134 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



[No. 3 



up-hill work for six weeks at the beginning ; the 

 drought, the grass-hopper and the turnip Hea, did 

 their work so effectually that I abandoned the crop 

 in despair J however, when the rains came on, ma- 

 ny seeds which had lain in tbe earth vegetated and 

 grew so luxuriantly as to give the above result, 

 where every one who saw the ground predicted 

 there would not be five bushels ; with a fair chance, 

 I firmly believe, my quarter acre would have yield- 

 ed 250 bushels. 



As to tbe relative value oi'lhe rival crops, I can- 

 not say any thing with accuracy farther than that 

 when our stock of beets was exhausted, and we 

 commenced feeding the ruta bagas, although I 

 have not been able to detect any difference in the 

 quantity of milk in the pails, the quantity of but- 

 ter on the second loeek of turnip feed loas reduced 

 one-third, at which point it still continues ; the 

 quality is about the same. 



I have no other facts in possession which will 

 warrant me in giving the beet the prelerence. 

 The cattle eat the turnips with the same eager- 

 ness as the beets, and present the same healthy 

 appearance. The horses and store-hogs I find 

 give preference to the beet, the sheep to the tur- 

 nip, and all the fault I have to find is with myself 

 for not raising enough to let the above mentioned 

 worthies comes in with ihe cattle for their daily 

 rations of roots. Others have no doubt dipt into 

 this subject more deeply than I have, and are con- 

 sequently much better qualified from experience 

 and longer observation to arrive at more positive 

 conclusions ; will they let us hear from them? 

 Mahlon S. Kirkbride. 



Morrisville, Jan. I5th, 1839. 



From tlie Farmers' Cabinet. 

 ON THE PRKPARATION OF ORCHARD GRASS- 

 SEED FOR SOWING 



Orchard grass-seed is always in the hull or 

 chaff, and is very light, not weighing more than 

 12 or 14 lbs. per busliel, and if sown without 

 being first welted, it is very liable to fail though 

 the seed be ever so good. It is recommended to 

 spread it out on the floor, and with a watering pot 

 to sprinkle it, and then mix it well with a rake, 

 and then let it lay till the next day, when if ne- 

 cessary, it may be again sprinkled with water, and 

 mixed up well ; and before sowing it, mix piaster- 

 of-Paris with it to bring it to a proper state for 

 sow^ing. The water and plaster will increase the 

 weight, and cause it to settle close to the ground 

 and enable it to take root. This is one of our 

 most valuable and profitable grasses, and every 

 care ought to be taken in sowing it properly, for 

 on this depends the success of the crop. It is 

 generally sown much too thin; two bushels to the 

 acre is preferable to one by just one half. Re- 

 member that whatever is worth doing at all is 

 worth doing well. R. 



From tlie Hampshire Gazette. 

 EXCAVATING BY STEAM- 



In excavating for the rail-road near Springfield, 

 a machine is made use o(j which is operated by 

 steam-power. Similar machines are also used 



in other places on the road. The machinery of 

 this macliine, which we are not able to describe, 

 is contained in a small building about the size of 

 an Irish hut, which is placed on ulu'cls, aiul can 

 be moved- as necessity requires. The, scoap, or 

 scraper, (we are ignorant ol the proper name of 

 it,) is something like a coal-hod, with one edge 

 sharp, and containing three or lour large teeth. 

 A huge bail is attached to the mouth of the scra- 

 per, to which is connected a chain that passes 

 over a pully at the extremity ofa projecting crane, 

 and communicates with the machinery within the 

 building; the other end of the scraper is united 

 to a beam, or lever, which passes under the crane. 

 The scraper is let down to the bottom of the ex- 

 cavation, the mouth of it sustaining a downward 

 inclination, and is thus drawn up through the 

 gravel by the chain attached to the bail, and filled. 

 it is then swung off by means of the crane, over 

 a gravel car, the bottom removed by a jerk upon 

 a cord, and the contents discharged. Each scra- 

 per fills a car full, and every operation occupied 

 about a minute. It is said to excavate as rapidly 

 as 2-5 men — making a saving of about 20 men. 

 It can be used to advantage, we presume, only 

 in rather light soils. 



The Irish view it with a jealous eye, and it is 

 necessary to guard it constantly to prevent their 

 destroying it. They are not pleased with so pow- 

 erful a competitor. 



From the Maine Farmer^ 

 CARE OP COWS. 



Some farmers are particular to have their oxen 

 and horses well tended and well fed, but pay no 

 attention to their cows. This is one of the errors 

 which ought to be corrected. Cows that give 

 milk should have a warm barn, the best hay and 

 a feeding of roots every day, and the extra milk 

 will doubly remunerate the trouble and expense. 

 iV.nd cows that are dry, and expected to calve in 

 the spring, should certainly be carefully tended 

 and warmly housed to keep them in Hesh and pre- 

 vent them from contracting any disease which 

 will be likely to affect them after they have calved. 

 Cattle are as liable to take cold from exposure as 

 men are, and by paying a little attention to their 

 comfort you maysavefhem a great deal of suffering, 

 and yourself much loss. A great portion of the 

 accidents which happen to young cows with their 

 first calf, are owing to poor keeping, exposure to 

 cold or some accident during the Avinter, the ef- 

 fect of which is not manilested until after they 

 have dropped the calf A mess of raw potatoes 

 and a little salt regularly given once or twice a 

 week to cows that will calve early, is very 

 beneficial. It will keep their hide loose and have 

 a tendency to produce a healthy-action through- 

 out the whole system. 



While on this subject, there is one practice more 

 we will name which is followed by some farmers, 

 that ought to be abandoned. This is the prac- 

 tice of putting the hay over into the crib imme- 

 diately under their cattle's noses. In this case 

 they necessarily breath on it, and then will not eat 

 it. A board from the bottom of the partition that 

 separates the " tie-up" from the barn floor, should 

 be removed, and the hay placed against the 

 aperture within their reach. By feeding in this 



