51S 
JOURNAL  OR  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GA  KEENER. 
June  lfl,  186?. 
of  wet  or  drought  usually  leaves  a  mark  somewhere,  and  if  one 
class  of  stock  escapes  scot  free  another  succumbs. 
Some  diseases  are,  so  as  to  speak,  under  our  own  control,  and  it 
is  from  want  of  attention  to  some  elementary  sanitary  rule  that 
we  suffer.  Other  complaints,  again,  are  as  the  “destruction  that 
walketh  in  darkness,”  and  oar  men  of  science  are  nonplussed. 
Under  most  governments  money  is  spent,  and  men  found  who  with 
tireless  energy  take  as  their  life  work  the  study  of  disease,  and  by 
patient  investigation  work  out  some  system  of  prevention  or  cure. 
Our  attention  has  been  called  lately  to  some  ca^es  of  “milk 
fever,”  and  we  think  it  will  be  time  well  spent  should  we  just 
consider  this  disease  from  one  or  two  points  of  view.  Milk  fever 
we  should  say  is  decidedly  an  outcome  of  civilisation.  We  want 
to  go  one  better  than  Nature,  and  so  Nature  takes  her  revenge. 
Among  all  the  mammals  of  the  farm  the  only  one  subject  to  milk 
fever  is  the  cow.  We  have  bred  and  selected,  and  selected  and 
bred,  and  increased  her  feeding  capabilities]  and  her  milk-producing 
qualities  till  we  have  nearly  arrived  at  perfection.  So  much  beef 
so  much  milk,  and  so  greater  risk  of  fever. 
This  complaint  is  known  also  as  parturient  apoplexy— attacks 
the  cow  shortly  after  or  occasionally  before,  or  at  the  time  of 
parturition.  Heifers  with  their  first  or  second  calf  are  practically 
free  from  this  complaint — in  fact,  it  is  almost  an  impossibility  to 
find  a  case.  Every  succeeding  calf  increases  the  risk,  though  often 
it  will  be  found  in  a  large  herd  that  a  middle-aged  cow  is  fatally 
attacked  before  the  oldest. 
Of  course  here  natural  constitution  is  a  great  factor.  It  is  the 
best  milker  that  succumbs  ;  the  inferior  cow  is  safe.  Notes  have 
been  taken  and  observations  respecting  the  various  breeds  most 
commonly  known  among  us.  No  breed  is  so  subject  to  milk  fever 
as  an  English-bred  Jersey  or  pure-bred  Yorkshire — both  standard 
types  of  good  milk  producers.  Suffolk,  Ayrshire,  and  Dutch 
follow  in  the  order  given.  We  try  to  breed  for  early  maturity  ; 
we  feed  generously,  often  “  not  wisely  but  too  well  ;  ”  we  give 
stimulating  foods  of  all  descriptions  ;  we  keep  a  good  milker  on 
year  after  year,  instead  of  feeding  her  off  and  filling  her  place  with 
a  promising  youngster. 
Even  respecting  grass-fed  cows,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind 
there  is  grass  and  grass.  You  do  not  expect  to  find  Figs  on 
Thistles,  neither  is  rich  grass  grown  on  sandy  poor  soil.  Then, 
again,  w<  ather  is  matter  for  consideration.  The  greater  number 
of  calves  ar3  dropped  in  the  spring  ;  yet  among  the  fewer  summor 
calvers  you  will  find  a  much  greater  number  of  cases  of  milk 
fever.  Once  a  cow  bas  been  down  with  ever  so  slight  an  attack, 
she  always  after  calves  at  great  risk.  Better  avoid  all  chances  of 
that  sort.  A  butcher’s  price  is  more  satisfactory  than  a  few 
shillings  from  a  knacker. 
Now,  then,  for  preventive  measures — forewarned  is  forearmed. 
Bjaring  in  mind  that  a  cow  of  full  habit  of  body  is  most  liable  to 
attack  means  must  be  taken  previous  to  calving  to  keep  her  just  in 
a  healthy  breeding  state.  To  get  at  this  it  is  wise  to  knock  off  all 
rich  food  ;  let  what  she  has  be  plain  and  easily  digested  ;  give  her 
daily  exercise ;  see  that  the  cow-house  or  box  be  kept  clean  and 
wholesome,  ventilation  not  neglected,  and  give  her  occasional  doses 
of  aperient  medicine. 
