II U S B A N D R Y. A07 
jpiedi’on, no certain conclufions can be drawn. The 
filled plan is, therefore, to have recourfe to both methods, 
according to the nature of the improvement that may be 
required ; and, as there is no poffible means yet difcover- 
ed of rendering accidental varieties, in either the animal 
or vegetable kingdom, permanent, the belt way is condant- 
ly to breed from the belt and molt perfect animals of their 
kind. 
The long-agitated quell ion, whether large or fmall 
fized animals are the molt profitable, or pay the grazing 
fanner the molt money for the food they confume, has 
never been decided ; nor is it probably capable of being 
ealily afeertained, on account of the great difficulty of 
making experiments under an exaft fimilarity of circum- 
dancesy in regard to breed, palture, food, expofure, and 
other points ; and what is the difference in the growth, 
or increale of weight, or of labour, between large and 
fmall animals, in proportion to the quantity of food which 
they take for their fupport. And laftly, what is the dif¬ 
ference in the increafe and quicknefs of feeding, in flock 
of different fizes, in relation to the quantity of food which 
they confume. A varied fet of experiments, correftly 
made with a view to thefe different points, would no doubt 
lead to many ufeful conclufions, though they would not, 
probably, finally fettle the difpute, on account of the great 
difficulties that muft always attend fuch comparative in- 
veftigations, from the variation of circumdances and other 
caufes. It would feem therefore, that, in the prefent 
date of our knowledge, no certain directions can be given 
in refpeft to the fize of cattle, that will be generally ap¬ 
plicable in governing the conduft of the farmer. The 
largenefs of fize, though it is a property that may be de¬ 
finable, in fo far as it affords the means of feeding to a 
great weight; yet, as this is probably acquired by a much 
larger and longer-continued confumption of food* it is 
probabie'that, except in fituations where food is abun¬ 
dant, the fmaller-fized animals may be the more profitable. 
In deciding the point, it is not merely, as has been feen, 
■the difference in the quantity of flefh that they are fepa- 
rately capable of affording, but the difference of fuch 
quantity in relation to the confumption of food, that is to 
be confidered. It was found by Mr. Bakewell, that the 
fmaller the bone, the truer the make of the bead, and 
tlie quicker in fattening ; which throws the advantage on 
the fide of fmall fize ; and the experience of graziers in 
general feems to favour the fame conclufion, as they com¬ 
monly find that the middling and fmall breed are the 
moft profitable, from their fattening with the greateff ex¬ 
pedition.—For the natural hiftory and different fpecies of 
this genus of animals, both in the wild and domellic lfate, 
fee the article Bos, vol. iii. p. 221-226. 
Of SUCKLING, and the BUSINESS of the DAIRY. 
In fituations where a ready market can be found for 
fatted calves, there is no part of the farmer’s bufinefs fo 
productive as that of buckling; particularly on farms 
where a great number of’cows can be maintained, and 
where the feed is hearty and undinted. It is a mod pleaf- 
Ing reflection that this department of the dairy concern 
can be carried on to a confiderable extent by only two 
careful deady men, whereby the expence attending it is 
trivial to a degree; the milk is clean taken up by the 
fucking calves, without the fmalled wade; no room or 
temptation is afforded to conniving fervants for pecula¬ 
tion ; and the return is made in large funis of money, in- 
itead of being received, as is too often the cafe for but¬ 
ter, &c. in very fmall driblets. 
Wherever the bufinefs is carried on, it is eflential to 
the health of the calves, that the buckling-houfe be fipa- 
cious and aiiy, having a range of faftenings, called clapfes, 
on one fide, for the purpofe of confining the cows ; and 
on the other a fet of dole pens, for containing the calves. 
