THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR. 



2f) 



and disease, are also applicable to those animals 

 that are taken from tlie hand of nature, and sub- 

 mitted to our care and nurture, and tliat similar 

 diseases require in both similar treatment. The 

 principles, therefore, that would guide the skillful 

 surgeon in the treatment of a surgical disease in 

 man, should also direct the veterinary surgeon or 

 farrier in similar diseases in a horse, or other ani- 

 mal. In relation to this subject, tlie surgeon may 

 well adopt, as his motto, lines that are perfectly 

 adapted to every other, of which your paper pro- 

 fesses to treat. 



"Take rs'ature's path :uid mail opinions leave." 

 The two processes by which nature accomplish- 

 es the healing of wounds, are 1st, Union by the 

 first intention, as it is technically called, or in oth- 

 er words, the uninn of the divided parts immedi- 

 ately, without the formation of matter, and ^d, by 

 granulation, in which the immediate union of the 

 parts is not affected ; but by accident or improper 

 interference, are kept asunder, and the chasm has 

 to be filled up, by the formation of new flesh. By 

 tlie first process the cure is soon accomplished, with 

 little trouble, with little or no pains, and little risk 

 of leaving an unsiglitly scar. By the second, the 

 cure is often protracted, and interrupted in its pro- 

 gress, and more liable to leave a permanent disfig- 

 urement. 



The principles by which the one or the other of 

 these results is produced, are these: 1st. If the 

 sides of a recent wound, made by a rulting in- 

 strument, be simply brought into perR'Ct contact 

 and retained there from three to five days, a perfect 

 union will take place, witliout the formation of 

 matter. 2d. If the divided parts cannot be brought 

 into perfect contact, or before contact have been 

 irritated by improper applications, immediate un- 

 ion will not take place, but matter must be formed, 

 new flesh must be interposed to compact the parts, 

 and subsequently to be removed by the slow prog- 

 ress of absorption, to accomplish the same ultimate 

 object. The first process is nature's own sponta- 

 neous effort to eftecl a<;ure, and the course which 

 she would always pursue untier favorable circum- 

 stances, if left to iierself, or gently and judicious- 

 ly aided by art. The second, is that to which she 

 resorts from necessity, and when interrupted in her 

 salutary process, by the rude and ill-timed inter- 

 ference of art — the first result therefore, should al- 

 ways be aimed at, as not only the most favorable, 

 but also as attended by the least risk and trouble — 

 to attain which, the principles just referred to, dic- 

 tate the following course. 



As nearly as may be, free the wound from-all for- 

 eign substances, as dirt, gravel, hair, &c. '&c. in 

 the most gentle manner, by means of a soft sponge 

 and simple warm water, then bring the sides of the 

 w»und into perfect contact, retain them there by 

 means of adhesive plaster, or stitches, or both, ac- 

 cording to the circumstances, and over the whole, 

 apply a pledget of soft lint, which should remain 

 until the cure is effected. Nothing more is requir- 

 ed, unless inflammation should run too high, when 

 keeping the parts constantly wet iu cold water is 

 the best application. Indeed, the numerous cleans- 

 ing and healing nostrums so frequentl}' resorted to, 

 never fail of being hurtful by disturbing the saluta- 

 ry operations of nature. 



With this mild and simple treatment, nature al- 

 wa3fs produces that degree of infiamniation which is 

 necessary to effect a cure, in the best possible man- 

 ner; but by the officious a])plication of plasters, 

 blue stone, detergent oils, Otc. &c.. her salutarv 



of the soil will increase in a corresponding ratio. 

 A double amount of labor will give a double pro- 

 duct. The farmer may sell half his farm, and pay 

 his debts, and still with the same labor obtain an 

 undiminished product. He may again divide, and 

 on a moiety with the same labor, still obtain his 

 usual product. He may double his labor, and he 

 will double his product. This will hold true to an 

 indefinite extent. 



Again as necessity presses, and the demand for 

 the product increases, invention will step in, ex- 

 periment will perform her work, new and great 

 discoveries will result, and to this there can be, 

 there will be no end. 



But the earth is first to be run over as with fire, 

 and the soil skimmed of its native fertility, before 

 the pressing hand of necessity will push us to pry 

 into, and unfold the hidden secrets of her resour- 

 ces. In our own country, the wilds of the east and 

 of the west, are to be plundered of the gold dust 

 scattered upon their surface, before the deep mines 

 are penetrated, and their valuable stores brought 

 forth to supply the wants of man. 



