^\)t iTarmcr's iHontl)ln iJisitor. 



77 



of llie Hovey alone. Lnst spring, on llie lieiglits 

 of Wiishinglon, I saw iin extensive [jlanlaiion of 

 Hoveys — no oilier vnrietics being near — on the 

 >v,.|ivity Dt" a hill, Croni the bottom of which, 

 ' l.'jUiiii; upward, the plantation presented one 

 cuiitiniietl and gorireons slieet of searlel. I shall 

 soon Ije able to jtidjfe o( tJieir prodiielivencss 

 tVi)m an experiment of my own, having put three 

 fonrlhs of an acre in them, last spring and au- 

 tumn. They promise very well so far. 



The peach crop, in this vicinity, ihouKb greatly 

 diminished by the cob! spell in March, will be 

 of excellent quality. The peach flourishes in 

 this region, and, indeed, almost every l^ind of 

 fruit, with a proper ilegree of care. 



Our vegetable market, too, pre.sents as choice 

 uamila* gieat a variety, and, 1 believe, cheaper than 

 that of any city in the Union. A vast improve- 

 ment has been made, iii this respect, within the 

 hist ten years. 



Dining iMr. JeflVrson's ndministrution, vegeta- 

 bles could scarcely be got here at all. They 

 were brought from a distance and sold at high 

 prices. A venerable gentleman, then a member 

 of Congress from Virginia, has told me that he 

 often saw Mrs. Gallatin stop a country cart, in 

 her anxiety to procure something for her table, 

 niul lucUy was any one to get chickens, eggs, 

 peas, or cabbage. 



At a later period, Mr. Dallas, the Secretary of 

 the Treasury, used to procure liis supply of veg- 

 etables from Baltimore. The planters and far- 

 mers of this vicinity thought it derogatory to 

 their dignity, at that day, to deal in such truck. 



General Washington was the first who set 

 tliem the example of sending a market cart, with 

 vegetables, fruits, and other pro<lucIs, to the cities 

 of the District. There are those now living in 

 Alexanihia who speak, with much pleasure and 

 pri<le, of having seen the Pater Patrirc himself 

 at the Alexandria market; and of having often 

 )Mirchased vegetables in that market, from the 

 Mount Vernon estate. At a later period, Mrs. 

 Monroe used to supply our market with very 

 fiue fiesli butler from the President's farm in 

 ."nriiO'iii. 



I I'l) person, has, however, done more to pro- 

 mote a spirit of imtnovement in horticulture and 

 agriculture, in this reaion, than John S. Skinner, 

 Esq., laie 3d assistant Post Master General. — 

 Since the establishment of bis Farmer's Reg- 

 i9l«r, in Baltimore, thirty years ago, he has 

 B'liliil large sums to the annual product of Mary- 

 land and this District, and done much to promote 

 the comfort of all their inhabiiaiils. With un- 

 impaired energies, and increased experience, he 

 now goes to New York, to conduct a journal, in 

 jiait devoted to his favorite pursuits, and I pre- 

 dict for him such stu'cess, in bis useful undertak- 

 ing, as will leave him no cause to regret bis ejec- 

 tion from office. 



Shut. — Professor Johnston in a lecture lately 

 delivered before the Chemistry Association, re- 

 markei! that the sporides of this fungus are so 

 exceedingly ininule that it would take 2800 of 

 them to cover an inch. There is no doubt, be 

 says, but that they ascend through the sap ves- 

 sels of the plant — for by examination, it could be 

 seen where they had come up,having left their col- 

 oring mailer in the tubes of the stalk. After pass- 

 ing through the stalk, the smut fixes itself under 

 the root of the flower, which it renders barren, and 

 a- '^ .grain ripens, the puff halls ripen also, and 

 binst; scattering a black dust, su minute that it 

 takes one million of them to lie across a single 

 inch. 



It may tinis be seen how smut is jiropagated. 

 Its particles are so small that thousands of them 

 riiP" jTltach to a kernel of wheat unobserved, and 

 '■'"'\'. 1 with it. 



V.nious substances will destroy its vegetating 

 power, among which are blue vitriol, common 

 salt, urine, and potash. — Prairie Farmer. 