Thele fliould be fo contrived, that, while they keep the 
qalves as dry and clean as poflible, they might at the fame 
time exclude the influence of too much light. It is a 
cleanly and healthful method to have raifed moveable 
floors in the pens, formed of narrow laths or fpars nailed 
upon joifts, at the didance of about an inch from each 
other; by which means the moiffure and filth condantly 
drain off, while a confiderable degree of ventilation is af¬ 
forded to the fuckling-houfe. The pens or divisions Ihonld 
never be too large; for the more quiet, and the lefs the 
calves move about, the better and quicker they fatten. 
It is of the utmod confequence to have them kept per¬ 
fectly clean, arid free from every fort of difagreeable fmell; 
for, without attention in this refped, infection or dileale 
is apt to take place. This is bed effected -by frequent 
fweeping and cleaning the pens, and having recourfe to 
frefli clean wheat-draw for littering them up every day. 
No other draw mud on any account be made ufe of. 
There are two methods purfned by different farmers in 
fattening their calves ; one is by allowing them to fuck 
the cow's ; and the other to give them the milk, according 
to the diferetion of the fucker, after it lias been drawn from 
the animals. The fird is obvioufly the bed and mod ad- 
vifeable pradice, and that which is therefore generally fol¬ 
lowed. I11 this mode the calves are admitted to fuck twice 
in the day, which is, as nature bed direfts, at the milking- 
times. In the latter method the milk is given them warm 
from the cow in the morning and evening, being gradu¬ 
ally increafed as, the calves increafe in drength and lize, 
This practice, however, is attended with every diladvan- 
tage, and fliould be univerfally dilcontinued. The length 
of time neceffary for perfecting the bufinefs of fattening 
mud vary according to circunidances ; but in moft cafes 
it is from fix or feven to eight or nine weeks. Where 
this is not a regular bufinefs, the fattening is often dis¬ 
patched in a much (hotter time, and with lefs care. 
As it is extremely neceffary that the calves fliould al¬ 
ways lie quiet, in order that they may indulge in deep, at 
thole times when they are not employed in fucking, the 
fuckling-houle fliould be fituated in the mod retired part 
of the yard, and the pens at thefe times fliould be kept as 
dark as poffible. But notwithdanding this caution, the 
calves mud by no means be buffered to lie too hot in the 
fummer time; which would be apt to induce a ficknefs 
arnongd them. To admit, therefore, an occafional draught 
of frefli air, let a window be cut in each pen, with (butters 
adapted to the dime, and let thefe windows be opened 
whenever the cloleneis of the atmolpbere indicates it to 
be neceffary. In the fummer feafon they (hould rarely if 
ever be clolely (hut; and, when it is requifite, the dream, 
of air may be increafed by opening the door at the oppo- 
fite end of the building. 
I11 the order the calves are brought forth, they are to 
be taken into the pens, and fuckled on their own mothers, 
which at fird will yield a far greater quantity of milk than 
is neceffary for their offspring, fo that another calf may¬ 
be fuckled thereon : or the cow may be milked, and the 
cream be referved for butter, or applied to any other ule 
that the owner may think proper. As the calf increafcs 
in fize, it will require a larger quantity of milk ; but, 
wliild they are young, one good cow will yield a full (rip¬ 
ply for two calves; and, when the whole produce is de¬ 
manded for one calf, another new-milch cow fliould be 
provided, and thefe two cows will abundantly fupply 
three calves with milk till the olded is fit for the butcher; 
after which, if neceffary, a frefli fuckler may be bought in, 
and the bufinefs be carried on progreflively by keeping the 
lioufe condantly fuppiied with calves, fo that the whole 
milk may be fucked. 
As young calves, when permitted to fuck their fill,, are 
often ieized with a loofenels or fcouring; in order to pre¬ 
vent this, for the fird fortnight or three weeks it is necef¬ 
fary to ltint them in their allowance; but, at the famg 
time, due regard fliould be had that they do not pine or 
decreafe in flefli for want of, milk.. After this age they 
fliould be allowed to fuck as long as they chooie, and 
every means ought to be made ule of to increafe their 
appetite, and render them more eager for their food., 
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