ATMOSPHERE OF STABLES. 



191 



cents, oats 33 cents, potatoes 30 cents, turnips 17 

 cents, milk 41 cents per quart, and a good price 

 for all the vegetables grown in a garden of be- 

 tween two and three acres. The farm now 

 produces 75 to 80 tons of hay per annum ; 150 

 to 200 bushels of corn ; some barley, rye or oats ; 

 SOO to 1000 bushels potatoes ; 400 to 500 bushels 

 turnips : vegetables from the garden, and con- 

 siderable frait. The stock is 2 horses, 4 oxen, 

 17 cows, and a few swine. The cows are kept 

 for the purpose of supplying the citizens of 

 Worcester with milk. 



When Mr. Hammond began his operations 

 here, he informed us that in order to fertilize the 

 nearly exliausted soil, he took his produce to 

 market, and after disposing of it, brought back 

 manure. But this proving a laborious job, and 

 learning the value of muck as a fertilizer, and 

 having any quantity of it in a bog meadow, he 

 commenced carting it into the barn-yard during 

 the summer, fall and winter, as he found 

 time, spread the stable manure upon it, and 

 thus ever since has made several hundred loads 

 aunuallj-, of a compost quite equal, he thinks, to 

 ordinary barn-yard manure. 



The rotation of crops here is adapted to the 

 situation and m.arket. Gra.ss land is plowed in 

 the fall, the next spring highlj" manured broad- 

 cast, again plowed, and then well haiTowed 

 and planted \\ith corn. The second year it is 

 sown with barley. This grain is worth nearly 

 as much as rye, and suiting this kind of soil 

 well, nearly double the number of bushels per 

 acre can be obtained of it that can be grown of 

 ry-e. Grass .seed is sown with the barley, and 

 after that tlic land is kept in grass as long as it 

 is thought profitable. Mr. Hammond's method 

 of raising turnips is in accordance with an old 

 practice in Massachusetts. The lore part of ,Tuly 

 the cidlivator is passed up and down between 



the row^s of corn, which cuts up all remaining 

 weeds, and leaves the land free and light. Tur- 

 nip-seed, of the common field kind, is then 

 sown, and the men follow and give the corn its 

 last hoeing. In performing this operation they 

 cover the turnip-.seed sufficiently well, and it 

 usually produces about 100 bushels to the acre. 

 One season Mr. H. got 650 bu.«hels from four 

 acres. We think it requires a vei-y fertile soil 

 or high manuring to wan-ant one in taking two 

 croi)s at the same time ; and though it may be 

 presumptuous to dilTer from so good an authori- 

 ty, still we think if a single acre were devoted 

 to ruta-baga, it would be better than raising the 

 common turnip among com, as the former is 

 much superior to the latter in nutritive qualities, 

 it keeps later and better, and COO bu.shels may 

 be obtained on an average from a smgle acre, 

 and pe)-haps 800 to 1000 as highly as Mr. H. 

 would cultivate them. 



There are many oiher little things about this 

 farm which we would gladly speak of ha.d we 

 space ; suffice it to say, that Mr. H., so far from 

 being satisfied with what he has already accom- 

 plished, thinks he is merely prepared now to 

 realize something for his improvements. He 

 will undoubtedly derive a handsome income 

 fi'om his farm hereafter, and manage it with 

 much less labor. Yet this great truth has already 

 been exemplified by him, namely, that land of 

 a moderate degree of fertility, properly man- 

 aged, can be greatly improved from its own re- 

 sources, and at the same time respectably sup- 

 port those who cultivate it. For one, we feel 

 grateful to Mr. H. for doing what he has, and 

 we recommend all in his vicinity to visit his 

 farm, and make themselves familiar with his 

 practice ; for a better example, as far as he has 

 gone, we know not among our whole ac- 

 (juaintance. 



ON THE ATMOSPHERE OF STABLES. 



The frequent and violent exertions which 

 man requires of the hor.se, renders it a matter of 

 the highest importance that tlie animal's physi- 

 cal condition be as perfect as skiU and attention 

 (•an secure ; and as there are no organs of this 

 noble animal so severely taxed, during the per- 

 formance of either fa.«t or heavy work, as the or- 

 gans of respiration, it is obvious that too much 

 attention cannot be given to all circumstances 

 which tend to secure perfection in the condition 

 of that delicate apparatus which plays .so promi- 

 nent a part. A pure and unccmtaminated at- 

 mospliere, in all respects suited to the process 

 of icspiration, i.s, therefore, a sine qua -non ,- one 

 cannot help, for these reasons, expressing sur- 

 prise at the almost universal inattention to sta- 

 ble ventilation, which so lamentably prevails in 

 even many of our fir.«t-cla.ss establishments. B ut 

 there is no circumstance connected with do- 

 mestic life that appears to me more extraordiiia- 

 ry tlian the almost universal want of attention 

 to scientific arrangements in the constraction of 

 modem buildings of every description, both 

 public and private, from the largest theatre, or 

 assembly hall, down to tlie cottage of the most 

 humble peasant. It is not, therefore, wonderful 

 tliat gross errors may be discovered in die teue- 

 :ri95) 



ments devoted to the accommodation of our do- 

 mestic animals. That these Occur to a much 

 greater extent than many intelligent persons are 

 aware of I shall presently show. I hojje I msy 

 confidently presume that most educated pcr.sons 

 are aware that air once breathed by an animal 

 i.s, by the simple process of respiration, convert- 

 ed into a deadly poison, and, therefore, should 

 be instantly removed from its presence, and re- 

 placed by a proper supply of a pure and whole- 

 some air. It is well known that the oxygon of 

 the air is absorbed, and carbonic acid gas is 

 thrown out at each expiration — a gas which 

 neither supports life nor combustion: of the 

 truth of this, the unhappy fate of the unfortunate 

 sutt'erers in the Black Hole of Calcutta but too 

 painfully demonstrates. I could cite, were it 

 necessary, numerous familiar illustrations of this 

 subject, but I have no doubt the following .sam- 

 ple will .serve to inform such of your readers as 

 may not hitlierto have given especial considera- 

 tion to theories of respiration, and who are, 

 therefore, unaware of the importance which at- 

 taches to the subject. 



All have heard of the fatal accidents that fre- 

 quently occur in breweries, from persons incau- 

 tiously descending vats while these ai-e surcliarg- 



J 



