122 



THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR. 



iinprovemeut of the wool of his sheep, on the 

 piinciple, that " the economy and providence of 

 nature are sucli, tlmt animals clothed in wool or 

 fur will increase or diminish the quantity of eith- 

 er according to the climate, which requires more 

 or less wool or fur to warm the body." 



It is on this same principle, of the "economy 

 and providence of nature," that I found the im- 

 provement of the wool of my sheep, but my man- 

 ner of doing it is the reverse of that of Col. Ja- 

 ques. If my views are right, they may be of some 

 service to wool growers, who would be likely to 

 follow a principle laid down and reduced to prac- 

 tice by a person of so much influence as Colonel 

 Jaques. My reasons lor adopting a different 

 maimer of unprovement may be seen in the fol- 

 lowing account. 



In the fall of 1821, I bought a small number of 

 full blooded merino sheep, for the purpose of in- 

 creasing my flock and raising fine wool. For a 

 number of years I allowed the buck to go with 

 tlie flock the year roimd, in order that my lambs 

 should come in the winter, supposuig birth at 

 that season would have a natural influence in 

 producing a more abundant quantity, and a much 

 finer quality of wool. In breeding a few years 

 in this way with the nicest care as to male par- 

 entage, I fbmid all my yoimg sheep bore wool of 

 an interior quality to my original stock. I had 

 nearly made up my mind that our country was 

 not suited to the growth of fine wool, and that in 

 the course of time the offspring of fine Spanish 

 sheep would become assimilated to and lost in 

 our native breed. From conversation and reflec- 

 tion on tlie subject, I concluded to change m> 

 course, tuid let the month of May be the yeaning 

 niontli, and a few years only were needed to pro- 

 duce a change tor the better, as apparent as 

 day from night. All agree, that a cold climate is 

 calculated to produce a finer, softer and more 

 abundant covering for the animal creation, than a 

 hot one, and for that reason, a lamb that is drop- 

 ped in May, or the fore part of June, will pro- 

 duce more and better wool, than one which 

 comes in the fall or winter. By allowing the 

 male to go to the female in Decemlier, we have 

 the whole of the winter for the formation of the 

 animal, and with all the other parts, every fibre 

 of the wool is formed, and the lamb is fitted for 

 a cold climate with a fleece of the finest and 

 warmest kind. After the perfect formation and 

 production of the animal, the heat of our summer 

 produces no change in the quality of the wool, or 

 if any, it is so slight as to be wholly unperceived. 

 Sheep that are at all times kept in a perfectly 

 heallliy condition continue to produce wool 

 equally fine, soft, and beautiful, year af\er year, 

 till visited by old age, and then, like the hair of 

 an aged person, it becomes in some degree more_ 

 harsh and rigid. By providing for the birth of 

 lambs in the fall, gestation is going on during the 

 heat of sunnner, and nature, true to her work, 

 prepares the lamb with a hairy, coarse covering, 

 suited to a warm climate. 



STEPHEN SIBLEY. 



season of the year, is bo infeeted with hen lice, as they are 

 called here, that it is almost impossible to make the hens 

 stay on their nests until the eggs are hatched. The mo- 

 ment a person enters the door, they come from every di- 

 rection right down upon him ; and if by any chance, there 

 happens a' few egi;s to get liatched out, the chickens are 

 so.jn t iken with a disease called the gapes, and very few 

 if any survive. The best thing I have ever yet found for 

 this disease, is ground black pepper and butter, mixed well 

 together, put down their throats; this, if applied soon 

 enough. I think is a pretty certain cure. Any information 

 upon eitlier of those evils would be thankfully received ; 

 also the best method for building heu-houses, bo that they 

 may be the easiest cleaned, accommodate the most hens, 

 and keep t!iem the warmest in winter." 



Mr F.li Westfall, of Rhinebeck, gives the following 

 remedy : — 



" Remove the worms out of the windpipe and they will 

 get well. This can be done with safety and facility after 

 a little practice, in the following manner. Let some one 

 take the chicken, holding its legs in one hand and placing 

 the other over its back, so as to hold it firm ; then let the 

 operator tike a small hen's feather or a large pigeon's 

 feather, atJd strip off the featlier from the stem excepting 

 about an inch or inch and a half from the tip end, accord- 

 ing to the siie of the chicken. Wet it a little, and strip 

 that part b ick sn that what remains on the stem, will stand 

 hack like the barbs on an arrow, excepting the extreme 

 point, which roll a little so as to make a point ; then let 

 the operator take the head of the chicken in his left hand, 

 placing his thumb and forefinger on each side of the bill, 

 m such a manner as to hold the mouth open, the neck 

 gently but firmly drawn out in a straight line ; then observe 

 the opening back in the tongue, place the feather as near 

 it as possible, and when the chicken breathes, the windpipe 

 will be open, enter the point quick, and fear not after the 

 point is entered ; push down gently from two to three 

 inches, (don't be in too much of a hUrry ;) then draw out, 

 and turn the feather as it is drawn, and the worms will ad- 

 here to the feather, and others will be loosened, and the 

 chicken will sneeze them up frequently, so that they will 

 fly out of their mouths. It is not advisable to enter the 

 feather more than twice at one time ; let the chicken go, 

 and if it gapes the day after, you have not got them all ; 

 try again. This is a sure cure if attended to ; generally 

 you need not perform the operation more than once, but 

 sometimes ofteirer. My chickens, over 100 in number, 

 never had it worse ; the greater part have had it, and I have 



Notes at home and by the Way. 



