Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-12-13
FARa and ORCHARD.
HOW TO GET THE MOST WOOL AND
CASH FROM THE SHEEP.
Calves Fitted for Winter-Rotting Ma
nure-Salt Necessary for Poultry
Tumors and Skin Affections.

A correspondent Of the Prairie Farmer,
writing upon the subject of "Calves Fitted
for Winter" says: Preparing calves for
winter does not receive the attention that
proper consideration for profit in cattle
growing demands. Calves that have been
made to depend upon grass during the fall
cannot be in good condition for winter, and
if forced to go fem grass to dry feed, de-
pending on the latter, the winter will not
be entered upon under suitable conditions.
Shelter should be provided from the time
the nights become chilling enough to
make the coat stare. Cold weather shap-
ems the appetite, and this stronger call for
food should be the signal not for increas-
ing the ration of coarse fodder and hay
but for reducing the size of the abdomen
by giving concentrated food instead.
"What is the best food for the calf?
Any grain ordinarily fed to farm stock is
good fer the calf. Everyday experience
seems to have established that if oats is
not the very the best of all the grains for
either calf or colt it is the equal of any;
and never does otherwise than to cause a
betterment in the condition if discreetly
used. The notion prevailing with many
that all grains should be ground before be-
ing fed to young stock is erroneous. Mas
tication and thorough admixture of the
food with saliva before being swallowed is
natures way: This thorough incorpora-
ton does not take place when meal is fed.
1t does to degree when the meal is fed
dry, but to very limited extent when fed
wet
while the feeding of watery vegetables,
turnips, ETC., is attended with benefit,
mainly because they enable the feeder to
avoid too sudden change from grass to
dry food, yet it should be borne in mind
that turnips and other vegetables that are
made up of so to So per cent. Of water, the
balance being largely woody fiber, cannot
by any possibility possess properties that
will put fat on the ribs of the calf, unless
aided by nutritious grains fed literally.
Some deceive themselves by espousing the
bulky instead of the concentrated foods, as
the latter give US from the start the two
things absolutely required if we would
take our young stock into and through the
winter in good shape.
"What are these two things? First, a
reduction in the size of the abdomen, and
next, fat on the ribs. These two things
insure Strengthening of the lines-top
line, bottom line and side lines-and a
widening of the top. Oats, containing
only Is per cent. of water, while having
about 40 per cent of starch, nearly 6 per
cent of oil and II per cent. of fesh-form-
ing material; or taking the estimate made
for corn meal, showing a like amount of
water or perhaps trifle more water than
in oats, with 60 per cent. of starch, of
oil and s of fesh-forming material, it does
not require very astute Imagination to
see at once that with reasonably fair di-
gestion the use of these grains must be fol-
lowed by substantial gain-not a mere fill
ing up of the abdomen, as in feeding
coarse fodder, but gain upon the ribs and
deposits Of fat about the kidneys.
Turning off early is the profitable mode,
and this can only be done by bringing the
calf through to grass next season in fair
flesh, ready to take on prompt growth
when turned out. II it will not pay to
give the shelter and feed here indicated,
then it will not pay to rear the calf The
VA anu thC liitC hdNC a 'dluC III CdSH dl
the age of six to eight weeks. Better take
SIRE thing, therefore, saving the dumb
brute from a good deal of suffering and
yourself from pecuniary loss"
ROTTEN MANURE.
There are two advantages of thoroughly
rotting the manure before applying. One
of them is that it is in better condition
to be thoroughly incorporated with the
soil; it is also in a better condition to
benefit the growing plants.
If manure is to be rotted, in majority
of cases it will pay to make shed where
it can be stored. To pile up in the yard
or lots and let it lay until it rots Will en-
tail considerable loss, as there will be a
waste both in teaching and by evaporation.
A good percentage of this could be avoided
by keeping under shelter.
Unless care is taken when rotting there
will be considerable loss by burning or
fire-fanging. This can generally be avoided
by stirring frequently, and this is neces-
sary whether the manure is stored under
shelter or piled up in the yards. The OBJ
lection to rotting is the risk of loss and
the increased labor. 1t takes but little,
if any more, labor to load directly into
the wagon from the stable than to pitch
into piles under shelter. Then more or
less handling is necessary to keep it from
burning while rotting, and this is an
added expense.
After it is ready it must be loaded up
into the wagons, hauled to the fields and
scattered out so that the question to de-
termine is whether the better results are
sufficient to pay for the increased work of
handling When there is only small
amount to handle and the very most pos
sible must be made of it, rotting is gener-
ally necessary. But on large farm where
a considerable number of stock is kept, it
is questionable whether 1t can be done
with profit. By hauling direct from the
stables, sheds, or yards to the fields, and
scattering from the wagon and then work
ing into the soil as soon as possible, there
is very small per cent. of loss, and the
work is all done the work, too, can be
done at times when it will least interfere
with the other farm work. While it is an
important item to make sure and apply all
the manure possible, it is also very i'm
portant to do this as economically as pos
sible and in a way that will secure the
best results-Prairie Farmer.
MUTTON AND WOOL.
In this country the same system of
sheep raising is practiced that was in
vogue since the discovery of America, and
any attempt to influence departure from
the practice is met with opposition, while
in Europe the sheep is the most important
animal on the farm, and is kept in an en-
tirely different manner. There are two
causes for this, the first being that more
land can be devoted to sheep in this coun-
try, all Improbable locations being used
for that purpose; and, second, that in
America wool is the principal object in
sheep raising, while in Europe mutton is
made speciality, the wool receiving little
or no consideration as a source of profit.