The Osceola times., 1875-11-13
PLANTATION TOPICS

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of cattle to Chicago, and in connection
Herewith we wish to say word on the
fattening of animals intended for mar
ket. 1t is undoubtedly the fact that
large amounts of money are lost each
wear from allowing animals to depend
upon the grass too long before they are
put regularly on corn. Then perhaps
with view of fastening the fattening,
or perhaps to make up for the flesh
lost by being kept ON too short or par
tiallv dry pasture, the animal is fed all
it can consume of corn, and instead of
gaining in flesh continues for a time
actually to shrink in weight. For the
reason that the animal cannot at
once assimilate this concentrated
food when fresh from the grass.
Their systems must he brought to the
changed conditions gradually. Hence
the economy of feeding corn early and
in small quantities each day, mcreas-
ing this feed gradually until the ami
NAL can properly digest full feed.
Overlooking costs the feeder as
much as the profits come to, and hence
the large number of farmers who will
seriously assert that there is no profit
in feeding, and who go on from year
TO year raising grain and selling il for
other men to make money out of by
feeding to stock. If there were no
money in feeding cattle those who
make business of buying droves and
buting corn to fatten them would soon
find il out.
There is no doubt that the real
science in feeding any kind of stock is
in never allowing them TO get thin
from the time they are born until they
are fit for the butcher. Very many
of our breeders and feeders understand
this, and very many practical feeders
hold, and that with truth, that feeding
with grain should he continued during
the summer and while the animal is on
grass. There is no doubt but the
allowance of a liberal quantity of
ground feed during the summer in
connection with grass is the wiscst
economy when the animal is to be
turned off the succeeding winter or
spring.
Those who wait until cold weather
sets in before giving their fattening
animals what grain they will eat clean
and digest, necessarily have to feed
enough more 10 compensate for the
waste in keeping up the animal heat ;
for certain portion of the food con-
sumed is burned to keep up this supply
of animal heat-much more in winter
than in summer, and more in the case
of lean animal than a fat one. So
an animal having grain in summer,
when the waste is relatively small, is
more quickly and economically finished
in winter than one not so fed and for
the reasons, first, the animal is fatter
to begin with, and second, it has more
fat with which to resist the influences
of cold.
The ordinary farmer can not too
pnIi-hegin TO take lessons from our
best stock-men, when once they get an
animal into their possession never
thereafter let it fail in flesh, but keep ii
steadily improving until it is fit for the
shambles.
An important consideration in the
winter feeding of stock, whether fat
tening or store animals, is providing
absolutely dry quarters, and as warm
as circumstances will admit, whether in
stables or sheds. While stables are
preferable on many accounts, warm,
dry, well Uttered sheds are preferable
for other reasons, especially when cat
tie are fed stock-corn, with hogs fol-
lowing AS gleaners-a most economical
plan in southern Iowa and central
Illinois aud Indiana, where the win
tiers are comparatively mild.
Another important point and one
indispensable, is that plenty of pure
water should always be on hand
Forcing stock to take water at long in
tervals through holes in the ice of
some pond never made fat stock, or
put money in the pocket of the owner.
Ii is one Of the most vicious practices
the feeder can adopt, and costly to the
pocket. Vicious, because brutal to
the stock. The other reason we have
heretofore given. If running water is
not always near it should be pumped
from wells into troughs where it may
be accessible. A better plan and easily
accomplished would be to force it di-
rectly ints the stables or shed yards.
This is perfectly feasible in these days
of windmills and steam power, and
cattle need never become feverish from
thirst, nor get the ague from over-drink-
ing ice cold water. They fatten kindly
and easily. Where fat cattle are
made are rich farmers. A stock
country is always a rich country
Farm journal.
The GRANGE IN ENGLAND.-At
the annual social science congress of
Great Britain, the earl of Roseberry,
president of the association, after
speaking of the various unions to be
found III the United States, such as
the Sons of Toll, the Brethren of
Labor, the Sovereigns of Industry,
continued thus: "But incomparably
above these towers the gigantic asso-
citation of Patrons of Husbandrv,
commonly called the Grange; great
agricultural eo-on.rat;va ;ndanandant