Saturdaij, Aug. 1. This is the first day sinc^ 

 the month of June in which all the customary 

 signs of rain did not tail. The commencement 



lost but one, and that was doubtlessly neglected too long ; 

 " ■ ■ ' 'ife. 



From the Albany Cultivator. 

 G.VPES IN CHICKENS, &c. 

 We have four communications on the management of 

 chickens, relating principally to the cause, preventive 

 and cure of the gapes. .Vs we have not room tor fhcin a.l, 

 we extract from each of them the most essential parts. 

 "A PottUerer" inquires tlie cause, and asks for preven- 

 tive and cure. He describes the disease as follows ; — 



'• So far as ray observation has extended, and from the 

 information of others, 1 gather the following facts relu' 

 live to the disease. I'pon dissection there are found in 

 the windpipe, several small red worms, varying in size and 

 length — some half an inch and more in length. The licart 

 .also is much enlarged, quite soft and suft'useJ with bl.io,.' 

 It is supposed that these worms continue to increase in 

 size until the windpipe becomes completely filled up, and 

 the chicken suftbcates. The disease first shows itself 

 when the chicken is between three and four weeks old, 

 and not generally after, by causing a sneezing or snulfing 

 through the nostrils, and a frequent scratching of itself at 

 the roots of the bill. In two or three days it commences 

 to droop and grows stupid, anil at every breath raises its 

 head and gapes, apparently for the want of breath. It 

 thus continues for a week or ten days, when it dies, per- 

 fectly emaciated. The appetite continues good, and it 

 will eat greedily so long as it lives. The disease is atten- 

 ded with mur;h fever, so much so, that the end of the 

 tongue becomes white, and so dry that it curls up." 



From the communication of " JV. S." of Js'ewWind- 



and I never saw a lot of chickens thrive better in my li 

 ^ have taken out as many as eleven worms at one haul. — .^ 

 One of my goslins, not long since, appeared to have the 

 gapes. It was something new to me, I never had heard 

 of goslins being subject to it ; I thought the goslin would 

 soon die ; it occurred to my mind that it was not an im- 

 possibility. I tried the remedy, and the goslin is now 

 well and tiiriving." 



" J. R. S." of Fultonville, says :— 



" Hens having chickens are usually kept confined while 

 the chickens are small, and too often so that they cannot 

 get the ground. When thus confined, it should always be 

 on the ground, and in a good sized moveable coop,- which 

 should be moved so as to occupy a new position on the 

 ground, as often as once in ten days. SucIi a course will 

 have a tendency to prevent the young brood from becom- 

 ing lousy ; for it is well known chickens cannot thrive if 

 covered with vermin. I not only feed and water such 

 broods several times a day, but I cut grass and clover into 

 short pieces and place it in the coop, and have the satis- 

 faction of seeing it greedily devoured. In addition to this 

 course of treatment, I almost daily, dig earth worms for 

 them. I hear my neighbors often complain that their 

 chickens are lousy, or have ' the gapes,' either of which 

 will destroy them. I seldom lose chickens from either, 

 and attribute my success to the course of treatment as 

 above recommended. Thousands upon thousands of chick- 

 ens would probably be saved annuiily. by a little attention 

 to ttie course I pursue. Lice may be destroyed by placing 

 lard beneath the wings .and on the back of the chicken. .\ 

 sure remedy for the gapes I have not ye! discovered ; but 

 have heard "a very simple one given, which I have had no 

 opportunity to test. It was to extract a few of the end 

 feathers from the wings, the barrel of which it is said will 

 be found to be black. Fowls, while laying, should be well 

 fed, and the size of the eggs will generally determine their 

 keciiing j as the eggs are largest when the fowls are best 

 fed." 



Young orchards may be kept in vigorous 

 growth, the limbs of the trees of a smooth as- 

 ])ect, and the foliage of deep green, by washing 

 tiie limlis in potash v.ater, and by keeping the 

 ffround in cultivation with the plough without 

 striking upon the main roots of the trees. Fresh 

 soil takin from the woods and from richer spots 

 may he laid under the trees to advantage. Where 

 the ground is not ploughed, mow the grass and 

 let it lie under the trees. 



