Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-12-17
Winter Care Of Stock.

The time to make preparations for the
comfort of animals during the winter
months is Immediately. Farmers who
were able to make warm, substantial
stables for their stock have, of course, al
ready attended to that, but there are thou
sands who must make the old stables.
sheds and pig-sties answer until they have
accumulated little more, and such must
resort to less expensive methods of eX-
cluding the cold air and saving the
amount of food necessary to preserve their
animals in good condition.
Every grain-growing farmer has, of
course, his straw stack, and straw is an ex
cellent non-conductor of heat. Stables
with only an outside siding can easily be-
lined with old boards, and the space be-
tween the lining and outside stuffed with
straw. In this way a stable can be made
as warm rs in close, clapboarded barn
If boards are scarce it will not be neces-
sary TO nail the lining close together, only
close enough to keep the straw in place.
Cattle should not be left under open
sheds, or to crouch under the leeward side
OF straw-stacks. If you have nothing bet
ter than open sheds tor your cattle, try
mailing up two tiers of old boards In ffotit,
fllling in between with straw, line the
closed sides and ends, and tie up your
cattle so they may not hook one another.
We have known sheep provided with
very comfortable quarters in low shed
covered with straw and banked up around
with the same material, being left open in
front. If sheep are kept dry they will en-
dure quite low degree of cold without
detriment to their health. But when they
are exposed to cold rains, and their wool
is filled with water, they part rapidly with
flesh and strength.
Other animals, swine, poultry, etc., will
make liberal returns for little labor iu-
diciously expended in making their habi-
tations warm and dry. 1t is poor econ
omy to allow swine to wade or wallow in
mud. They should be literally supplied
with bedding, which should be prompt
ly removed when saturated with filth. 1t
will make good manure, but is poor ma
terial for even hogs to make their bed on.
II straw should be scarce earth and
sods can be used to good advantage in ex-
cluding the cold. Farmers frequently
bank up around their dwellings with
earth, but how seldom do they use the
same abundant material to bank up
around their barns or sheds, yet it would
undoubtedly be quite as efficacious in the
one case as in the other. Sods might also
be used as covering for temporary sheep
sheds in the absence of better material
In banking up around barn the bank
should be raised high enough to cover the
sill so as to exclude the air that often finds
entrance between wall and sill. If only
left during cold weather it will do but
little injury to the siding.
We suggest these inexpensive substi-
tutes for those only who cannot, at pres
ent, afford TO build first-class out build.
ings Nothing gives more home-like,
agreeable, Inviting appearance to the
farmers home than neat, substantial
barns, sheds, henneries, pig-sties, etc. and
we would recommend farmers to surround
themselves with these just as soon as their
means will allow.-RurdL Home.