DIGEST OF STATE REPORTS.. 423 



of grasses to take fall possession of the soil and make a strong sod. If fibrous-rooted 



grasses are mixed with timothy, the bulbs of the timothy will be protected. 



Kentucky bluo-f^rass or June grass, with orchard-gra'^js, makes a good mixture for 

 pasture, but not for meadow, as they do not mature at i he same time. Red clover and 

 orchard-graBS go well together as to time of ripeuing for hay. Some say they do not 

 like orchard-grass because it goes into bunches, leaving barren spaces between. When 

 it operates in that way it is because of a want of fertility in the soil. * * * As a 

 green crop for soiling early in the season, rye codo<;s in first, but some farmers say that 

 rye is not good feed for milch-cows ; that they foil off in their yield of milk as soon as 

 they begin to feed on ereen rye. The earliest --^nd best grass-feed for soiling is orchard- 

 gi-ass, and this will do to use until red clover is ready. Red clover will last until 

 sowed corn is large enough to use, and then, you are safe. Hungarian grass is a good 

 crop for green feed and also for hay, as it oin be sown late in the spring upon land 

 where oats or other crops have failed, or c/hen it is apparent that there will be a short 

 crop of perennial grasses. » * » Hay that is made just right is as fragrant as 

 choice tea, and farmers cannot afford tu make it any other way than just right. Grass 

 should never be cut when it will be r;/ined on, and partly cured hay should never be 

 exposed even to a night's dew while spread over the ground. Grass cuts easier when 

 it is wet with dew or rain, and this Js often a temptation to go into the meadow, when 

 the farmer had better be asleep th3,n spoil his hay. In the harvesting and curing of 

 corn-fodder there is an irauiense w.iste of what might be a very valuable material for 

 cow-feed ; but as it is usually doi; c, the fodder from corn-stalks is badly damaged from 

 long exposure to the weather in the worst part of the season. It would pay farmers 

 to have sheds and lofts in whicTi to stow away and cure this valuable material before 

 it is nearly riiined by exposure to autumn and winter storms. 



The report contains au. article by Prof. N. S. Townshend, on hog-chol- 

 era. After detailing tho symptoms, he gives the following directions for 

 the treatment of the dif-ease : 



In the first stage of hoj.';-cholera, while there are copious and dark discharges from 

 the bowels, two things are desirable : First, to give some absorbent, or alkaline sub- 

 stance, to correct the irriratiug character of the contents of the bowels. For this pur- 

 pose one or two drachma of bicarbonate of soda, dissolved in milk or mixed with a 

 warm mash of wheat-ljran, will be useful. Some secure the same object by putting 

 cinders and ashes within reach of their swine, which they will often eat greedily. 

 Ears of corn burnt almost to a charcoal are also a popular remedy in some localities. 

 Charcoal and the small of etoue-coal are also said to be useful. The other indication 

 at this stage is to gi^e some cathartic that will excite the liver to activity. For this 

 purpose 20 grains o/.' powdered mandrake-root may be given to a hog weighing from 

 100 to 150 pounds, or from 10 to 20 grains of calomel may be used instead, and repeated 

 if necessary. If the disea.se has passed to the stage of constipation, the sulphates of 

 soda or magnesia, in doses of half an ounce for hogs of the size above mentioned, may 

 be dissolved in half a pint of water, and given once or twice a day until their effect is 

 secured ; or castv-r-oil in doses of an ounce, mixed with a drachm of spirits of turpen- 

 tine, may be su'>stituted. Sometimes it may be more convenient to give sulphur with 

 milk, in doses of an ounce or more. When difficult breathing and cough have come 

 on, the sides o7 the chest and throat should be rubbed with spirits of turpentine or 

 some other stvong liniment, and half a drachm of saltpeter, with a grain or two of tar- 

 tar emetic, may bo given two or three times a day, either with bran-raash or dissolved 

 in water, ai/d poured dowu the throat, the snout being first elevated by a noose in a 

 small rope. It should not be expected that one or two doses of any remedy will effect 

 a cure, or that any article, however valuable, will be equally suitable in all stages of 

 the disea/^e. 



The contents embrace Dr. E. L. Sturtevant's article on physiolog- 

 ical cx>usiderations concerning feeding for butter and cheese, repro- 

 duce-.i from the Connecticut report, and articles on the population of 

 tbe apple tree; history, pedigree, and habits of the grasshopper ; (these 

 tbiv.e articles are illustrated;) history of our common cultivated vege- 

 ta')les ; epizootics ; Devons ; Short-horns ; the food of birds as related 

 t/> agriculture ; tubercular consumption in cattle; pork packing in the 

 'iVest; the eighth annual report of the State Horticultural Society, 

 including the annual address by the president, Dr. J. A. Warder, and 

 addresses or essays on the influence and mission of horticulture, forest- 

 tree planting, home-adornment, and gardening as a fine art. 



