Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-04-15
SEASONABLE SUGGESTIONS.

Farm stock requires particular atten-
tion at this season of the year. The
straw and poorer quality of hay should
have been fed out previous to this time,
during the cold weather, when animals
have keen appetite, leaving the good
hay for spring feeding.
Cows need a little extra care now.
The season is at hand when they will
commence giving milk, and if not we'll
fed and cared for, the quantity and quail
ity of milk will be inferior. and the an
imal will run down in flesh. This should
be guarded against as much as possible,
an as the prospect is fair for reason
able price for both of the first make of
butter and cheese, it will pay farmers to
feed literally, and take good care of
their COWS.
Young stock should not be neglected,
but kept in thrifty and growing con-
dition. This stock consists mostly of
heifers of different ages, which it is de-
sireable to make COWS of at the proper
time. 1t is conceded by men who ought
to know, that it is better to have heifers
commence giving milk at two years old
than three, if of the proper size. By
good care and feed, a years time may be
saved in this way. In addition to good
hay, feed of roots or little meal
should be given.
The sheep interest is again reviving,
and the farmer in his daily round of
'doing chores should not forget his
flock, if he has one, and leave it to shift
for itself. If early lambs are expected,
roots or grain should be given to ensure
a good flow of milk, as this will be
found more difficult now, than after a
good bite of grass is furnished.
Although the inmates of our pig pens
are hardly considered worth looking at
now, or to pay even for ordinary atten-
ton, yet the tide will probably soon
turn in their favor, and farmers, al
though they may not keep SO many in
number as heretofore, should endeavor
to keep the quality fully up to the pres
ent standard at least. We should not
run behind even here, but what we do
endeavor to do we'll.
Working teams have had hard time
of it. during the winter, and as there
will be but little opportunity at the
most for rest, before the labor of spring
will commence, they will need good
feed and treatment, to enable them to
perform what is expected of them. The
grain for both horses and oxen should
be ground before feeding, as it will pay
the cost twice over A portion of corn
can then be added to the oats, which
will make the feed better than the last
alone.
1t will be more profitable for while
to feed a portion of the milk Of the dai
ry to calves than to pigs. Farmer;
have depended too much ON Canada fo1
COWS with which to replenish their dai
ries, and have lost money in these pur
chases, fully one-half we believe, prov
ing inferior mixers. One effect of tn,
low price on pork will be to encourage
farmers to raise their own dairy stock
and so far it will be an advantage, a
there is no reason why we cannot b,
this method obtain better COWS than w
now possess. TO do this we must com
mence at the beginning, keeping only tn
calves from the best COWS, the get o
improved males, then bring them up il
good shape, keeping them thrifty AM
growing summer and winter, until the
come to maturity. Try this, farmers
and see if it is not better way tina
the old one which has been practiced 70
so many years.-Messenger.
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