But we are spinning too long a yarn upon this 

 subject. When we commenced it w.ts our inten- 

 tion merely to name some things which can be 

 done, and which should be done by us of old Chesh- 

 ire — how that we should continue our beginning 

 in the work of improvement, and persevere in that 

 beginning. We should continue to think — ^to ex- 

 periment — to communicate. What science or art is 

 not susceptible of improvement when the power 

 of mind is brought to bear upon it.' Whatbrancli 

 of knowledge is clouded with so great ignorance, 

 as that which explains the process of vegetation — 

 the uses of the different ingredients of the soil and 

 the sources whence the plant derives its food — the 

 nature of the different plants, and the kind of 

 soil adapted to their constitution and growth — all 

 these mysteries of ignorance to which the miiid of 

 man is but just beginning to be directed. Stern 

 necessity is beginning to rivet our attention to the 

 subject, and the more heartily we enter into it, the 

 better it will be for us, and those who shall succeed 

 us. The future millions of inhabitants destined 

 to people this country, who shall be better sustain- 

 ed than the present population, will thank us for 

 our beginning in the course of improvement. The 

 might}' PKf;ss, is the yneans by which it shall be ac- 

 complished — the all conquering influence of jund, 

 the cause. 



had assembled long before the hour appointed for 



lighting the mass of old furniture, wood, shavings, 

 and other combustibles, placed in the ground floor, 

 a careful examination of the premises having been 

 previously made by the high constables of Man- 

 chester, the conductors of the fire engine de- 

 p.artments, and of the police of that place, Liver- 

 pool, Bolton, Stockport, and other places, and ma- 

 ny of the leading manufacturers of the neighbor- 

 hood, who all appeared extremely anxious to ascer- 

 tain the result. Shortly aft,er three o'clock the ma- 

 terials on the ground floor were sot on fire, and the 

 flames spread rapidly around the floor, enveloping 

 the ladder staircase, covering the ceiling, and con- 

 suming the window frames, and all other ])ortions 

 of wood material unprotected by the cement. The 

 fire having nearly exi>ended its fury on the ground 

 floor in half an hour, without having been commu- 

 nicated in the slightest degree to the floor above, 

 the combustibles in the latter were ignited, by a 

 person ascending on a ladder from with.iut, and a 

 similar result followed. On after inspection by the 

 local authorities, it was found that, whilst the com- 

 mon plastering was partly destroyed, and the un- 

 protected wood work utterly consumed, complete 

 access to flame had been cut off from one floor to 

 the other, th" cement ceiling was uninjured, and 

 the ladder staircase, rafters, joists, lintels, bind tim- 

 bers, &c., protected with the cement, entirely pre- 

 served, ."ill parties expressed their satisfaction at 

 the tests to which the cement had been submitted, 

 and the consequent proofs of its applicability on the 

 largest scale — English Pujnr. 



Forcing Mulberry Trees. 



The rage for growing Mulberry trees excites the 

 most sober people. A number of large green hous- 

 es, conservatories, cocooneries and other establish- 

 ments have been fitted up in this town for growing 

 tliese costly trees during the winter months, and 

 the culinary departments and even some of the la- 

 dies' parlors contain the germs of future forests of 

 Mulberry trees. In three or four large establishments 

 there cannot be less than two hundred thousand 

 cuttings out, part of which have sprouted beauti- 

 fully, and by the month of April they will amount 

 to something eonsider.able in the shape of trees. 

 The purposi> is to increase the shrubs in size, so 

 that when the spring opens they will answer to lay 

 down or put out in the shape of cuttings. A box 

 two feet wide and four feet long, with a foot of 

 earth, will contain over one hundred cuttings, 

 which can be placed in any warm corner. In three 

 months, they will have grown sufKcient to multi- 



plv, by laying them down, into nearly a thousand 

 operations are disturbed, too much inflammation is I trees, by next autumn. — Vurtha}nj>lun,.Vs. Courier. 

 excited, and she is compelled to resort to tht» slow- 

 er, more laborious and imperfect process, of heal- 

 ing by granulation. D. 

 Sacketts Harbor, Aug. 15, 1838. 



From Ih9 Cliealiire Farmer. 

 What can be done ? 



Many farmers seem to be aware that, under their 

 present management, their farms are deteriorating 

 every year, and the inquiry is 'what can l.»e done r' 

 Many incline to the belief, that there is no remedy 

 for this — that land must and ^viU *run out' by till- 

 ing, and they come to the conclusion, that they 

 will 'make the most of it,' wliile it lasts, and when 

 it shall become reduced to utter sterility, they will 

 'pull up stakes' for another location. 



