Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-12-07

sively. Turnirs and potatoes are good
for cattle, but it would not be well to
make cattle live upon such watery, un-
nutritious food exclusively.
1t is very important, too, thnt cattle
going into winter quarters be fully sup
piled with all the pure water they will
take. They will require much more now
than when grazing in the green fields.
Whether to water once or twice dav may
still be an open question, to be decided
by each farmer as from his own observa-
ton he may think best, but whichever
method is adopted, let the animals have
what water they want and as often Ia they
require it. A dry COW and old oxen will
require less water than COWS that are Civ
ing liberal flow of milk. No farmer
with large stock of cattle to take care Of,
should fail to provide supply of water
that can be used in the barn in very cold
or very stormy weather. With every
thing necessary provided, it is really a
source of satisfaction to do chores on
clustering, stormy day. The contrast
between outside and inside weather is in
itself very comforting to owner or hired
man, and gives feeling that people liv-
ing little farther south where the win
ters are usually milder know little OF.
The greatest suffering from cold not un-
frequently is felt in those mild climates
where severe cold weather occurs only on
rare occasions, and then always finding
people unprepared to resist it.
Sheep will endure very cold weather,
but they should have a shed into which
they can go when it is stormy, and good
water should be within reach, though
some flock masters prefer that their sheep
walk some distance for their water ench
day to obtain the needed exercise. All
animals, and especially young ones,
should have run for an hour or more
every pleasant, sunshiny day. 1t will
keep them more healthy, and more COM
Portable and contented. Older cattle may
be kept little closer, and in very stormy
weather it is certainly better to water ir-
side if practicable.
Swine should be converted into pork
before very cold weather. except young
ones that are to be kept through, These
must have warm, fairly clean, dry quar-
ters. or their keeping will not be a source
of profit. A hog will live in small box
that he can crawl into to get out of the
snow, but a hog or other animal that Just
lives is an expensive sort of boarder for
a man to keep. Six to seven months is
long enough to make nice piece of pork
| from any well bred, weaned pig, and he
who takes year for it is pretty sure to
| throw away three or four months feeding
material. Every farmer in New England
ought to know that the more rapidly he
converts young pig into pork, the less
pork will cost him per pound, but toe
many still adhere to the old way of buy
| ing shoats in the fall. aud keeping them
a whole year to get from three to foni
hundred pounds of pork. No pig that
weighs forty pounds in October should be
allowed to go through the heat Of the
following summer, but should be hurried
along and made to weigh from 250 to 30C
pounds or more, dressed by the last OF
May. A barn cellar is often condemned
for pigs. but if light, dry and warm, there
can be no better place for them on farm
They will keep the manure packed down
solid, so it will not spoil by heating, and
tkey will eat and grow almost as we'll as
in summer Pork is low just now and
many will be discouraged about pork
making and will keep no pigs this winter
but if hogs have usually been kept il
would be foolish to let them go now, fol
it is not unlikely that those who do will
find themselves without pork when high
prices are offered again.
The same rules for keeping other ami,
mails warm will apply to poultry of al
kinds. Cold, damp and filth destroys
more poultry than any or all other causes
If poultry is kept clean, dry and warm
there will be eggs to use and to sell il
winter, when they bring good prices.