Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-12-29
From the American Acrcul,urist
Necessity of Warmth and shelter fl Winter
for stock,

NcCessity vi Narmtn ana shelter III WINTER
for stock.
DEAR StR:-1t is frequently asked BY
young farmers, to what kind Of domestic
animals and stock is it advantageous 10 af-
ford warm and comfortable winter quarters?
The answer is-to all; from hens and
chickens, to the horse and OK. There is
great economy of food in affording shelter
TO all that breathe in cold climate, and to
all animals that we wish to fatten, perfect
quietude, or freedom from muscular exertion
is not less important.
All the food given to animals, goes to sup
ply the waste in the system produced by the
vital functions and muscular exertion, keep
ing the system in Statu quo, or in increasing
its bulk and weight by addition, in ful-grown
animals, in fat, or in keeping up supply Of
heat to the body. In cold weather, a very
large portion of the food is expended in gen.
Grating heat, and Just so much lost TO the
production of fat, milk, eggs, &c.
The necessity Of generating animal heat
+ from the carbon and hydrogen of the food,
increases with the severity Of the weather,
for the faster the heat is distracted from the
body by the atmosphere, the faster it must
be supplied. We know of no other source
= of animal heat than the oxidation Of the cl-
ements Of food by breathing. and their pass
ing out Of the body in the form of vapor, Of
. water, and carbonic gas. All the food, then,
that is thus burnt to keep up the heat of the
e body, is lost in nutrition. Artificial warmth,
"a then, either from shelter or clothing, supplies
1t the place of foo1-of that food thus expen-
). ded to produce necessary heat, would go, il
l. that were supplied from other sources, to
% the formation of fat, or the supply Of waste
All muscular exertion, everything that in
e creases the frequency of breathing, causes
II waste, which must be supplied before any
l. increase in fat or milk, or muscle. can take
J. place. Hard work, active exertion, and
% quick breathing, cause rapid ,caste of the
parts Of the system. This must be supplied
!. BY food before there can be any addition. -
!. Without this waste, the same food would 60
IS to increase the weight and 'ulk of the body.
re When animals are kept warm, clean, and
;e quiet, about one-half the nutritious matter
j. If it be d'r,sed through a.bulk sufficien, for
re proper d'ste"''ru Of the organs Of nutrtiOn)
e that 1t IS necessary 10 wretched shiverng
J., existence, exposed to he incemencies of the
weather, will keep them ~ fine condition.
And good shelter and warn. clothing even,
g cost much less in the course OF few wears,
il than large daily supplies of food, necessary
IS to vital warmth, and expendsd apd M i
o producing it.
Independently Of the question Of econous,
u of food, there is great comfort to human,
a man, in seeing all living things around hin
l. comfortable; and especially those to whom h.
g is largely indebted for those comforts which b,
enjoys. Even when there are ample SUP.
!, plies of food to waste in keeping animals
d warm, still they suffer in very cold weather
if unprotected from coldl winds, sleet ano
s. snow. And it is painful to see them drawn
e up and shivcring, turning their mute suppIi.
y eating coun'enances to their masters, foI
u protection from the piticss inclemency o.
e the weather.
The subject of these brief hints is so abb,
" treated, and fully demonstrated in Liebig'
Animal Chemistry, that it is greatly to be
desired that his work should be in the hands
= OF not the few scientific men only, bu, of the
:, people and should be greatly pleased ,c
see an edition Of it, in which the language in
winch SO much important truth is embodied
should be adapted TO popular comprehen.
sion. Many pclsons will not read it, and
others will not understand it, in its present
translation. His facts and the unavoidable
} deductions from them, being TO us new era
IN physiology. Starting points that have
not been approached before, seem TO have
been reached, and new direction will be
given to our researches, and more profita-
BILE one, for we shall seek atlainabe objects.
We are yet barely in the dawn of the appli-
cation of the Inductve philosophy, and CEN
turtles will pass over before mankind will DO
fully aware Of the obligations they owe TO
Lord Bacon.