St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-12-13
The Farmers Club.

Below We give a synopsis of the re-
marks of some of the gentlemen at
the meeting Of the Farmers Club in
this place on Saturday cvcning-Sub-
.jcct: The Winter Care of Stock.
Mr.. lIarwood said he was cmplIat-
cally a western man-born and reared
IN the West. lie had been engaged
many years in farming, but was not a
scientific farmer As to the care of
stock, he had known good cattle rails
ed by allowing them, in winter, to go
to the straw stack as they pleased,
and shlrk for themselves. 1t was
well TO have sheds, but not too warm
ones. 1t was said to be healthy for
men to be out in the open air, and of
course j: was healthy for cattle.
Mr.. French said, In coming from
Chicago to this place in .hc spring Of
1887, he noticed that the cattle were
very thin, as though poorly fed, or
cmaciatcd by disease. He thourht
the practice OF running at straw stacks
and in corn fields did not work well
III such winters as that of 1867
His experience had been that it takes
much less fodder for stock when pro.
vIdcd with good shelter than when
fed at stacks without shelter Scicn.
tIlic men assert that the quantity OF
food needed to support animal life de-
ponds upon the temperature of the eli,
mate; the colder the climate the grca-
ter the amount of food required. Ev-
cry farmer knows that his cattle need
much more fodder in very cold than in
mild weather TO a farmer of humane
feelings it affords much satisfaction
as he sits by the fire on cold winter
evening and listens to the storm with.
ont, to know that his team and stock
arc provided with good shelters and
are well fed. How different the feel
lngs OF the man whose cattle have mol
shelter lie hears the bowling of the
wind, and the snow and scct driving
against the windows, while above the
storm he hears the pitilul means of
his cattle, whose only shelter is per.
haps board tcnce-thc boards five
or SIX inches wide and the spaces be-
tween them much widcr-and an in
voluntary shuddcr runs through his
frame.
Mr.. HiIdreth said that when hcI
came West, five years ago, he thought
Iowa the Farmers Paradise. He had
never before seen the corn standing
III the field when snow was on the
ground. Here, instead of cutting mn
the corn and saving all the fodder. AZ
at the East, he saw the cattle in the
corn fields helping themselves. The
hogs were tattened in the same wav.
The farmers had nothing to do but sit
around the fire and smoke their pines
and tell stories, while their stock. like
every thing else, was permitted to
take care OF itself. This looked like
an easy way of farming then, but the
next spring he found many of the cat.
tie had died OF cold and hunger. But
things were different now, aud he re-
loiced to see the improvements that
had been made. He objected, howey-
81; to stables with no floors, and espc-
cially with no litter or bedding for
horses, cows, &c.--thus compelling
animals to lie upon the frozen ground.
lie also spoke against fording rivers
with horses in winter and then allow
ng them to stand through cold night
with wet and recovered limbs. lie ,
recommended cut and ground feed for
iorses and cows, and the Introduction
If mills for grinding the ears of corn
% be fed to stock, and cooking the ;
God for hogs, &c.
Mr.. Muir was in favor of comforta.
Die shelter for stock. He would be
attentive as to their feed, and work {
ng animals especially should be car
I'd for As to the horse, he should not :
DC permitted to stand in the cold with
vet limbs. If warm and sweaty. let {
lin be blanketcd, and if his legs are |
vet rub them till dry, and give him q
good bedding when in the stall. y
Mr.. Ireland was opposed to stable =
loors. They rendered the stables
Older and more uncomfortable than ,
was to lie on the ground with plen- a