The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-01-19
THE CALEDONIAN.
agricultural.
JCiufer care of Colts.

Colts, perhaps, are the worst neglected
stock on the farm. No profit is expected
from them for year or two in advance.
They are tat in the beginning OF winter,
from having had nothing to do but eat on
the li,h pasture through the summer. Sc
when they are brought to the barn yard,
they must live at the straw stack, or on
portions OF fodder refused by other stock.
Ir,iead of keeping their flesh and growing
finely. they gradually fall away under
Iii, treatment. The coat becomes rough
and staring the ribs and bones protrude a;
lice inirst them, and often they have bare
l. strength enough to totter to the held
VII IN Grass crows again. This Is cruel
and Improbable way Of winterlng colts.
Their nov n is checked and they never
make - valuable animals as they would
under more generous treatment. They 90
not cam strength and maturity so early,
aud consequently cannot be put to labor
at 50 young an age as if they had been
we'll kept Their spirit is lessened, and
frequently disease induced.
The rule i keep your colts thriving con-
stantv until they are fully grown. They
do no, require food to tatten them like a
steer. but to make muscle and BONE
Thcv should never be tied on floor in a
stable long at time. Nor should they
run in the same ward with other stock
anon! cattle. as they are very liable to be
gorci. and when they master the cattle
they drive them too much. They should
not he tolerated at all with sheep. If you
wish to cuntinc them in stable, the best
way i to give them as mnch room as pos
siilc and not tie them. Give them the
earth for floors. and litter it plentitully
with straw. Two or three or more colts
may be kept together, if the room be sutfi-
Gent. In the spring you will find a valu-
able bed OF manure under them. 1t is a
GOOD plan to stable them thus in the day
time when the cattle are ont in the yards,
and on pleasant M hts when the other
stock Is in the stables, let the colts run in
The yard, for exercise, and to pick up tod
der that may be left, and forage at the
straw stack They should, however, have
sufficient hay 10 keep them thriving, and
some rround oats in addition. Oats make
more muscle than any other grain, hence
they are the best feed for horses. 1t pays
to iced them some ground grain, if you
di,ninioh their other food in the mean
time, and when they are shedding their
teeth it is difficult to keep them in good
milton without it.
Colts arc a necessary evil on a farm.
There Is no other stock SO costly to keep Z;
50 hard 10 conhne within proper limits SO
destructive TO fences and Enclosures so
urterlain Of giving an ultimate profit, and
50 utterly worthless in case of being dis
ablcd by accident. They are close feeders
on @ra>s, biting as low as sheep, and seek
IN invariably the highest, poorest spots,
where the heritage is sweet nor do they
enrich the land on which they feed like
sheep. The latter spread their manure
evenly over the field, and tertilize the
knobs by choosing them for their resting
place during tbs night. But while horses
are the hardest feeders, they are likewise
the poorest fertilizers of the pasture in
which they roam.-R>uW New Yorker