-M On the rearing of Neat Cattle. 



aS: a late meeting of the farmer's club at Bur- 

 ton, a discussion took place on " the Rearing of 

 Neat Cattle," the tbilowing rejiort of which we 

 copy from the London Agricultural Gazette: 



.Mr. Lander said — " It may not be improper, 

 first, to consitler what is the kind and quality of 

 nniirial intended to be reared. The breeder will 

 beii ••n mind what he particularly requires,whelli- 

 gi-holefiiiood, size, early maturity, an aptitude to 



feed, or a fitiie.ss for the dairy; it may be that 

 some of these qualities, liy judicious selection, 

 will be combined. 1 am satisfied that, as a man 

 is placed regarding climate, soil, and elevation 

 of his farm, he may select from several breeds 

 such beasts as will suit his purpose. In cold 

 and mounlaiuous districts, Scotch or Welsh cat- 

 tle might he chosen, very good milkers, wiili 

 fine .skins, and feeding propensities ; so might 

 Herefords, and loiig-horiis of the improved 

 breed; but none with quite the early maturity of 

 the short-horned Durham breed of cattle — though 

 these last will not bear, with advantage, the se- 

 vere treatment and coarse food upon which some 

 other breeds will exist. As a general rule I 

 iiave fiiiind, after much observation, that if you 

 want size, as well as symmetry, the calf which 

 is dropped a large one more frequently makes a 

 fine beast than the animal which at its birth is 

 diminuliveand small-boned. Unless the demand 

 for milk be imperalive, it is always best to let a 

 young calf have the mother's milk lor ten days or 

 a toiliiight. After that time 1 have liiund boiled 

 Linseed and hay-tea, skimmed milk, (or a few 

 weeks to aiiewcr the purpose, or the milk may 

 be made into porridge with wheat flour, or, better 

 still, with bean-meal ; the Linseed-tea and bay- 

 lea may be increased, and the milk reduced in 

 quantity at discretion, they may be substitu- 

 ted for milk. The hay-tea is maile by pouring 

 boiling water upon a pan, tub or barrel tiill of 

 hay, covered up and left to stand for 24 hours 

 (12 may do); if you like, you may afterwards dry 

 the spent hay, and cut it up with other food for 

 older cattle. When the calves are a month or 

 six weeks old, they will begin to taste bay in the 

 rack ; or cut a few tuinips, which the older part 

 of them soon entice the young to eat, and the 

 prepared liquids inay be diminished. Much de- 

 pends upon the time of the year, how long it 

 may be necessary to prepare food for calves. In 

 warm weather, and at the beginning of summer, 

 a calf svill get its own living at two nioulhs old ; 

 sometimes it is better to leed for three months. 



1 have within the last fi;w months, fed a calf 

 from a little Alderney cow with one penny- 

 worth of oil-cake a-day, and milk more than one- 

 half of it skimmed ; it was very fat, and at a day or 

 two over six weeks old was sold Icir 3^ Calve.') 

 intended for the butcher should be tied iqi in a 

 dark place; those for rearing, after the first fort- 

 night, should be loose, with light, in a roomy 

 place, which though it may occasion the coii- 

 suuiption of moie food, is most conducive to 

 heallli, and to the increase of muscle or fibre, 

 which conslilute the lean of all animal meat, 

 and tor which reason it is foimd that with their 

 wild scrambling life, hardy breeds and moun- 

 tain cattle contain more of this flesh than those 

 which are passively and rapidly made fiit. 



Little care of young caltie is necessary during 

 the waini summer nioulhs, if they have food, 

 shade, and walerin abundance; but it is of the 

 first importance not to let calves sink in condition 

 by leaving them out too long unprotected in the 

 autumn. At the end of October, or sooner, if 

 the weather be wet and cold, they should have a 

 yard and shed for the night, and such food as 

 will keep up their condition, for which nothing 

 is belter or more convenient than the tops of 

 Turnips, with such cut Ibod, hay, or straw, or 

 both mixed, as may be had. As the season ad- 

 vances, common Turnips and a longer daily 

 shelter will be wanted. 



During the first winter, there is one disease, 

 called the black quarter, which is much to be 

 dreaded ; it is, I believe, much promoted by a 

 quick transition of condition. I have been gene- 

 rally very fortunaie in escaping this infliction. It 

 was my usual practice, when rearing calves, 

 during the first winter, to administer half a pint 

 of strong salt and water once a fortnight to each 

 calf; and when that was not neglecled, 1 never 

 had a loss. Salt is a condiment, and not a fiiod ; 

 and if so used jiidiciou>ly, hut not constantly, 

 with cm food, or crushed corn, or oil-cake, I doubt 

 not it would materijilly contribute to the health 

 of young animals. 



