The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1863-12-02
Things that Farmers Should Know

AALlSo tndI EhtmtTS SHOulQ hnOW
Every thing that tends TO increase the
profit of farming must directly or indirect
ly benefit the farmer by raising the value
Of his land. Every effect has its cause,
and there are unfortunately so many pre-
venlible losses in agriculture that pro-
pose one by one to enumerate them.
Animals differ in no degree from our
selves in the appreciation of dry bed
and dry skin, warm corner in winter
and a cool place in summer How i'm
ploringly will cattle and sheep stand at
the field gate in bad weather, when they
know there is shelter for them elsewhere.
How quickly sheep will avail themselves
of wooden hurdle, hard road, or even
a wheelbarrow or n piece Of board to lay
upon, so as to avoid contact with the wet
ground to them damp sheets. 1t is a
well known and admitted fact that a saw
ing Of one-third in food results from pro-
viding shelter when required. Add this
gain, or deduct the SO per cent Of loss
over fifty-six millions of acres, with their
tens of millions Of animals and you are
astonished at the sum total.
Exposure, even in dry weather, to a
sharp wind, abstracts an immense amount
Of caloric from the body, which must be
made good by the fuel or fat Of the food.
Even with well-wooled sheep this takes
place in 8 degree, and it must interfere
with their repose, for we cannot rest well
when cold.
1t is surprising how easily one may ex-
temporze effective shelter. find it un-
desirable TO house animals and turn them
out in the day; the extreme variation
gives them cold. therefore lhresh my
first wheat, stack the straw, thatch it
ready for next harvest, place it on pas
ture, surrounded it nj some distance with
hurdles, throw down little straw close
to the stack, and make this the night
fold yard for my cattle. Here they get.
their cake, bran or dry food. Bullocks
soon establish, by rubbing and grooming
themselves, comfortable arcade of straw
on either side, or at each end, according
to the wind. Under this they lie COM
fortably ensconced, free from driving rains
or strong cold winds, and in the day time,
weather permitting, go to their feeding
ground.
The act of grooming themselves gives
cleanliness, and stimulates circulation in
the skin, and pays well in the health and
condition af animals.
There is no currycomb or horse brush
so effective as good strong reedy wheat
straw, free from weeds, especially if YOU
have shaved or trimmed the stack
Where reaping by hand is still in practice,
good haulm stack answers well. If
farmers knew how cheapya close shed or
covered ward could be erected and how
much it influences and preserves the con
dition and quality ofanimals and manure,
they would erect them.
have shed, 81 feet long, and 35 feet
wide, the walls feet high, single span
and space slated roof. This will accomo-
date 30 twoyear old bulocks. / have
at presant in this shed q two-years-old
short horns. They appear closely packed,
but have ample ventilation. 1t may be
box system on large scale.
The straw under them is invariably cut
by steam into two.inch lengths, and read
lily forms n homogeneous mass. 1t need
not surprise US that strong reedy straw,
so cut, readily absorbs urine, for in cutting
it gets split and broken; thus the spon-
gy inside of tho straw at once absorb
The cost of cutting it by steam power
where an engine is on the premises is in
signifcant.-Prof Mechi, England.
IT is said that pumpkins fed TO mich
cows have tendency to dry up or di-