138 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[September, 



OUR PARIS LETTER. 



Correspondence of The Lancasteb farmer. 



Paris, August 7, 1875. 



CATTLE-BHEEDING IN MATENNE. 



The Department of the Mayenne is in many re- 

 Bpects curious as one of the chief cattlar breeding 

 districts of France. As a general rule, the Durham 

 race there predominates, and compels the disappear- 

 ance of local breeds in the course of four crossinss. 

 The only difference between the reputed pure and the 

 general cla.s6 of Durhams lies in this— that one is in- 

 scribed in the Herd Book and the other is not. Prof. 

 Sanson, like several of his colleagues of the Grignon 

 Agricultural College, brings his pupils every season 

 to some point of Frauce where his lessons on the the- 

 ory and practice of cattle breeding can, on special 

 points, be illustrated. He was thus able to point out 

 in Mayenne that, independent of the general question 

 of feeding, a too exquisite attention to the most per- 

 fect (lualities of a sire results, in the course of years, 

 in the production of animals of reduced size and 

 weight. Some stock-masters lyive found out the er- 

 ror of this erroneous desire for points of absolute ex- 

 cellence, and seek bulls not coming up to that refined 

 standard. Yet, with such prudence, the race of short- 

 horns in Mayenne is less by one-fourth in point of 

 volume than what it ought to be. This diminution is 

 the consequence of the lamentable plan of not giving 

 stock sufficient uourishraeut throughout the winter, 

 irrespective as to whether the yield of fodder be short 

 or profuse. Those admirable meat-producing ma- 

 chines, the Durhams, are positively compelled to 

 draw throughout the winter on the materials they 

 have accuniuiated in their economy during the sum- 

 mer ; so that in spring, when the animals are turned 

 out for sale in Normandy, to be there fattened, they 

 are in a more inferior condition than when tied up the 

 previous autumn. Instead of being prepared for the 

 butcher they are studiously maintained thin. What 

 a loss, too, for the soil, this constant selling off of the 

 stock, of the valuable phosphates of the hones and 

 flesh, and no compensating return made to the land, 

 except in the form of lime"; but the latter without the 

 phosphoric acid is of course as if phosphate of lime 

 did not at all exist to build up the animal's bones. 

 The district imports no oil-cake, nor even employs for 

 feeding the vast quantities of bran to be obtained 

 from the numerous flour mills in the locality. Some 

 cattle breeders mix on the meadow even wheaten 

 straw with lucern, sainfoin and artificial grasses, 

 forming the mass into ricks, thus allowing it to fer- 

 ment instead of winnow. The mixture is excellent, 

 and better for animals over one year of age, as far as 

 puberty, rather than the legumiuous fodder alone. 



The Durhams are animals akin to large maehines, 

 producing in proportion to the primary matters su[;- 

 plied for transformation. Moderate but not excessive 

 work has not proved, in the Mayenne at least, inju- 

 rious to the rearing, etc., of Durham oxen, as all, in 

 working, increase in size and weight— when, of 

 course, proportionately fed . This economic condition 

 is at variance with the experience of other countries 

 which reserve animals for the rent apart from those 

 for the work. 



TO KEEP MILK FROM CURDLING. 



Prof. Kolbe has demonstrated that, by the addition 

 of four per cent, of salicilic acid to fresh cows' milk 

 marking 6.5 degrees of heat, the milk will be preserved 

 3(> hours longer from curdling than milk not treated 

 by the acid. This quantity of acid is sutlicient when 

 the milk has to be transported to a distance ; but 

 pending periods of great heat, it would be well, as in 

 the ordinary practice with extensive dairymen iu 

 France, to reduce the temperature of the milk to •5:i 

 degrees before employing the acid. The difBculty 

 • lies in applying the acid, which requires to be dis- 

 solved in cold water to the extent of ten per cent, of 

 the milk — a dilution purchasers would not tolerate. 