In  case  of  an  attack  remedies  prescribed  vary  ;  some  savants 
rely  on  strong  aperient  medicines,  others  approve  of  bleeding  ;  but 
whatever  course  is  adopted  remember  lime  is  of  the  utmost  value* 
and  measures  to  be  successful  must  be  prompt.  Warm  clothing  is 
very  desirable,  and  circulation  in  the  legs  should  be  promoted  by 
constant  rubbiDg  with  turpentine  or  other  stimulant. 
The  spine,  too,  should  be  likewise  rubbed,  and  the  head  kept 
cool  by  cloths  dipped  in  water.  Bear  in  mind  that  in  the 
administering  of  food  or  medicine  the  greatest  care  should  be 
exercised  lest  the  liquid  flow  into  the  bronchial  tubes  rather  than 
the  stomach.  Stimulants,  too,  are  of  advantage,  wine  being  better 
than  spirits,  not  so  irritating  nor  so  evanescent.  A  good  “vet." 
should  be  on  the  place  as  soon  as  ever  he  can  be  got. 
A  writer  of  some  eminence  relates  his  experience  of  the 
management  of  a  herd  of  Jerseys.  The  losses  by  milk  fever  had 
been  at  the  rate  of  20  per  cent,  per  annum.  The  herd  was  care¬ 
fully  taken  in  hand,  everything  that  science  and  closest  watching 
could  do  was  done,  and  even  then  the  death  rate  was  never  reduced 
below  8  per  cent,  of  the  whole  herd.  Our  best  advice  is,  -Do  not 
overfeed  your  breeding  cows,  do  not  keep  old  stock,  and  above  all 
use  plenty  of  physic  (salts)  before  calving,  possibly  after  if  the 
bowels  need  it,  if  not  a  dose  of  tincture  of  opium  as  a  sedative. 
As  a  proof  that  this  is  a  proven tible  disease,  we  may  give  our 
own  experience  of  the  last  twenty  years.  We  keep  no  very  big  old 
cow*,  indeed  never  let  them  have  more  than  four  calves.  Cake 
and  corn  bills  are  of  much  moment,  that  they  run  no  risk  of  over¬ 
feeding.  Our  average  is  twenty  calves  per  annum,  and  up  to  this 
date  we  have  had  no  loss  at  all.  The  breed  is  Shorthorn,  and 
some  Lincolnshire  Reds.  A  friend,  who  for  many  years  has  calved 
fifty  cows  per  annum,  has  for  the  last  three  or  four  years  had  no 
cases  whatever  ;  before  that  his  losses  were  2  per  cent.,  or  one  in 
fifty.  Remember,  too,  absolute  quiet  after  delivery  must  be 
insisted  on,  and  the  stomach  kept  free  from  over-repletion. 
WORK  ON  THE  HOME  FARM. 
No  sooner  had  we  completed  last  week’s  notes  than  rain  commenced 
to  fall,  and  has  continued  in  large  or  small  quantities  every  day  since. 
The  rainfall  has  now  quite  satisfied — nay,  more  than  satisfied — present 
needs,  and  we  actually  have  to  wait  a  day  or  two  for  the  land  to 
become  dry  enough  to  procaed  with  Turnip-sowing.  Once  started,  we 
shall  not  stay  the  drill  until  all  are  in.  Advantage  was  taken  of  the 
drought  to  kill  the  twitch,  and  now  everything  is  favourable  for  the 
growth  of  a  fine  crop. 
The  difference  in  the  appearance  of  nature  between  this  week  and 
last  is  indeed  remarkable.  Cereal  crops  have  grown  inches  in  the  day, 
whilst  pastures,  from  being  bare  and  brown,  have  put  on  a  robe  of 
richest  green.  Sheep  and  cattle  have  been  quite  unable  to  keep  pace 
with  the  growth,  and  there  seems  now  a  prospect  of  keep  in  abundance. 
Had  the  weather  remained  dry  much  longer  many  meadows  would  have 
been  cut,  as  it  would  have  been  useless  to  wait  for  more  growth.  The 
rain,  however,  has  postponed  haymaking  for  the  present,  and  crops  will 
gain  in  weight  proportionately  as  they  keep  growing,  and  put  off  the 
seeding  period. 
