1R3.S] 



F ARM i: US' RECMST 10 R. 



605 



From the Cultivator. 



MiLOKW OX THF. (;oosi;ni:uuY and gkapk. 



Wo find in JMr. Reed's communication a sug- 

 •reslioM in reirar>l to mildew on the iroo.seherr3' iind 

 •riJip'e, wliicli in a measure corroborates the cor- 

 rect mcpp ol' the opinions we have lienMoibre ex- 

 pressed on t ids sul)jecl. The snji^eslion is, that 

 pah will prevent the mildew on irooseberries. and 

 proiiably on tlioiira[)e. A [)int ot" strong hnne, 

 flit at the root of each plant m the si)rinir, he in- 

 forms lis, lias not only prevented miKlew on the 

 gooseberry, hut has restored to th(! berry, before, 

 diseased and diminutive, its oriiiinal size. All we 

 otiject to is the mystical mode of application. 

 "'I'he brine should be put on without stirring the 

 earth," say-jJtheRev. writer, "so as [not] to wet 

 the roots, as in that case it kills the plant: but 

 there is no danger if poured on the earrh undis- 

 turbed." The plain English of which seems to 

 be: that the saline ])roperiies of a strong brine, if 

 brought into immediate contact with the roots, will 

 not only destroy the seeds of the parasyte, for 

 such we consider mildew, but the vitality of the 

 plant itself— the undisturbed surface arresting a 

 great i)orlion of the saline matter, which is subse- 

 quently carried down, by rains, in moderate quan- 

 tities. This prescription is based upon the theory 

 that mildew, in the gooseberry and ijTape, i-? a pa- 

 rasytic plant, the germ or seed of which ah des at 

 the roots; that salt destroys the vitality of these 

 germs or seeds ; but that, when applied in excess, 

 it also destroys the plant. The great object is, 

 therel(3re, to graduate the remedy to the cure, and 

 this MJ^ould seem to be best accomplished by ap- 

 plying the brine in winter or early spring, when 

 the plant is dormant, and not absorbing the mois- 

 ture of the soil — or in a diluted form, when it is 

 in the progress of (jrowth. Partial experiirients 

 with the grape had induced Mr. Reed to believe 

 that a like application ol" brine to the grape, would 

 produce results alike i'avorable. 



A REMARKABLE CASE OF DISEASED BRAIN 

 IN AN OX. 



Charlottesville, December 12, 1837. 



To ttie Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



The principal object of this communication is to 

 bring to 3'our notice an extraordinary case (to me 

 at least) ot" disease in cattle. Early last spring, 

 one of the work steers on my mother's planta- 

 tion, was discovered to be affected with what was 

 supposed to be the common hollow-horn; and the 

 usual simple remedies were applied, which afford- 

 ed relief so lontr as the horn was kept open for 

 the discharore of the matter. I soon ol^served that 

 the case differed in many respects from the ordi- 

 nary disease before mentioned, inasmuch as when 

 fresh bored, the horn bled profusely, and was not 

 cold to the touch. &c. As the animal was in fine 

 order, and eat freely, &c., he v/as kept at work 

 eeveral months, and finally turned into the pasture. 

 In each case, whenever the orifice became stopped 

 the animal soon manifested signs of great distress; 

 but so soon as opened, instant relief was afforded, 

 and iireat quantities of very offensive matter vv^re 

 discharged. The disease continued to increase, 



though every pains were taken to effect a cure; 

 but still the ox coniiniied to improve in flesh until 

 a f(?w weeks since — it beinu fine tieeli and as 

 wii.ter was fastapproachintr, all prospect of recov- 

 ery seemed to have become extinct — as it was 

 evident fi-om every appearance that ihe whole of 

 one side of the head was a(li>cled — one eye hav- 

 wasied away, and the matter runniriof consianily 

 from the ear. I determined to have him killed. 

 On examination atier it was slaiiLihiered, it was 

 discovered that one half the brain was eniirelj' 

 gone 1 And a piece ol" the skull in the fiice, two 

 inches square, had also disappeared; one horn 

 and one ear, were only sustaineii by the skin — the 

 litrmer beinir knocked off, when the animal fell. 

 The other half the brain, and side of ihe head, 

 were (]uite sound, as was everv other part ol the 

 beef, which was very (at. I did not ihink it pos- 

 sible that an animal could sustain lile alter losing 

 half, or indeed any part of its brain. 



I am inclined to tliink the disease was produced 

 by some injury sustained durinir the previous win- 

 ter — probaby a shot, as several were found in the 

 hide. I communicate this case, which appears 

 so extraordinary to me, with the hope that you 

 will be enabled to explain the phenomena, and 

 suggest a remedy. 



Wm. TOUIPKINS, 



Editor of yidvocate. 



DIFFERENCE IN THE KINDS OF LIME FOR 

 MANURE. 



A correspondent desires to be informed whether it 

 will be most profitable for him to buy and use stone- 

 lime, or shell-iime, for manure. In answer, we say, 

 the cheapest is the best; or that kind, of which a cer- 

 tain expenditure of money and labor, will serve to ap- 

 ply the greatest quantity of manure to the land. The 

 comparison maj- be made between the two kinds, by 

 weight, either before burning — when perfectly and re- 

 cently burned — and before the commencement of sla- 

 king — or after slaking, but before any re-absorption of 

 carbonic acid, which follows slaking very soon. But 

 it will be very incorrect to compare any lime in one of 

 these states, with some in another — as the weight is 

 greatly increased by being combined with water, or 

 with carbonic acid. 



In this mode, which is safest and most correct, as a 

 general rule, the materials for limes are supposed to be 

 pure. This is never the case however; but the small 

 and variable proportions of worthless matter, always 

 contained in limestone, and generally among oyster- 

 shells, will not materially aifocl the estimate; and their 

 measure could not be precisely fixed, without a A'ery 

 accurate chemical anah'sis in every particular case. 



For the F.iniiers' Register. 



MOUNTAIN GRAZING FARMS. USE OF LIME 

 IN FAIRFAX. 



Fairfax County, Dec. 6th, 1837. 



Mr. Editor — I enclose you ."$5— money, or 

 shin -plaster, as you ma}' please to call it. 



After my wheat was thrashed and deliver- 

 ed, which was early in Ausrust, [ gave my- 

 self a furlough for four weeks. In this time, 