Tlie Borer. — Mr. Brcck of the New England 

 Farmer says " there are other instruments quite 

 as effectual as the gouge or the crooked wire for 

 the destruction of the borer ; and these are tlio 

 bill and long tongue of the little speckled wood 

 pecker." 



soon after si.x in tlie morning was little more tlian 

 mist. It passed by mid-day mth the wind con- 

 tinuing to blow from the east. Before sundown 

 more rain had fallen during the day than in the 

 two preceding months — a sufficient quantity to 

 revive drooping nature where life had not been 

 dried out of it. 



SHALL WE OFFENn OUR NEIGHBORS, OR LOSE 

 OUR CROPS ? 



Sunday, Jlug. 2. Was informed while going to 

 church that a neighbor's unruly cow under tlie 

 darkness of night, surmounting all obstacles, had 

 filled herself from the fine eais of our yoimg 

 cornfield, breaking down and destroying much 

 more thmi she had eaten. From thence she pro- 

 ceeded to the beautifid garden made and kept on 

 Our premises by Mr. Whitney — a garden, which 

 with the work of his own hand (he has but 

 one hand) assisted by his son fourteen years of 

 age, on less than two acres of ground, will yield 

 as great an amount of produce as any two other 

 acres of the county the present season. Travers- 

 ing his beautiful plat of onions set for seed and 

 prostrating them in the way, the mischievous cow 

 reached and seized on several hills of choice 

 corn : thence she took her comse to the cabbage 

 plat, where she destroyed a few dozen of the fast 

 growing heads, and in this position, having her 

 appetite fully satiated, she was discovered by the 

 light of the early morning. Mr. Whitney thinks 

 he nuist be paid his bill hy the owner of the cow 

 for the damage done in oin- garden : it is doubtful 

 whether we shall prosecute for the two dollars 

 damage done in the corn-field exclusively our 

 own. There are some twenty cows kept, in de- 

 fiance of the law, wandering in the street, ready 

 to poimce upon our Iiuhan corn, broom corn and 

 turnip fields on either side of the river, whenever 

 they can fuul the bais down, or himger shall drive 

 them to break over the best fences. If we shoidd 

 direct our men, in our absence from town, to take 

 them to the pound the first time we shall find 

 them where they have been more than once, 

 should we \iolate the rules of good neighbor- 

 hood .-' 



This evening at si.x o'clock a most animating 

 rain commences and continues for two hours. 

 The water runs in the streets as it was wont to 

 do. 



Monday, Axig. 3. After a clearing oft' of the 

 previous night, we have another exhilarating, 

 smalt rain from the southwest, at about four o'- 

 clock in the afternoon. 



PRODUCTIVE OATS. 



This day our attention is called by a gentleman 

 who visited Pembroke yesterday, to some heads 

 of oats produced from the field of Mr. Tilton, 

 near his tavern on the main street of that town. 

 They are of a kind, several bushels of which 

 were brought tiom V'ermont during the last win- 

 ter, and sold for one dollar the bushel, called the 

 Scotch oats. Mr. Tilton sowed two bushels of 

 these iii)on an acre of ground along-side of the 

 common oats. Our intbrinant judged that the 

 crop of the Scotch oats would be twice as great 

 as the otlier kind. They are not quite as for- 

 ward, but are much taller thiui the common kind. 

 They resemble in length of head the horse-mane 

 oats, which it will be recollected hang only in 

 one tier: the head of the Scotch oats is of a dou- 

 ble tier, or rather the oats seem to hang nearly 

 equally aroiuid the stem. We have two of the 

 heads from Mr. Tilton's field on wliicli the oats 

 hang to the length of full ten inche.s. An acre 

 of ground well filled with stalks such as were ex- 

 hibited to us, iiiu.-(t produce an immense quanti- 

 ty of these oats. With the proper quantity of 

 sowing and strength of ground, we sujipose a 

 hundred bushels of these oats might be raised on 

 an acre. Mr. Tilton and other gentlemen who 

 raise them will do well to presene for seed all of 

 these oats raised the present season. 



EXPERIME.VZT UPON TIIE PLAINS. 



sor : — 



" Can you give your readers any information as to the 

 best methods of rearing chickens ! I have taken a creat 



deal of pains, but have invariably been but poorly paid fur , i. ■ 1- ■ r 



my trouble. In the first place, my hen-house, in the warm \ worm upon apple trees, the application of tar, 



JohnW. Proctor, Esq of Danvers, Mass., 

 SecreUuy of the Essex Agiicultural Society, re 

 commends as the best remedy against the f anker 



Tuesday, Aug. 4. Walked to our field of ten 

 acres of barren pine jilaiii land that had been bro- 

 ken up last fall from the stump of the forest cut 

 down the previous winter. Two acres were plan- 

 ted with beans, and eight acres were late sowed 

 with buckweat. Strange as may seem the drought 