Potatoes  are  growing  fast,  and  require  horse-hoeing  and  cleaning 
faster  than  they  can  te  attended  to.  This  woik,  with  the  putting  in  of 
the  Turnips,  will  occupy  all  hands  available,  and  keep  them  more  than 
busy.  Some  of  the  Potatoes  are  nearly  ready  for  earthing-up,  so  oar 
hands  are  full  indeed. 
One  piece  of  land  (intended  for  Rape),  before  the  rain,  wa*  like  a 
mixture  of  paving  stones  and  cricket  balls.  We  have  harrowed  it  to¬ 
day,  and  it  is  almost  at  fine  as  sand  ;  in  such  fine  condition  that  we  shall 
be  tempted  to  drill  at  once  if  time  and  Turnips  will  allow. 
Cattle  are  doing  well  on  growing  pastures ;  but  the  flush  has  rather 
had  a  scouring  effect  on  lambs,  particularly  on  two  or  three-year  old 
seeds.  Maggots  are  becoming  troublesome,  and  will  be  so  whilst  the 
weather  remains  damp.  The  ewes  require  careful  watching,  as,  being 
lately  clipped,  lying  on  the  damp  ground  may  be  the  cause  of  downfall 
in  the  udder — a  very  fatal  complaint,  and  most  difficult  to  deal  with  if 
not  taken  in  time. 
M 81TEOROLOGUO  AL  OBSERVATIONS 
Oamden  Square,  London. 
Lat.  51°  12' 40"  N. ;  Long.  0°  8/  0"  W.;  Altitude  111  feet. 
Date. 
9  A.M. 
In  the  Day. 
1897. 
May 
j  Barometer 
at  32°, and 
|  Sea  Level. 
Hygrometer. 
Direc¬ 
tion  of 
Temp, 
of  soil 
at 
1  foot. 
Shade  Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature 
i 
*3 
PS 
and 
June. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Wind. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
San. 
On 
Grass. 
Sunday  ..  . 
30 
Inchs. 
29-845 
leg. 
6  l-s 
deg. 
55  4 
S. 
deg. 
55-2 
deg. 
71-6 
deg. 
6 1-7 
deg. 
116-1 
deg 
47-6 
Inohs. 
0-409 
Monday  .... 
31 
30-010 
61-3 
55  1 
S.W. 
56-7 
71*4 
49  2 
114-5 
431 
0-219 
Tuesday  .... 
1 
29-850 
53-9 
56  0 
E. 
57-8 
69-9 
52  0 
101-7 
46-4 
— 
Wednesday 
2 
30-068 
63-7 
5 -Cl 
N.W. 
57-0 
63-8 
48-2 
92-9 
40  0 
— 
Th"rsddy  . . 
3 
30-135 
60-7 
57-9 
N. 
57-3 
6S-7 
5  4*2 
101-2 
45-8 
— 
Friday  .... 
4 
30-113 
56  9 
540 
N. 
57-8 
70-f 
50-0 
111*9. 
59-7 
— 
Saturday  .. 
6 
30132 
57-8 
65-4 
N. 
59-1 
74-6 
55-0 
113-9 
55-1 
— 
30-022 
59-8 
56-0 
57-3 
707 
513 
1075 
489 
0-624 
REMARKS. 
30th.— Overcast  early ;  generally  sunny  day,  but  close.  Thunderstorm  with  heavy  rain 
from  7  p.M.  to  8  P.ir. 
3l8t. — Generally  sunny  all  day. 
1st. — Thunderstorm  from  4  A.M.  to  8  A  M.,  and  rainy  till  11  A.M. ;  alternate  cloud  and 
sun  in  afternoon. 
2nd. — Sunny  early  ;  overcast  day. 
3rd.— Generally  overcast;  a  little  sun  at  midday. 
4th. — Overcast  morning;  sunny  from  0.30  P.M. 
5th. — Overcast  till  10.30  A.M.,  bright  after. 
A  rather  dull  week,  but  warmer,  with  acceptable  rain  in  the  early  part  of  the  week 
— G.  J.  Simons. 