There is another complaint to which young 

 stock is subject, most generally in the second 

 summer and autumn, though often in the first; 

 and at the latter time, in my early farming days, 

 1 lost several calves by it. I allude to the disease 

 commonly called the boost — a complaint caused 

 by the larvte of an insect. I imagine the larvae 



are deposited in the nose, where they grow and 

 flourish until they go into and fill the windpipe, 

 forming a white ball, like a skein of entangled 

 thread, or very thin white worins ; these I have 

 often found after death. The only remedy I 

 know as successfiil is, to pour about a good tea- 

 spooid'ul of spirits of inipeuline itiio one of the 

 nostrils, holding the hc,i(l up for a uiiiiuie, or a 

 little more, if calves; but for older beasts, a des- 

 sert spoonful of the spirit. Afier the first win- 

 ter has past, I believe you will not think further 

 advice necessary in the care of stock ; but as to 

 the after treatment of cattle, (lairy cows esfiec- 

 ially permit me to add, that I have had long ex- 

 perience in partial soiling of them and have 

 l(inn<l that a ^ood foihlering of green Clover, or 

 Vetches, night and morning, with field-room 

 dining a good part of the day, will produce 

 more milk than either entirely stall-feeding or 

 none at all, and enable you to keep a larger slock 

 on the same extent of ground than by paslming 

 only. And I believe, though 1 cannot say this 

 has been proved, that if the soiling were not of 

 Clover, but entirely of Vetches, green Beans, 

 Peas, Lucerne, or any I'ulce crop, tiie amount of 

 casein, or cheese, in the milk, would more than 

 equal that obtained by entire pasturage in the 

 field. For winter feeding Cahhages, or meal 

 from Piilce, are necessary to keep up tlie fonna- 

 of cheese. 



Mr. G. Greaves ; I think calves should have 

 milk longer than a fortnight. The natural form- 

 ation of the calves' stomachs proves that it was 

 intended that they shouldiive on milk some time, 

 and if any other food be substituted it should 

 resemble milk as nearly as is practicable ; but I 

 do not know that hay-tea will t'uruish any ot the 

 required substances for the sustenance of the 

 calf. 



Mr. Landor: I agree with Mr. Greaves in his 

 theory, but 1 have found the practice of using 

 hay-tea so uniformly successfiil, that I will rely 

 on my expm ience that it does form an excellent 

 food ibr calve.-'. 



Mr. Ward: With regard to blackleg in calves, 

 a very excellent and large breeder in this country 

 assures me that he efleclu.illy prevents the dis- 

 ease by cutting down to the veins of the foot 

 and dividing them just before they separate and 

 branch off to each hoof; he divides the vein in 

 every foot of the calf. 



Mr. H. Meakin: I approve of Mr. Lander's 

 plan of rearing. I noticed in iheTransiiciions of 

 the Highland Society that the use of oil-cake 

 was the best preventive of blackleg. 



Mr. Lathbmy : I give my calves milk for six 

 weeks. I lost several calves hist year with black- 

 leg ; but 1 have reason to believe that with proper 

 precanlion the disease may always be prevent- 

 ed. I have this season |int a rowel in each of 

 my calves, and I give to each an (iiince of salt- 

 petre once in three week.s. I have not lost a 

 calf since, lam keeping my calves on steamed 

 straw and hay, and ihey were doing remarkably 

 well on eight parts straw and two of hay: since 

 Christmas I have added a ft;w grains and Swede 

 Turnips ; some of my calves were in the mar- 

 ket to-day, and I believe you would remark that 

 they were in good condilioii. 



Mr. J. Greaves : I rear but few calves, but I 

 have had enough experience to convince mo 

 that young stock should always be well kept. I 

 am in fiivor of carrying llio principle of good 

 keeping even further ilian Mr. Liiidor has ad- 

 vised. I give my calves milk six sveeks or two 

 months, and wean them (rnni it gradually. This 

 year 1 lia\e soiled them in sheds with Vetches, 

 on svliich they have thriven remarkably well. A 

 neighbor of mine, too, put two of his calves on 

 pasture, and the other two he soiled on Vetches; 

 the last were very superior indeed to the pastur- 

 ed ones. I am now kecpinir them on steamed 

 Rye and Velcli hay, "illi grains. 1 like to keep 

 thein well ihroiithont the year, and I think they 

 pay well lor the extra keep ; they come to malii- 

 rity earlier ; yon cm get a two-year-old ns large 

 as an ordinary beiler, and can bring them to the 

 pail a year sooner; besides, the quality of Iho 

 beast (or fiitteniiig, or (or milk, is much improved 

 by good (ceding in its early growth. 



The Lf.ather IManufactlre. — Among other 

 branches of industry in this country, «hich are 

 thought likely to be liivored, liy the late ri diic- 

 tions in the English Inrift", there seems to be 