'What can be done .'' We answer, much. Every 

 branch of industry is susceptible of improvement 

 to an indefinite extent. The science of agriculture 

 is yet in its infancy. Its maturitv will develope 

 the fact, that every font of land in our country, 

 from the barren sandy plain to the mountain sum- 

 mit, may be brought to a state of great productive- 

 ness. But to do this, will require generations. Ne- 

 cessity is the great inventor, wh'.?h will bring it 

 about. As population increascij, the productions 



Preventive of Fire. 



At Manchester, on Tuesday, an experiment was 

 tried witli the new cement, which, as a substitute 

 for the common lime plaster for ceilings, partitions, 

 &c., or as anon-conducting medium to cover wood- 

 work, is assumed to be cap.able of limiting the rav- 

 ages of a fire to a room or floor, when, under oth- 

 er circumstances, the whole premises might be 

 destroyed. On the occasion referred to, a building 

 of two floors, each with three windows, prepared, 

 by having the rafters, joists, lintels, and other tim- 

 bers, covered with the cement in coats varying from 

 one to three-eighths of an inch in thickness, as well 

 as the ladder staircase connecting the two floors. 

 The ceilings were also covered chiefly with the ce- 

 ment, portions having been plastered with lime to 

 show decisively the action on each; and, in order 

 to prove still more evidentl}' that the ignition might 

 be cut oft' between the two floors, the contents of 

 one being in flames, whilst those of the other, al- 

 though equally inflammable, remained untouched, 

 a sub-floor, covered on both sides witli cement, was 

 placed under the flooring of the upper portion of 

 the building, ami a trapdoor, cemented flo\vn, over 

 the aperture of the ladder way. An immenoe crowd 



Hog-pens. 



Every one that keeps hogs should see that they 

 have a good warm, dry, comfortable pen for cold 

 weather ; then if they are well fed, they will thrive 

 through the winter and consume less food than 

 those kept in a cold place. If hogs are kept cold, 

 and wet, and filthy, as many are, they will eat a 

 great deal during winter, and perhaps be no larger 

 in the spring than in the fall. There is often a 

 crreat waste of time and food for want of a little 

 care. There should be a warm, dry apartment, 

 with a good bed of straw, leaves, or the like, and 

 the stye should be so constructed that this place can 

 be kept in a comfort.able state, and the manure re- 

 moved as it accumulates, that it may not be carried 

 into this part, nor into the trough, nor slick to the 

 hogs and dry or freeze on them. Rotten wood and 

 charcoal are good for hogs when they are confined, 

 and they should now and then have a little pure 

 earth. — Yankee Farmer. 



Sugar. 



This is the most nourisliing substance in nature. 

 If affords more nutriment than meat. It enters 

 into the composition of most vegetables, and a- 

 bounds in the beet, melon, apple, and others which 

 are the most palatable. It seems requisite for the 

 sustenance of animal life, and sailors who are conl- 

 pelli'd to subsist only on salted meats, without veg- 

 etables, are afflicted with disease. Crews of ves- 

 sels subsisted on it, during times of scarcity, and 

 in such cases it has cured the scurvy. The first 

 settlers of this country, in order to obtain it, used 

 to boil up the chips of tlie walnut trees, which they 

 had cut down. The Indians, on their long jour- 

 neys, prefer it to any other food, because it will not 

 corrupt, and they mix it liberally with their pow- 

 dered Indian corn. The juice of the sugar cane 

 is so pleasant, healthy, and nourishing, that all per- 

 sons in the .loutli employ it. The healthy negroes 

 become robust, and the feeble recover their health 

 by its use. Cattle, to wliom the tops are given, 

 grow f'at, horses thrive upon it, and are said to be 

 fond of it, while pigs and poultry fatten on the re- 

 fuse. It is said that the plague has neverappeared 

 in those countries where it is most used. It is of 

 great use to correct the acidity, and acerbity of 

 other articles of food. It should be used with tea, 

 esiieeially by the nervous, the weakly, and seden- 

 tary, to prevent its deleterious effects. Loaf sug- 

 ar, the finest of sugars, is frequently ordered by 

 physicians, as a nutritious substance, and we have 

 known individuals, who, like Cassius, had a lean 

 and hungry look, to correct their habits by the use 

 of sweet articles, and become corpulent and heal- 

 thy. — Trarellcr. 



Commerce of Philadelphia. — By a statement of 

 the number of arrivals at Philadelphia for the last 

 fifty years, it appears that the number of foreign 

 arrivals now is no more than in 1788. About the 

 beginning of this century there was a small in- 

 crease. The number of coasting arrivals has in 

 the same time increased to nearly thirty times what 

 it was ; that is, from liyO vessels in X7&7, to 10,800 

 ill 1838. 



