126 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
treraes in this as well as other things, and reason 
sustains experience. Is it not making hot-house 
plants of our animals, by heating our barns and 
confining our .stock in close apartments? Many of 
our best farmers in this section of Vermont, are 
even neglecting to blanket their horses, finding 
them less liable to colds, more hardy and vigor¬ 
ous,- though their hair may be less glossy, and 
their general appearance less prepossessing. Do 
not these facts seem to indicate that warmth, 
though incontestibly it does lessen fodder, is not 
always a proper substitute for it. 
The strength and power of the engine must not 
be sacrificed for the sake of its beauty, or the. 
.economy of its fuel. Its comparative power, 
beauty and expense, must all be considered. As 
I said before, I say not this to condemn any pre¬ 
vious opinion, but to find out its real value,—to 
learn the true interests of the farmer, in develop¬ 
ing the greatest muscular power of his animals at 
the least expense. C. S. H. Peacham, Vt. 
This question, when stripped of the appendages 
which do not belong to it, is one of great simplicity. 
Our correspondent has unintentionally encumbered 
it with needless difficulties. By another exami¬ 
nation of the article he comments upon, he will per¬ 
ceive that we have by no means admitted the pro¬ 
priety or necessity of confined air or the absence 
of cleanliness, which he seems to think insepara¬ 
ble from shelter. Every good stable is furnished 
with ventilators above, and some of the best farm¬ 
ers furnish their cattle apartments with side regis¬ 
ters, which are kept closed on the windward side, 
and opened oposite. Every one who fears the care 
of this attention, and of the requisite labor for keep-, 
ing stables cleaned twice or thrice a day, and w 7 ell 
supplied with litter, will of course prefer to ex¬ 
pose his animals, even though the loss thus sus¬ 
tained by exposure may far exceed the cost of la¬ 
bor expended for shelter. 
The saving of food by promoting animal warmth, 
has long since been proved by innumerable trials, 
to be an incontrovertible fact, and not a mere 
“ theory,” as our correspondent seems to suppose. 
Many of our best sheep farmers, have found so 
great an improvement both in the condition of 
their animals and in the quality of the wool afford¬ 
ed, as well as saving of life to the animals, and of 
the amount of food consumed, as to repay fully 
in two to three years the total’cost of comfortable 
and substantial shelters. Instead of producing 
disease, we know of some who thus lose fewer 
animals in winter than in summer; but they were 
not, however, allowed to live and repose on their 
own manure, as in the case cited by C. S. H., but 
strict cleanliness was observed. 
It is true, there is a physiological similarity be¬ 
tween animals and human beings, and .if farmers 
would but remember this, the-y would be less likely 
to permit the discomfort of filth to their horses 
and cattle, which often exists to a degree that 
would be insupportable to human beings. But to 
to compare animals which ar§ kept in clean, com¬ 
fortable and well ventilated stables, mostly in a 
standing posture, with several hours run in an open 
yard, daily, in mild weather, to women, who keep 
themselves mostly in a sitting posture, in unventi¬ 
lated rooms, artificially heated, with not five min¬ 
utes of open air, is a very great mistake. Does our 
correspondent think that a farmer and his family 
would enjoy better health, and be freer from colds, 
croups* and consumptions, if not even allowed the 
shelter of the barn, without fire heat, or even the 
protection of a high board fence, to sleep under? 
We have no doubt such treatment would make the 
race hardier; but it would be through the certain 
destruction of all but the very hardiest of persons, 
wffiose iron constitutions would of course be trans¬ 
mitted to their posterity. But such treatment 
would not help those who are tender, butonlyen- 
feeble and wear them out by hardships—a result we 
have repeatedly witnessed on unduly exposed ani¬ 
mals. Strength of constitution and hardiness of 
frame are promoted in the highest degree when 
there is no suffering for the lack of comfort, when 
there is not a constant draft upon flesh and animal 
vigor, by exposure to snow 7 , rain and stormy 
winds. —♦— 
Abortion in Cows. 
A correspondent, (S. R. S., of Blooming Grove, 
Orange co.,)' wishes to know the cause of abortion 
in cow 7 s. He assures us that his cows are in good 
condition, are kept in stables above ground, and 
are kept there only in muddy , cold, or stormy 
weather. F.inding the disease contagious, he im¬ 
mediately separates affected ones. 
Without being able to assign the cause in this 
particular instance, we can only state what are 
usually regarded as the most prominent causes, 
viz: confined or impure air in stables, stall feeding 
without sufficient and regular exercise, impure wa¬ 
ter, bad hay. or stale grain, &c., which are sup¬ 
posed to cause flatulency, and increase the dan¬ 
ger. Offensive odors, especially of putrid flesh or 
putrid blood, are supposed to produce a nervous 
influence, and strongly to contribute to this result. 
The ergot of rye is known to have a powerful ten¬ 
dency in the same direction, and it is thought that 
the ergot which grow-s upon other plants, as some 
species of grass, on wheat, and Indian corn, and 
w 7 hich are found more abundantly in certain local¬ 
ities, and in certain seasons, may also tend to pro¬ 
duce abortion. All the cow 7 s of a herd beingalike 
affected by all these causes*, when the first animal 
loses her calf, the peculiar odor w’hich she imparts, 
and which the others by their keen sense quickly 
perceive, tends powerfully to produce the same 
disaster throughout the herd. . 
The remedy consists in avoiding all the exciting 
causes, and in moderate and regular feeding, 
wffiolesome food, pure water, pure air, moderate 
exercise, clean bedding*, currying, and general at¬ 
tention to comfort. —<►— 
Apples for Domestic Animals.-—A correspondent 
of the Ohio Farmer, who has experimented to a conside¬ 
rable extent during the past abundant season, thinks 
there is nothing better for milch cow§, when fed to them 
in proper quantities. The quantity should be small at 
first, and increased to a peck twice a day for each cow. 
He finds them worth more to beef cattle than pumpkins, 
and to calves than shorts. Cooked and mixed with meal 
or shorfs, they are excellent during the earlier stages of 
fattening hogs. We have found them to increase the 
milk of cows one half more when fed to them in winter, 
in rather less quantities than above stated; and to be 
very fine as green food for horses, when fed on hay. 
Farmers need' not fear to plant out plenty of apple trees 
of productive sorts, for if the market should ever be¬ 
come glutted, they could never come amiss as food for 
cattle, hogs, sheep, horses, &c. 
