18:2.] QUESTION BOX. 219 



I was in hopes the public curiosity was fully gratified in re- 

 gard to that subject. My own experience is, that I would not 

 give a cent a ton to have any article of food that I feed ray 

 cattle steamed. It is a great deal of expense and a greal deal 

 of trouble. I have an impression that the souring of the 

 food, the presence of steam from the food and from the steam 

 box in the stable, and the combination of circumstances re- 

 sulting from it, has a bad effect on the health of the cattle. 

 As I said once in the " Country Gentlemen," speaking of 

 steamed food, I waited like an old fogy, as I called myself, 

 five years before I went into it ; then I put in some works and 

 continued it five years, like an old fool, as I found myself. 



Question. What should we do to rid ourselves of the cab- 

 bage worm ? 



Mr. Augur. Mr. Chamberlain, of the reform school farm 

 in Meriden, who has been very successful in raising cabbages, 

 told me a few weeks since that brine strong enough to bear 

 an egg not only had the effect to kill the worm, but also im- 

 proved the cabbages. 



Mr. KiMBERLEY. Worms were quite plenty on my cabbages, 

 and I was told to throw a handful of fine salt over them. I 

 did so, and the cabbages headed nicely and I had a good crop; 

 no worms upon them. 



Question. What is the best way to prepare slaughter- 

 house refuse for a fertilizer? 



Mr. Van Hoosear. I should say, compost it with horse 

 manure. 



Prof. Brewer. If the question means on a large scale, as 

 it is done in slaughter houses, there is no better way than to 

 dry it. But the machines are expensive, and it would not 

 pay an ordinary farmer to prepare it in that way. If the 

 question refers to the small quantity that would result from 

 killing pigs or a beef or two, I do not know what would be 

 the best way. 



Mr. Bill. I do not think Prof. Brewer got the idea as I 

 got it from hearing the question. Around cities where there 

 are slaughter houses, many farmers buy the refuse for the 



