Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-01-11
Agriful
Light and Air for Stock.

1t Is one Of the kind provisions OF the
Great Provider that those things which are
most essential to the animal economy are
abundant and cheap. Among the most es-
sential though not generally sufficiently val
ued, we class light and air, and these we have
without price and without stint. The sun,
the great fountain of light, comes every day
pouring his benign rays upon our earth, and
clothing it wit b life ana beauty. Giving does
not impOverish the resources of this mighty
agent. For thousands and myriads of years,
light has been constantly radiatlng from the
sun through infinite space, our planet catch
ing only an iufinitesimal fraction of the vast
amount which the glorious orb is constantly
dispensing.
Air exists in the same profusion. The col
umn of air extends into space some forty FIVE
or fifty miles, rising above the level of the
sea eight or nine times as high as our highest
mountains. From this air the vegetable
kingdom derives most of its nourishment,
and on it the animal world relies for the con-
slant vitalizatiOn of blood. We can live
without food more days than we can minutes
without air Still this blessing comes with
out effort on our part, and so profusely that
we seldom think of its value either for our
selves or the inferior animals.
As this is the seas of the year when we
house our domestic animals, We desire to call
attention to the importance of furnishing
them with sunshine and pure air. In the
summer they roam abroad and enjoy their
priceless blessing, but in the winter they are
too often shut up where the blackness Of
darkness TeIgns by day as well as BY night,
and where the air becomes so contaminated
as to be no longer fit for respiration Dis
ease ensues as a consequence OF the loss OF
these cheap but Indispensable gifts OF kind
Providence, and If the dumb beasts do not
die, they drag out their existence ID untold
misery.
The nature and effect Of light are receiving
incrt a~ed attention froD scientific men. and
farmers will do we'll to give heed TO the IN
vesugatIOns Of Bunsen, kirchhoH and Miller,
If tLey wish to keep up with the times, and
be prUhIed by the Tesearcte s OF scief &c. Ob-
serving men have long known that sunlight
exeits most beneficial influence on animal
and vegetable life / he plant that grows in
the shade is always pale and watery. The
sunny SIDE Of the apple Is the most highly
col red, the best favored, and most nutrI-
tiOus. Animals love to back in the sunshine,
not merely on account Of us heat, but It's life
giving Influences. Humanity feels deprts-
sion 10 n dark cloudy day, and correspond
ing exhiarsriOn in the bright sunshine.
Dark and gloomy. light and cheerful, have
long been associated. Modern observe ton
has taught US that the sunny side of the
house is the most healthy, ana that patients
on the sunny side Of the hospital are most
likely to recover.
We do not propose to discuss the nature of
light. Newtun's theory that light consisted
OF infnitesimal PARTICLES of matter afterwards
gave place to the theory that light is propa-
gated lie sound by inhnItesimal waves. l he
spectroscope upsets all these speculations,
We are not quite ready to agree with Stein
metz that = light is metallic, that it consists
of metallic shower, and bathes US with
elementary iron, rodlum, magnesium, cal
cium, chromium, nickel, barium, copper and
zinc" but we do agree with him that al
animal and vegetable life can be traced
to the g archchemic sun" Without sun
light plants cannot decompose the carbonic
acid of the air and assimilste the car
bon. Animals cannot, like plants, form from
alimentary constituents the complicated
chemical compounds, which they need to
build up their structure. These arc formed
in vegetables by the aid of the mysterious
agents, light, heat and electricity, now sup
posed to be correlative forces, and as all ami
mails subsist directly or Indirectly on vegeta-
tables, they may be truly said to derive their
life from the sun, for even the carnivOrous
animals prey upon those which are herbivo-
rous. We would not forget the Great First
Cause that the sunshine is the instrument
which He has used for myriads of years to
build up the beautiful and useful structure
in the vegetable and animal kingdoms. The
power which the sun has exerted on the earth
for these long ages has not been lost. TIE
heat, light and vitality are latent in the vast
coal beds stored away under the surface
against a time of need. All the artificial
light and heat we now enjoy is but resur-
rectlon of sunshine latent In some form OIL
carbon.
If plants cannot live without sunshine anC
animals become unhealthy when deprived o
it, we must conclude that to shut up oul
stock in dark, damp cellars where the air il
full of contamination, is cruelty which nj
merciful man will knowingly inAict on hi
beast We do not object to barn cellars, bu
let them be made light and airy Windows
can let in the light, and tubes should conve!
the vitiated air from the stables to the roof
and if the cellars are light, tubes should ais,
bring III fresh air. By means Of these tubes
most perfect ventilation can be secured, a
the air heated by the fermenting excrement
and by contact with the animals will b.
found constantly ascending through the bigI
tubes as through heated chimney. Wit
every sunny Gay the amin is should be lie
out into the yard to take sun bath. Medi
cints may be given in homeopathic doses
but light and air should be furnished witbou
ttiDt. Sol-Iathy and oeration will remed
many of the ills to which both men an
beasts are heirs Alexander Hyde IN Mass
PLst.ghr0n.