Litchfield enquirer., 1865-03-30
1.sss Ittsl ss'Ns 2 55Agrifnltnral.
FOR THE ENQUIRER.

gr ts A. -... A., s .,. FOR THE ENQUIRER. ON RAISING CAIvEs.-Mr. Editor :--As that part of the season has dawned upon us, I would
 suggest few hints to the farmers of the vast
 importance of rearing a. part of their calves.
 so as to enable them to i'll up their dairies
 without paying annually such vast sums as
 some are required to. would direct the at-
 tention of our farmers particularly to this
 branch of husbandry, as one that promises to
 belucrative in. more ways than one. The soar city of winter fodder for some years past, in-. duced many farmers greatly to reduce their
 farm stock also the high prices of beef, has
 commanded for Q few years past in our cities, and in the army has been further cause of
 the reduction of farm stock. Bnt there is another cause of no inconsiderable magnitude
 completely under the farmers control which good policy and even humanity require should be corrected. We allude to the practice among our dairyman of destroying their calves at three or four days old to give place for butter and cheese. I am ell aware that the above articles mentioned rule high in market, tor have at least the year past) At the same time see no good reason why he could not raise say from fveto ten calves, as the dairy may be, and not decrease much on his cheese. After being fed with new milk for short time, Q calf's food can be changed without de- preciating it's growth For instance, take sweet whey scalding hot, stir in little wheat
 flour, give from three to four quarts at each feeding, and it will do well. Also provide some hay for it toeat during the day. Strict attention to this rule will enable the. farmer to raise his own stock. The custom of destroy ing the calves has become alarming, and is . growing evil in our State, and unless it is abated threatens the worst consequences.-- Thousands of calves are annually destreyedin the dairy district, from short-sighted policy, which would sacrifice to present gain one of the most important branches of our husband ry. These causes combined have occasioned comparative scarcity of neat cattle, and prices have consequently advanced to m enor- nous rate. -,r,s -..ss ,l l.., ..,., ..,,e,-
 But it is not the price of cattle alone that should influence the farmer in this natter To keep up the fertility of the soil, lis the cardinal point in good farming. Fertility is the source of our dpro6ts, and the interest which we receivewill ever be regulated by the amount of the capital from which it accrues.--4 Cattle are enphatically the cause of fertility They manufacture the hay, stalks, straw, etc., of the farm into manure, and manure alone keeps up the fertility of the soil. Therefore; the more cattle which are maintained upon the produce of the farm, the greater the ability tokeep, upits fertilitys the greater the farmer's fund, and of produce or the amount of interest which he drawsfrom it. 4s. .s.l 5..szs es-h
 Agriculture is the parent of all arts---the, source of our purest and most snbstantiat en-l joyments, the basis of our national prosperity, and independence, and is as susceptible of i'm proyement as the other arts of labor. Our farmers have the power and incentives to bring it about if they would do as others do make ajoint stock of their knowledfe, and thus ir-s dfviduaily profit by the experience of all s
 GosHrN, March 22, 1665. LAwzoN. 1I4teF<F