along. The concentrated 
strength of all the oxen and steers that can be brought 
together is to be applied to these timbers, which are. 
to be drawn over the snow to form a road. Oxen ar© 
better than horses for this purpose, and will work 
through deep snow where horses would stick fast. 
Rather light cattle, if handy, should be put forward, 
and the snow should not be shovelled except in narrow 
drifts, as before mentioned. Twice passing with th© 
timbers will make a smooth, hard road. It is custo¬ 
mary, in passing the second time, to lay additional 
weight on the timbers, in order to compress the snow 
as much as possible. The advantage of this plan is, 
that by pressing down the snow, instead of digging it 
out, the travelled part of the road remains so full that 
the snow does not drift on it—in fact it is sometimes 
higher than the general surface, because the snow i* 
so hard in the road that it is not blown away, while 
that which has not been trodden is frequently taken off 
by wind. It is sometimes difficult to break through a 
deep snow, and it is best for men to walk along in front 
of the team, and prepare the way by making their 
tracks in the right places, levelling the deepest drifts, 
&c. After a good road has once been made, it is but 
vlittle trouble to keep it so for the remainder of the sea- 
i son, or till the snow goes off. 
