The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-11
AGRICULTURAL.
LOOK AFTER THE STOCK.
From the Southern Farm Magazine.

From the Southern Farm Magazine.
 Every farmer who deserves the name should see to it that there is ample pro- vision made to shelter his stock against the inclemencies of --.e season. Not only is it a moral duty to protect stock against the exposure to the chilling blast of winter storms, but the highest man. cial wisdom dictates such a course. It is a well known fact that stock requires one third less food when kept in comfort able quarters. If milk cows, they will give more milk and richer milk; if beef cattle, they will fatten faster and return greater profits if work horses or mules. they look better and will be able to do more work. Sheep will raise more lambs and produce wool of a better quality and more of it when carefully sheltered. Hogs thrive and grow fat during the pleas ant weather of autumn, but rarely im- prove after the advent of winter unless protected against cold. When one rides through the country and sees so many miserable open stables where the dumb animals shiver through the winter months, or open sheds where cattle pick over a few shucks or a pitiful remnant or wheat straw, or wide fields where the sheep are exposed to the driving storms O. snow or rain-when one sees these things a feeling of righteous indignation arises that the laws of land should be so inefficient in providing for the wants of our dumb servants or in pun- ishing those who maltreat them A man who is cruel to his stoo.> or cares noth-~- ing for their comfort is an unworthy cit izen and a disgrace to humanity All the higher attributes of man are lacking in him. The instincts of tn brute that he tortures are as lofty as his, and he only differs from the latter in having a greater power to oppress. If the country was filled with such a class 1t would soon become desolate. Domestic animals cannot live without mans protection, and to refuse or neglect to give this pro- tection and support is to be guilty of a crime that, carried to it's logica results, would soon destroy OUT very civilization.
 Horses, cattle. hogI, sheep and other domestic animals Inter more largely into what is denominated civilization than we are disposed to admi.. Better give up rsilroads, steam vessels, telegraph and telephone connection, coal and iron, the refinement of society and the culture of learning than to give up our domestic animals, for without them life would be a torture and a hlsn life would be im- possible. It is one of the greatest duties O" humanity to see that these servants, so necessary to us, be protected against cruelty imposed either from omission or commission. The heartless driver of noble horse who lashes him with a whip or beats him with a stick to make him perform what is beyond his strength is not more cruel lhan he who exposes him to the pitiess storms of winter.
 Every farmer who reads this should go a. once and make his stables comforta- ble if they are not already so. If they are open close the cracks; if they are leaking, cover them; if the floors wet, cover them with dry dirt and put layer of clean straw roon them that the horses and cattle may lie down in com fort. Provide good shelter for cattle and sheep and give them plenty of proven der. The farmer who will do this will rest better at night and enjoy the con- sciousness of duties discharged.