 It dissolves more readily in warm water ; iu this state, 

 liowever, it would coagulate the milk. The acid as 

 generally sold is in the form of a powder, difficult to 

 moisten and aiit to run together, forming little lumps, 

 despite the stirring of the milk. The best state iu 

 which to apply the acid is in the form of crystals, 

 taking care that these are not too large. 



BRAN FOR MILK COWS. 



Bran is often richer in protein than flour, but the 

 butter is more digestible ; hence why bran is steeped 

 or cooked twelve or twenty-four hours before being 

 used. To augment the digestibility of brau, Stoeck- 

 ard added to one part of" bran eight parts of cold 

 water, and the oneUhirty-third part of chlorhydnc 

 acid, cooking the mixture for ten minutes, with 

 steam, if possible, pouring oH' the liquid into a sepa- 

 rate vessel. To the remaining paste four parts of 

 water is added and a spoonfull of calcined soda ; then 

 the drained-otf liriuor is poured back, and a little 

 chalk dusted over the mixture. This plan gave good 

 results, but in practice was found difficult. Bran is 

 given to milch cows with profit. by mixing one part 

 of malt siftings with one hundred of bran, either in a 

 drink or with the chopped Ibod. For young cattle the 

 bran is mixed with the oil-cake. 



PRESERVATION OF FODDER. 



The season continues to be very trying for the 



preservation of fodder, owing to the excessive hu- 

 midity existing, which at the same time affects its 

 nutritive value. The general practice at present in 

 France is to dry the forage plants only partially, and 

 to then pile in small heaps till fermentation com- 

 mences to set in ; afterwards to seize the first few 

 bright hours that present themselves to open the 

 heaps, when the humidity rapidly escapes. In put- 

 ting into riek, fagots are preferred for ventilators; 

 for after cuttings of lucern, clover, meadows, etc., 

 their texture being young and juicy, and humidity 

 prevalent, they are made' up into very small heaps, 

 mixed with straw, and fagots employed as venti- 

 lators. The preservation of green food in trenches 

 will be extensively practiced this year in France ; 

 giant maize and mustard are the forage plants now 

 most relied upon for fermented food in spring. 



REPAIRING DAMAGE IN THE FLOODED DISTRICTS. 



The occupiers of the flooded lands in the region of 

 Toulouse are bravely repairingthcir misfortunes. The 

 damage has been great, but not what was at first ex- 

 pected, and in no case is it irreparable. The vines 

 have been well washed, hOAvever ; the wheat crop it- 

 self in many places can be saved. The hay harvest 

 having been completed before the calamity, those 

 ricks overturned and partly coated with mud have 

 been duly opened, and when dried the hay is passed 

 through a threshing machine, which removed nine- 

 tenths of the mud. The hay was then re-stacked, 

 one pound of salt being added to each cwt. of hay. 

 Much attention was paid to breaking up the crust of 

 mud as soon as the land was sufficiently dried, and to 

 scarify often to destroy the numerous strange weeds 

 that appeared. Where there was a coating of sand, 

 such was ploughed deeply down. Fields of lucern 

 were restored by a vigorous use of a harrow with iron 

 teeth. The plants sown belong to the quickly grow- 

 ing fodder order. 



SHEEP IN THE LOWER ALPS. 



The mountainous districts of the Lower Alps are 

 largely employed for the summer pasturage of sheep 

 of the warm plains. The sheep ascend the moun- 

 tains in May, at the rate of ten miles per day, in 

 flocks of 2,000, preceded by the rams and guarded by 

 dogs from wild animals. The shepherds are accom- 

 panied by their wives and families, and delight in the 

 mountain life, till the rains of September set in, when 

 they return. The price paid for the season's pastur- 

 age, per sheep, is /r.l'^. There is a local race of 

 sheep very much iu request, habituated to live at 

 6,500 feet above the level of the sea, and producing 

 four lambs during the year. In the valleys much 

 waste land has beeU planted with truffle oaks, and 

 highly prized truffles are now raised in large quanti- 

 tities. In the Vasges mountains there is a remark- 

 able race of sheep called the " Black Swiss," kept by 

 the inhabitants apparently forthe wool, which they 

 spin and weave into coarse cloth, requiring no dye. 



