The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-12-09
WINTER WORK FOR FARMERS.

The care Of the stock on the farm, is The impor-
tant business of winter, Our animals should be
KEEP, dry, and free of exposure to currents of cold
air, rushing in through holes and cracks in the sides
Of the barn. These may soon be stopped around
the ean-,o by Few shingles aud nails. If the
shingles would be 100 conspicuous and unseemly
on the outside then baen on the inside.
That it is good for our animals OF all kinds to
be kept comfortable there can be no doubt. But
how much warmth it is desirable to produce in the
barn in order to have them truly comfortable, that
IS, in order TO be most healthy. is not settled
point, That good fresh air for them to breathe,
Is highly important, can hardly be doubted by any
one who has paid the least attention to the laws
of health But the barn can be kept cool enough
even when all holes and creyices immediate n.
round and under the cattle are carefully and COM
plctely stopped.
Some farmers make cellars under their cattle
stalls, lay the floors mol tighi, and leave the eel
lars open for the free admission 10 the coolest of
winters winds. These winds must be rushing up
and blowing upon those parts of the animals which
nrc the most susceptible of harm and discomfort
from cold The belly is much more easily harm
ed than the back. A barn cellar in winter should
be closed-lhs makes il better for the cattle above
it, and better for the manure in il. If you Gar
that closing up thus much will make the barn too
warm, the evil can be easily rcmedied by opening
door or window in the upper part of the barn.
We suppose that cattle may be kept too warm in
cellars or Easements. They may be made sckly.
The evil, however, is not so much occnsoned by
absolute rarmh as by the Impurities Of confined
air that is brealhrd over and over again. Above
ground there is no danger Of getting the tcmpcra-
ture too high, excepting for a short time in No
vcmber and December. when the barn is full Of
hay. More cattle suffer from cold in our winters
than from undue warmth, There are but few far
mcrs whose barns are such that it will not be hest
to make them as warm as possible.
fn addition to good protection from currents Of
cold air, give your cattle the pleasure aud benefits
OF a daily carding-this, not so much for the pur-
pose of making the hair look smooth and gloss,
as for the purpose Of keeping op,n The pores of
the skin and promoting its healthy action.
Careful feeding promotes the thrift and health Of
cattle, and saves fodder. little hay only should
be given at time. The hay should be well shn-
ken up. Where there are various kinds of fodder,
rs flesh meadow hay, salt hay, oat and barley
straw, SC. &C. it is best 10 mix the different kinds
thoroughly and TO put in also some good hay-as
much Of this as your supply allows. See 10 it that
your stock is kept in good order at all tlincs.-
There Is no economy in trying 10 keep them at
any time exclusively OF mostly on very poor fod
der. Better !, is TO keep but seven cows and keep
them yell, using considerable portion Of your
meancs, hay for litter, Than to keep ten but poor
ly, making them consume all the coarse fodder
Spend time enough in the barn TO put every thing
that is given to the cattle into the hes, possible
state for their use.
Fucl-parly for this and partly for next years
use, to be cut and brongh, to the wood yard.
Ditching. There is generally opportunity to
do something more than tend the stock and get
up the WOOD if one be active and entcrprising-
Many winters afford better opportunities for ditch
ing, in particular meadows and particular Spots
than occur in the summer. Especially do they at
ford conveniencies for getting on TO the meadow
with teams and taking TO The upland the mud or
peat taken out in opening the ditch. In summer
the meadows are. many of them. at least. too soft
to bear up the team; if ditch is then opened the
contents must be thrown into bank and left in
tina, state, or else spread out upon the meadow.
Left in bank, it n,erferes with the proper dram.
ing of the land, and does not look well. Spread
out, II may be Of some service, but it is much less
useful there Than it would be on the uplands.-
There Is enough Of the same kind Of matter area-