vide also a small plat of wheat or
rye for winter pasture. With the above provision, in this latitude, no
feed is required between April 15 and November 15. During the rest of
the year a ration of corn, bran, or other mill feed somewhat smaller
than that required for sheep, in connection with a stack of clover or
pea hay to which they have free access, is sufficient to keep them in
good condition. Deer eat with relish nearly all of the common coarse
weeds, and for clearing land of brush they are, I think, second only to
the common goat.

"Probably the greatest expense connected with the business of raising
deer is the fencing. Another item of trouble and expense, when the
animals are raised for pets, requiring that they be handled and shipped
alive, is the fact that the fawns must be taken from the does when 10
days old and raised by hand on cow's milk. They are quite easily raised
in this way, with but slight percentage of loss, but require frequent
and careful attention for the first month. When they are allowed to run
with the does their natural wildness can not be overcome, no matter how
gentle the does may be.

"I have found the business profitable on the lines indicated. I believe
they could be profitably bred for venison alone--certainly with less
trouble and expense, since the fawns could be reared by the does and the
trouble and expense of raising by hand would be eliminated.

"My experience does not coincide with that of some other breeders in
respect to the weakening of reproductive powers of deer by the
confinement in parks. I have no barren does. Usually they produce a
single fawn at two years of age; afterwards twins, and in rare cases
triplets."

[Illustration: Tame Deer Eating Watermelon.]

_Management of Virginia Deer._

As to the management of deer little need be added to the statements from
practical breeders already given. Virginia deer are polygamous, like
cattle; the rutting season is in November; the period of gestation is
about seven months, and the fawns are born in May or June. Young does
usually breed when about 17 months old and have but one fawn the first
time; afterwards they commonly produce twins. The fawns are spotted
until the first shedding of the hair in the fall.

While deer are chiefly browsing animals, in captivity they eat nearly
every kind of vegetation, including most kinds of garden stuff. They are
fond of acorns, beechnuts, chestnuts, and other mast. Lily pads, leave