372 



THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



is any current in the atmosphere; and when 

 they are feeding in the opt»n woods, ihey are 

 p;enerally on the ''qui vive." And in passing, 

 let me say that these long-laced gentry have not 

 had their eyes p1ucI< above their lantern jaws to 

 no purpose. Their senses of smelling and see- 

 ing are acute, and hence a still damp day is 

 usually selected for hog hunting. They often 

 display a good deal of cunning in concealing 

 themselves; for when in the thickets or cane 

 brakes, they will scjuai, and you may ride within 

 thirty leet of them; and if neither the hunter 

 nor dogs discover them, they will lie close to the 

 ground, until they think they have been discover- 

 ed, or until their pursuers have passed by. It is 

 common (or deer, similarly situated to do the 

 same. 



The month of January is the most usual time 

 for hunting the wild hog, as he is usually latter 

 at that season than at any other time of the year; 

 and the weather being cooler, is better adapted 

 to preserving his flesh. JHounds are occasionally 

 brought in requisition in hunting these animals, 

 but they are objectionable, as their noise gives 

 the hogs early notice of the approach ol the hun- 

 ters; and taking the advantage of such a start, 

 it is difficult to overtake them, as they are equal 

 to a four mile horse in a long-winded chase, 

 particularly if the chase happens to be through 

 heavy cane-brakes, green-brier thickets, and cy- 

 press ponds, and these are lavorite retreats. 



The dogs most suitable lor hunting wild hogs 

 are able-bodied, aciive curs, that take the trail, 

 and follow it up silently, until they come up with 

 the hogs, when they bimg them to a hay by balk- 

 ing at ihem ; and il they do not s'op, they seize 

 one, which immediaiely cause- ihera to " rally,'^ 

 when the dogs in turn reireat a short distance, 

 separate, and by occasionally seizing and again 

 retreating and barking, they occupy the attention 

 of the hogs until the hunters have time to ride 

 up, select each one the largest hog, and shoot 

 them down, at which time the hogs inake an at- 



ed our range with the 

 shire. Respectfully, 



Henry J 

 Sicily Island, La., May 1st, 1842. 



broad backed Berk- 

 Peck. 



VARIOUS KINDS OF FORAGE CROPS. 



Translated from " Lc Bon Jnrdiiiier" for tlie Farmers' Register. 



Bunias d^ Orient, Rocket, Bunias orien- 

 talis. — The want which we have experienced, in 

 our agriculture, of a green lood in March and 

 April, has directed attention to the rocket. Thou- 

 nin and Aithur Young have recommended it on 

 this account, as well as for its abundance and 

 good quality. I have observed it in gardens in 

 full vegeiaiion in March, and exceedintrly foragi- 

 nous. But M. Charles Pictet, ol Geneva has 

 inlbrmed me that the rocket placed in the fields 

 has not answered his expectation; in like experi- 

 ments 1 have not (bund it more early, but perhaps 

 less so in the commencement of spring than the 

 wild chickory, but in April it affords a very vigo- 

 rous vegetation and an abundant pasturage. In 

 ISlSitexhibited a very valuable quality, that of re- 

 sisting entirely a severe drought. More (requent 

 experiments with this plant would be quite in- 

 teresting. In small attempts the rocket should 

 be sown in plant beds, and from thence planted 

 at eight or ten inches apart. If its culture is 

 extended, it may without doubt be sown with 

 success where it is to remain, for it will even 

 reproduce itself by its seed. It is a plant of con- 

 siderable longevity. 



Chickaree sauvage, Wild chickory, Cichorium 

 intylus. — A productive and early grass, well 

 calculated to withstand a drought; very useful 

 as pasturage or to be given green in the stable; 

 it is excellent lor cattle, sown half and half with 

 red clover; it will succeed well in stiff' or light 

 lands, provided there is some defyih of soil. It 



is generally sown in the spring, broadcast, either 

 tempt to escape, but the dogs again overhaul them, ! alone or with barley or oats, at the rate of 24 



and again the hunters thin out their numbers, 

 uniil they have killed as nuny as they can con- 

 veniently manage, when they return home ; and 

 the remainder of the " gang" make their way 

 to other neighborhoods, but usually return in the 

 course of a lew days to their wonied range, and 

 again, at a suitable time, encounter the same 

 scenes of extermination. 



Hog hunters usually shoot off of their horses, 

 if the woods are sufficiently open to admit of it, as 

 it is occasionally dangerous to approach on loot ; 

 in fact, horses are sometimes crippled by these 

 hogs, lor an old wild boar is as furious and dan- 

 gerous as a bear, particularly if he has been shot 

 at and crippled, and been tnuch harassed by the 

 dogs. 



The wild hogs of the swamps, although they 



pounds to the hectare. It may be sown in Sep- 

 tember. It lasts three or lour years. A variety, 

 the Chickaree sauvage a cafe, has long thick roots 

 like the white carroi. Tliey use it in the manu- 

 facture of chickory cofl^ee, but advantage is also 

 derived from it as a Ibod for beasts, particularly 

 hogs, which eat heartily of the roots, more hard 

 and fibrous than those of the ordinary variety. 

 The roots do not freeze, and will resist the winter 

 in the ground, which is important; the plant is 

 also more vigorous, and the leaves larger than 

 those of the common wild chickory, and it is pro- 

 bably as a (orage not in(erior to it. Sown a little 

 thin, it lijrnishes excellent roots, and may be cul- 

 tivated vviih the spade and hoe. 



Chou a vaches, [ Cow] Cabbage, Brassica oleracea 

 vaccina. — Every where is the utility of the cabbage 



cost neither care nor cash, are a great p< st to the as (ijod lor catile known ; but it is only in some 

 planters, for by frequenting the range ol the gentle locations that it is planted solely lor that purpose, 

 hogs, they soon imparl their wild nature to iliem, lor which it deserves to be more generally used, 

 and if they are not closely attended to, they soon Among the varieties which are fitted for it, the 

 quit the plantation, to return no more. chou d laches appears to be the best, at least for 



The Berkshire and Gruzier are destined ere long I fertile lauds, on account of its considerable height 



to supplant these vvonl^||ss creatures, that require 

 more labor to hunt them than they are worth. 

 We are getting wide awake on the subject ol 

 hogs, and we will not desist till we have stock- 



and the size of its leaves. They cultivate it exten- 

 sively in the most of our western departments. 

 All cabbages prefer a good soil, rather etifl' than 

 light, and well manured. They sow the chou 