IMPROVED BEE-HIVES. 



At the recent agricultural show at Caen, M.Mauget 

 exhibited a bee-hive, only costing one franc, which 

 protects the bees from the extremes of heat and cold, 

 and allows the honey to be removed without fumiga- 

 tion. It can be transported also to distant localities 

 where the bees can find suitable pasture flowers. M. 

 Mauget has SOO well-stocked hives. He has also in- 

 vented another hive, where vapor generated by the 

 bees easily escapes, and thus prevents the glass from 

 being obscured, and so allowing the observer to en- 

 joy an uninterrupted view. 



INDIGESTION IN HORSES AND CATTLE. 



M. Pety, veterinary surgeon, draws attention to 

 the liability of horses and cattle suHVring from indi- 

 gestion, from the consumption of forage in a humid 

 or musty state. It is fr<;)m over-f ceiling this com- 

 plaint is ordinarily produced, or to the too rapid trans- 

 ition from dry to unlimited green food. Another 

 very common cause is the putting of animals to work 

 immediately after their feed. The giving of chaff 

 and the refuse of the threshing machine is also an- 

 other fruitful source ; as well as excessively cold 

 water; and .above all, allowing the animals to drink 

 the water of marshes. A little salt or a handful of 

 meal is excellent in the drinks. Old animals ought 

 never to be given too much food at once, and it should 

 be mixed with a little straw. When the horse 

 shows symptoms of indigestion— restlessness, sud- 

 denly refusins food, resting on one leg and then on 

 another, the head drooping and seekingthe left flank, 

 its excrements eitherhardor liquid, etc.— anexcitant, 

 as three ounces of kitchen salt, or a glass of gin in a 

 bottle of water, will afford relief, or an infusion of 

 camomile or sage. In case pain exists, two spoon- 

 fuls of laudanum will jirovc excellent. Of course, 

 soap injections, friction, and fumigation are not 

 to be overlooked. Bleeding, in case of grave indiges- 

 tion, becomes mortal. 



REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES. 



France has made rapid progress in the employment 

 of mowing and reaping machines, and never more 

 marked than the present season, when the weather 

 has been so untoward and manual labor so scarce. 

 As at the contest at Mettray and elsewhere, there is 

 a uniformity in excellence, almost of perfection, in 

 the machines turned out of some well-known firms ; 



so that where different verdicts are passed, the decid- 

 ing points are to be found, not in superiority of 

 mechanism, but in the ability of the driver, the effi- 

 cacy of the yoking, or the accident of the soil. 



CONTINUED RAVAGES OF THE VINE BUG. 



The continued and extending ravages of the vine 

 bug develop much discussion, which is not a bad 

 thing in itself, but no perfect remedy against the 

 phylloxera exists, save autumnal and winter flooding 

 of the vines, as practiced by M. Faucon. The alka- 

 line sulpho-carbonates have not realized the great ex- 

 pectations formed about them. The only party truly 

 sage is that which continues to still try every sug- 

 gested remedy, and avoiding absolute conclusions, 

 till justified by full success. The importation of 

 American vine-stocks has yet to prove their efficacy, 

 as well as the various [xiwders reputed to destroy the 

 insect, while resting inoeuous towards the vine 



iSALT A PRESERVATIVE OF LUCERN, ETC. 



Dr. Schneider recommends the salting of lucern, 

 sanfoin, etc., in its green state, immediately even 

 after being cut, and asserts, after twenty-five years' 

 experience, that it will keep thus without spoiling for 

 eleven days, when some fine days may be expected. 

 The mass dries by transpiration ; the salt absorbs the 

 moisture first, and then impregnates the forage with 

 the brine, which acts, as usual, as a preservative. 



