Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-12-08
Winter Care Of Stock.

well Wlntered is half summered, 1t is equally
true that stock coming to the barn in the fall
ID good condition and in good heart, can be
wlntered much more cheaply than that which
comes in poor condition. It is almost impos-
slble for the most skillful manager to bring
an animal from low to q fair or high condi-
ton on hay alone-the usual feed for young
cattle, sheep, and colts during winter-but in
a good state of health and flesh on the ap
proach of winter, with suitable amount
| OF hay, their condition may and should be
| Kept good, and the young stock growing un-
I'll the season for turning them again to grass.
This can only be done by careful and regular
| feeding, good, pure water, and suitable shell
! ter from the most Indictment weather during
the winter months of our northern climate.
Variety OF food is very essential to the thrift
/ of most animals, while it is too often disre-
! garded By those having care of them. No
| good breeder will overlook this most import
| ant matter.
Roots, such as turnips, carrots, etc, can be
produced in great abundance upon almost
any farm in the country, and are very great
help to exc out short supply of hay while
they are OF the greatest advantage to almost
any KIND of farm stock. At the present high
price OF all kinds of grain there are but few
farmer that will feed it, especially to store
cattle or sheep. Its place may be supplied in
| a great measure by roots, and that farmer is
wise who has laid in good quantity for win
ter feeding A little corn in this way will
often times, save whole t1ocks and herds from
| diseases incidental to insufficient keen or
| want of change in feed.
Young animals particularly should be well
fed and cared for though the first winter of
| their existence. 1t is too often the case that
calves, colts and lambs are neglected and
lett to shift for themselves the first winter
| and as consequence are barely able to get
| from the barn to pasture in the spring. In
| TINS condition 1t takes almost the entire grass
| season to recover what flesh and strength
they have lost during the winter, for want of
that care and comfort that common humanity
would seem to dictate. The most successful
breeders and stock raisers give the utmost
| attention to their young animals through their
first winter, and are sure that they have good
shelter, the best of food, and abundance of
pure water at all times. Their growth should
at no time be checked for want of attention
to these important considerations
| While every branch of husbandry requires
| the closest and more careful attention of an
| interested and skillful manager, none suffers
for want of it so much as stock during the
| standardization Stock Journal
About Ice HOUsEs.-In the Prairie Fa1qsaer,
| OF Nov 10, there is very valuable illustrat,
| ed article on ice houses. We believe our
people generally should pay more intention
| to the preservation of ice for summer USE
| 1t will pay them well to do so.
After describing two very excellent and
| cheap styles of ice-houses the Farmer says:
Much less expensive methods, than by
| houses constructed after either of the above
| plans have been adopted by different parties,
| A gentleman informs US that ice may be kept
| through the season IN a common cellar, by
| making large boX-say sufficient to hold a
| couple of cords of ice-which box is placed
inside larger one of similar form, packing
the usual amount Of tan bark or sawdust in
the space between the two. The two boxes
| of course answer to the double sides of an
| ice-hOuse. Have part of the cover made
so that it can be easily removed for the pur-
| pose of filling and for taking out, and pipe
at the bottom to drain the box, it connecting
with the cellar drain
| The ice house should be located as much in
the shade as possible; on a slope to the north
| is favorite location
A man of very common ingenuity, and but
| little practiced in the use of tools, can easily
| construct his own ice house or box, and thus
| reduce the cost to simply the lumber and
| nails.
Cut the ice when from nine inches to foot
| OT more III tUlckueSS. a less thickness Will
answer, but it will not keep as well. Some
also claim that it will not melt so readily in
| the ice house, if the cakes are placed edge,
wise, instead of being laid upon the side
Cut the ice on q very cold day, and let it re-
main exposed to the weather for several
hours before packing"
CROPS IN EUROPE.-The bi-monthly report
of the Agricultural Department states that
France q tn to
the English market the coming year, that
much of the wheat of northern Europe is in
jured by wet weather, and that the hay, oats
and root crops of Great Britain are a greater
failure than has been known to the present
generation of English farmers The great
scarcity of food for farm stock in Great Brit
ain must create an active demand for Ameri-
can indian corn, which we will be able to
supply, having nearly as much to spare for
export as IN 1868, although the crop is 3d.
644 ,902 bushels less than in 1852 because we
have nearly two millions Of hogs less to fat
ten Some English farmers state that they
have enough fodder and roots to keep their
stock with great economy until the last of
November. The turnip crop was an entire
failure no second crop of hay could be Sc
cured because the stock had TO eat it as fast
as it grew to keep from starving. Besides,
farm stock being nearly all poor is untitled
for the butcher and must be kept over or
killed and thrown away, which increases, in
stead of diminishing the difficulty. Lnseed
cake is worth $50 per ton. The wheat crop
il injured by wet all over northern Europe
and badly sprouted in limited localities and
England must look to this country, where the
quality is superior, indeed never better, for
her supply of corn and wheat. The Report
anticipates the probability of high prices for
al Grains npYt Cr,rinS suuomar
Cows.-Cows must be sheltered, groomed,
well fed and cared for. A COW should 90 in
the barn when the first cold weather comes
on in the autumn and stay there till it is over
in spring. Of course the stables should be
well ventilated. Cows kept in the barn
through the winter do just az well as those
which are let out. Air, light, good water
and good food are essential
The attachment of cow to farm is won
derful. II a COW is sold from a farm and ia
ken to strange place, she longs to get back,
and rarely or never does so well a mixer
as she did before. The extra product of
COWS raised on a farm over those purchased
and brought thither is a strong argument in
favor Of the dairy man breeding his own herd
Cows LEAKING MMK.-A correspondent of
the Rural once said he cured cow by bath
ing her teats, previous to her making bag,
with melted tallow, every three or four DAYS
till she calved. 1t can be done after milking
as well when the bag is empty. There is an
article called Collodion or Liquid Cutiele.
which may be obtained of druggists. Apply
this to the end Of the teats after milking the
cow. 1t at Gnce forms thin, tough skin,
and closes the orifce At the next milking
this skin can be broken through, and after
milking the Collodion again applied After
few applications in this Way the defect will