372 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. G 



The graeses are best for the cow, when fed green. 

 But the best method of feeding the grass to the 

 animal has been niatler of some dispute. The 

 common method of turning llie cow into the field 

 occasions the least trouble perhaps, but it is also 

 the most wasteful ; and where economy is to be 

 consulted, some other method of feeding may be 

 found preferable. Curwen Ibund by experience 

 that three acres of good grass, cut and (ed to the 

 cows, supplied 30 rnilch cows with 28 lbs. each, 

 during 200 days. Their other food was hay, of 

 which they consumed little, and their health was 

 excellent, and their milk superior. Mr. Curwen 

 observes, "that lo have supplied a similar number 

 of cows u'ilh a like quantity for the same period, 

 would, in the usual way of management, have re- 

 quired 75 acres of land lor its production. And to 

 liuve grazed such a number olcovv's at liberty, that 

 length of time, must, it is obvious, have taken a 

 very considerable number of acres. 



if such is the saving that may be made by sub- 

 stituting labor for land in feeding eowe, we think 

 the subject v/ell worthy tlie attention of dairy-men, 

 and milk-men, especially in the vicinity of our 

 cities. If by employing the labor of one man 

 through the "summer months in carrying the grass 

 to the cows, instead of allowing them to galher or 

 trample it down for themselves, twenty cows could 

 be kept on land that now supports only ten, we 

 ihink there can be no question as to the profit. 

 Only the best and aweciest grasses can be used 

 for carrying; but where meadows of this kind ex- 

 ist, and by proper attention to draining, manuring, 

 and seeding, all may be made such, the quantity 

 of grass that may he taken from them by successive 

 cuttings is great. Because in our meadows, the 

 grass standing till nearly ripe beibre mowing, does 

 not spring up at once, it bj^ no means Ibllows that 

 when cut green, while the circulation is active and 

 the roots vigorous, tliat such u'ould not be the case. 

 Indeed the rapidity with which the grasses spring 

 up in our rich pastures after being led down by 

 cattle, is sufiirient proof oi" what nature is able to 

 acconiplish, when the ellbrls are not checked, but 

 aided by the skill of the husbandman. 



ox THE PRESERVATION OF THE HEALTH OF 

 NEGROES. 



From the Amciicaii Farmer. 



It is a well known fact to physicians of the 

 southern slates, that "negroes, though less liable 

 to autumnal diseases than the whites, yet euflcr 

 7nitch more severely from winter epidemics than 

 they do." The negroes, fjr instance, will escape 

 the bilious alfeciious of the hot season, while the 

 white inhabitants are liiliiag victims; but, when 

 winter takes place, the blacks are swept off, while 

 their masters' I'lmilies are secured. 



There would be, in the extraordinary nature of 

 the liict, a sutficient incentive to the investigation 

 of the cause or causes of this diii'erence : but there 

 are motives of a still more urgent nature, that de- 

 mand an attempt at discovering the cause and pre- 

 venting the effects. The blacks constitute, either 

 absolutely or instrumentally, the wealth of our 

 southern states. If a planter, as it olien happens, 

 is deprived by sicknesfs of the labor of one third, 

 or one half of his negroes, it becomes a loss of no 



emtdl magnitude. If we should then succeed in 

 ascertaining the cause, and pointing out a preven- 

 tive, we shall not only liave gratified curiosity, and 

 served the interests of the planter, but also leel 

 the approbation of our own mind in having aided 

 the cause of humanity. 



We have seen in our last number, "On Heat 

 and Clothing," that white am] polished surfiaceslet 

 ofl' heat slowly; whereas black or rough surfaces, 

 radiate it freely. This is admitted as a fact in 

 chemistry and physiology. We know that liquids 

 cool soonest in dark vessels, and retain their heat 

 longest in bright ones. We also know that ani- 

 mals in polar regions, which are of a dark color 

 in the summer, change to white in the winter; na- 

 ture, no doubt, intending by the change of color as 

 much as by the thickening of their coat, to secure 

 them against the severity of the cold. The negro 

 on the other hand, was designed for the sultry re- 

 gions of the torrid zone. His surlace is therefore 

 adapted to the ready escapement of internal heat. 

 Hence, when transplanted to colder latitudes, he 

 and his posterity are less capable of resisting ex- 

 ternal cold, because they are less capable of re- 

 taining their internal heat. It is also a fact welt 

 known to physiologists, that the body of a negro 

 is, coiieris paribus, several degrees cooler than that 

 of a white person. We known too, that blacks 

 uniformly show tliemselves fonder of the fire than 

 whites. 



That they are then really more chilly, we can- 

 not doubt, after taking into view all the circum- 

 stances just noticed. It therefore necessarily Ibl- 

 lows, that they are more liable to diseases brought 

 on by the cold of winter, than white persons. 

 They are likewise more subject to disease on ac- 

 count of their great exposure to wet and incle- 

 ment weather. 



In the enumeration of the causes of the greater 

 liability of negroes to winter epidemics, we per- 

 ceive an immediate answer to the question, 

 " how can the health of slaves be best preserved ?" 

 We see that if they had a ivhite skin, it would 

 prove a security to them : but as we cannot "wash 

 the Ethiop white," we must use such other means 

 as may prevent the free escapement of their heat. 

 They ought in the first place, to wear woollens 

 next their skin, instead of linen and cotton. Long 

 woollen shirts would retain their heat, equalize 

 the excitement, and secure them against the ef- 

 lects of wet work and rainy wcaiher. These 

 shirts should be white, for reasons too obvious to 

 need repetition. They should also be frequently 

 washed, as clothing loses very much of its capacity 

 for retaining heat, when filled with perspiration, 

 &c. The truth of this we experience every time we 

 change our soiled clothes for clean ones ; for an 

 increased and permanent glow of heat is the con- 

 sequence of putting on clean clothes. When wet, 

 negroes should dry by a good fire. They should 

 also be allowed to sleep by a fire, if convenient ; 

 the out laborers especially. 



By attending to this regimen, we feel no hesita- 

 tion in saying that a planter will greatly secure 

 the health of his slaves; and we shall conclude 

 with remarking, that it now lies with him to de- 

 termine, as soon as he may see proper, whether 

 the trouble and expense of this preventive is 

 rather to be chosen than the risk of losing much 

 by the sicknCss or death of his negroes. 



Frankltiv. 



