The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-12-19


and know that it pays, but for no ami
NAL does it pay as well as for sheep.
CARE OF LIVE STOCK.
HORSES, as far as possible, ought to
he worked moderately and regularly.
1t is equally essential to provide good
stabling, we'll ventilated but not full OF
drafts, sufficient bedding and nourishing
food. Scarcely less important is the
currying and brushing. TO keep the
skin in good order is not any less
hvgienc requirement in farm stock than
in man. Regularity in cleaning, feeding
and watering is also desirable with
these useful servants Of man, and in
this, as in many other things, it should
be remembered there is no eye like the
masters. In short days and cold
weather the provocation to neglect is
too often too powerful to be resisted by
hirelings Mich cows should be fed
literally, and not upon a plan which
overlooks the very purpose for which
they are kept, which is to convert the
maximum quantity Of provender into
milk 1t is good management to begin
to feed well, and, if there is any choice
in your stores, to give out first that for
age which is most palatable, since there
will not at once be that keen relish for
dry food which will ensue later in the
season. Do not neglect an occasional
carding and brushing, and see that bed
ding is provided, and that the cows are
kept clean. Young cattle and colts need
q generous diet, and the policy of half
starving is inhuman and absurd. That
they merely live through the winter is
not enough, and unless they now re-
ceive food of quantity and quality suffi-
Gent to carry on the process Of growth,
they will be so stuntcd as to never re-
cover from the effects Of so short-sighted
a course Cows and heifers in calf and
brood mares need extra rations of good
nourishing food; shelter from storms,
at least in the shape of sheds, if not of
nclosed stables, ought always to be
provided. Sheep, whenever the weather
will allow, ought to be turned into the
fields, but when wet or showing, they
should have access to shelter \ little
bran and grain ought now to be given,
and rutabagas are always in order,
whilst salt and water should never be
neglected. Poultry ought to be given
quarters which are light and dry clean
and warm \ varied diet is necessary
if you want eggs in winter Meat
scraps, sour milk. an occasional mess OF
scalded bran, pulverized oyster shells
or lime all help in this direction.
MANUREs AND CoMPosTs.
Another unreasonable work is the
preparation of these. Many occasions
offer during the winter when a great
accumulation of materials suitable for
making rich composts could be made.
Now, when the horses are often unem-
ployed, is good time for this business
AS suitable to the season we give
well-digcsted plan for accommodating and
preparing manure, which, we believe,
was read by its author, w. w. Robin
son, at the recent annual meeting of the
North Carolina Agricultural Society
After experimenting for several
years | find the following to be the best
method of managing manure:
About the first of August, all the
manure having been removed, the sta
bIes and yard are covered at least one
foot deep with vegetable matter, leaves
from the woods, weeds from the ditch,
banks, refuse straw, &c. A liberal sup
ply of muck, rich earth from hollows,
ditch banks or other available sources,
is secured and placed under shelter,
the stables are covered about one inch
in depth with the muck, and covered
with litter, continuing the same appli-
cation every week, the stock to be
driven several times over the yard every
morning before turning them to pas
lures after the pastures have given
out the stock should be kept in the yard
during the day About the first of
December, rail pens should be built in
the yard with tiue running through the
center, near the ground, so as to have
a current Of air running through the
pens. The manure put in the pens in
alternate layers, one-third from the sta
bles and two-thirds from the ward.
The pens should be about six feet
high and covered with earth to the
depth of five or six inches
Fermentation soon commences, and,
if too rapid, may be regulated by ap-
plying water; slight degree of fer
mentation is all that is necessary. 1t
should be hauled out in three or four
weeks
AS soon as possible after pcnning the
manure, the stables and yard are COW
cred with litter and managed as before
till about the first of March, when the
manure is penned as before, and fer
mentation allowed to proceed to greater
degree than before, hauled out and ap-
piled as before The stables and ward
are again covered as before, more liber-
ally if possible, the manure prepared in
the same way in July and applied to
turnips and barley; the cotton seed is
used to manure the corn, peas and
clover relied upon for wheat and oats"
american Farmer.
LPiling the manure in fiat heaps to
ferment is as effective and much less
labor than the penning process recon-
mendcd by Mr. Robinson.
SWAMP MuCK.-An inquirer of the
CANADA FARMER having asked the
- IL,