TO RID WHEAT OF MUST AND RUST. 



To rid seed wheat of smut and rust, it is the usual 

 practice to steep it in preparations of lime, salt, etc. 

 The Agricultural Society of Allier recommends in- 

 stead the dissolution of nine pounds Peruvian guano 

 in 23 gallons of water, allowing the grain to steep for 

 twenty-four hours, skimming off the bad seeds, and 

 rolling the remainder in dry guano, previously treated 

 with "sulphuric acid, occording to the Ohleudorf 

 process. 



OUR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. 



Proceedings of the Lancaster County Agricul- 

 tural and Horticultural Society. 



The September meeting of the Lancaster County 

 Agricultural and Horticultural Society was held in 

 the Orphans' Court Room on Monday, the 6th inst., 

 at m o'clock-President Johnson Miller in the Chair. 

 The meeting was unusually well attended. Present, 

 Messrs. Heiiry M. Engle, John Miller, Peter S. Reist, 

 Thomas Woods, Ephraim Hoover, Alexander Harris, 

 Hon. Geo. H. Ettla, Hon. P. J. Roebuck, Henry B. 

 Reist, John Hoover, Martin D. Kendig, Calvin Cooper, 

 Daniel Smeych, Isaac Bushong, Milton B. Eshleman, 

 W. W. Davis, Johnson Miller, H. H. Tshudy, Henry 

 Erb, Mirtin Miller, William McComsey, S. S. Rath- 

 von, Levi S. Relet, Jonas Buckwalter, J. Stauffer, 

 David G. Swartz, Elias Brackbill, John B. Erb, Dr. 

 P. W. Hiestand, John M. Grider, Jacob Garber, Simon 

 P. Eby, John M. Stehman, and the reporters. 



Dr. P. J. Roebuck was nominated and elected an 

 honorary member. 



The following gentlemen were elected active mem- 

 bers : E. K. Hershey, Cresswell; Adam Ranck,Bird- 

 in-Hand; and H. H. Tshudy, Warwick. 



Crop reports were now called for, but there was 

 little new information given, most of the members 

 stating that there had been no change since last re- 

 ports. M. D. Kendig, of .Manor, said that the only 

 thing he had to report was that the tobacco plants 

 were unusually free from worms. 



" Would it be advisable for Lancaster county far- 

 mers to engage more extensively in dairy farnung ?" 

 was the qu'estion for discussion, and Mr. H. M. Engle 

 remarked that the farmers of this county cannotcom- 

 pete with those of the west, in general farming, be- 

 cause of the "cutting prices" in this section — divid- 

 ing the land into very small farms. The question is, 

 whether at the present high rate of land in this 

 county, farming can be made to pay by the ordinary 

 process — whether it is not necessary, in njany cases, 

 to resort to dairying, or something that will yield an 

 income additional to that coming from the usual pro- 

 ducts. He favored the idea of dairying more exten- 

 sively, and thought there was much good pasture land 

 in this county, and referred, by way of encourage- 

 ment, to the success achieved in this direction in 

 Chester county. The best land for this purpose he 

 believed to be old pasture land. The better the pas- 

 ture the better the butter; and the better the butter 

 the better the price. He referred to the high price 

 which Chester county butter brings in the Philadel- 

 phia market. In the speaker's mind there was no 

 question that a large portion of the land in this 

 county could be made to pay better by dairying than 

 by any other industry. 



Peter S. Reist thought the comparison drawn by 

 Mr. Engle between Lancaster county, Chester county 

 and Western land, was a great point. Why does land 

 command so much higher price iu this county than 

 in Chester county ? ?200 per acre here — S.50 there. 

 Because of its high state of cultivation— its produc- 

 tiveness; and this would not be the case were the 

 lands laid in pasture. It is the power to produce 

 large crops of wheat, corn, &c., that commands for 

 land a high price iu the market. 



Mr. ICiigle tliought his friend Reist had overdrawn 

 the value of Lancaster county a little. The proper 



