Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-02-13

FEBRUARY ON THE FARM

Stock. especially thai portion heavy
with yuunS, demand careful attention
this month The food should be adapted
to the condition Of lnatHrnity. Hay of
course will constitute the stable food, but
some roots should also be fed. These
are Of antis5ptic nature and countcract
the tendency to fever which is always
more or less apparent at parturition.
Many feed corn meal at this season.
thinking to strengthen their animals for
the labor which is before them, but
meal increases the febrilc tendencies and
should lie fed sparingly if at all If meal
is fed there is all the more occasion for
feeding roots. These serve not only to
keep the pregnant stock in good health,
but aid i'll developing the frtus and slim
Mating the tactical glands As TIE time
of rarturltion approaches, Givethe cows n
box stall and plenty Of bedding. Ii an
animal ever wants room and comfort it is
when heavy with Young, and giving birth,
and to cOniinc Il COW IN stanchiOns at this
season is both cruel and dangerous. She
should be placed i'll box stall some days
before partuiltlun, so as to get accustom-
Ell to her new situation. \ little flax
seed or cotton seed meal fell at this
season will serve to oil the passages and
make the labor more easy. After partu-
rition, feed lightly with bran mash, hay
and roots tillall danger Of puerperal fever
is past.
February Is critical month for the
shepherd who raises early Lambs. These
are the kind that pay, but. like every
other good thing, they can be secured
only mt tine price OF constant vigilance.
Winter does not resign his reign without
some howlinGs, and ~ young lambs arc
delicate little things they need tender
nursing when dropped in this boisterous
month. The ewes cote should be scpa-
rate from that OF the wethers and bucks,
and too large numbers should not be kept
in one cote. Sheep are gregarious, lut
still 10 animal suffers more when crowd
ed in large Hochs TIE breeding ewes
want room, quiet and warmth, and their
lying-in-hospital must he ventilated or
they viii not 10 well. The same rules
about feeding With We ha.' sUrscsted
for brt edInS cow ar applicable To ewes
III similar condItI, II. Roots axe better
for thu III than grain, and ii any Of the
latter Is fed 1t should be oats rather tllnn
corn. No man is fit for q shepherd who is
not a gentle man. Cows can stand some
rough handling, but sheep were never
designed for anything but gentle treat
ment. AMI at 10 time do they need such
gentle handling as when bearing and
sucking their young. Ii q master OF a
flock finds that his sheep fear him, he had
better sell out and go into other business.
He cannot be successful shepherd I'M
less he Is a gentle one, and If he is COM
PEELED TO trust his flock to hirelings it can
not be impressed upon then too strongly
that a sheep is gentle animal and must
be treated gently, We would as soon
trust II flock of sheep with dogs rs with
some coarse, boorsh hircliues.
Now is the time to make preparation
for spring work. April, the opening
month, will be here in quick time. Every
thing should he ready for her coming
Tools of all kinds should be examined,
and If necessary be repaired and painted.
Paint is Il great pressryer and it will wear
much longer If put or now and allowed
to harden some weeks before the tool is
used. Seeds should also be secured now,
and not when seed time Is at hand with
all its cares. Too great care cannot be
exercised in the selection of seeds. The
success Of the crops depends as much
upon this as does the success OF the
herd upon the sires and dams The re-
cent revelations respecting spurious
seeds should Lead every farmer to vigil
lance. Fortunately We have some honest
and capable seed-mcn who we have learn
cd from long experience cen be trusted
Such should be patronized, even though
their prices may be above those of the
itineraut peddlers. We might name
them hut this would be insidious. In
IL 4