The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-11-06
wINTERING FARM STOCK.

AS Winter approaches the farmer
is reminded that his live stock can no
longer wander over the fields and col
lect theirfood from day to day. The
grass has ceased to grow. The frost
has bound up the surface of the
fields In its cold embrace, and the cat
tie are attracted toward the stable
with hunger, lowing as they go, to
draw the attention of the herdsmen
to their dependent position, pleading
for something to eat.
The barns are well stored with hay
and grain; stacks and ricks of hay
and fodder surround the barns and
stables, as a corps de reserve, showing
industrious farmer In providing for
the coming Water; but what of
Winter? We readily perceive when
1t begins, but who can predict when 1t
will end2 Some Winters are short
and pleasant, but we can only discov-
er this when we arrive at the other
end. Some are very long and very
severe-these are the ones we should
make our calculations by. and enter
into them as a cautious General en-
tiers into a campaign. Graduate the
quantity of stock by the amount OF
food in store; if you have too much
stock, dispose of part; if too little,
add mere; better too little than too
much, always bearing In mind that 1t
pays better to keep stock we'll than
to keep it poor.
Here we come to the point where
many formers greatly err. They look
over the large accumulation of food
they have provided for wintering
their stock (and [ stop here to give
them credit for their industry and
perseverance in gathering so much
and curing it we'll. Some people
think that when butter is plenty it
should be spread thick on the bread,
without thinking that it may some
time become scarce, and then the
bread will not be eaten with so good a
relish with a thinner spread, or with
out any at all. So with the Winter
fodder-they feed lavishly at the com
mencement of Winter; not only Law
ishly. but w~astefully, thinking that so
large amount OF food can hardly be
eaten bv their stock during the Win
ter, forgetting that the Winter may be
a very long one.
There is a deeper view of the mat
ter, and one that is worth looking
into! All that a farmer grows on his
farm is worth naOaey-worth dollars
that is the word-talk of dollars and
every one can appreciate it. Now, all
this hay, and straw, and corn, and
oats can be converted into dollars. A
farmer will not scatter his dollars
about carelessiy, but he will some
times waste or let so to waste that
which. If properly applied, can be
converted into dollars.
The important question presents
itself here-how all this great accum.
ulation Of stock foodcan be converte1
into the most money. Not in throw
ing it 10 large quantities before the
stock 10 be trampled under their feet
This. you say, will make manure; So
it will: but at what cost? Did the
farmer toll and swelt and hire hell
during the whole Summer to collec
all this greatamount of fodder merely
to make manure?
Better to have left it where it grew
on the ground, by which the additions
advantage Of mulching would hav,
been secured. Valuable as is manure
1t may lie purchased too dear. u
you suppose that stock will thrive an
better BIZ having large quantities
food continually at their disposal
eat or waste2 No, they will nc
thrive so well. The appetite become
cIoyed and vitiated by the very abuT
lance presented to them throug
kindness; they select the most palat
able parts and reject the remainde
they thus cultivate a fastidious appt
tite that becomes more and more crit
cal every day.
Stock will thrive better with just &
much food given as they viii eat u
clean. This should be at stated per
dds and regularly atten ded TO. If
feeding economically a large 3surpll
isfound 10 be on hand at the end oft
season, il is better than to have was
ed 1t: but it would have been bett
and more profitable to have add
moro stock, which would nave ylel
ed more profit. Dent waste foo
nevertheless; your fields may n
Weld so abundantly next season, al
your hay being we'll secured, will 10
none of its virtues by being kept owe
There has been so much WRIT
and printed in former sue
the J~ourn1L in favor OF steamlng 10
fer farm stock, that it may-uot
necessary to say more than just to G
the readers attention to 1t. y
thing Is certain-there is money IN
anu I0OSc WHO ItleCI IL viii NC "
vinceo, after awhile, that they canI
compete with their more enterprise
neighbors, who adopt it. Any m
who will give the matter a fair reasC
irg before his own mind (eyen with
little prejudice against it) must
convinced that it will pay TIL
there have been so many trials 8
ceesfully made and published by 4,
honorable men, that the matter '
not admit of question. If food t
makes one hundred pounds of but
without steaming will, by steamint
make D hundred and fifty pour
then the farmer who rejects
steaming process loses fifty pounds
b,lfter to every hundred pounds
makes. Can he afford to do this?
the hay grown on twenty acres car
made equal to that grown on tn
acres. by cutting and steaming 1t, {
tbe steaming is equal to adding
more acres to the farm. The ste
ing apparatus need mo- be near
ham: the food can readily be
moved to and fro on a light hand
The whole thing is not very &C
and is soon repaid by the additi
profits.
DARK STABLES.