1 S3o.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



473 



against the use of scorzoneni, since that time, which 

 was the date of this publication. 



We know not whether the scorzonera hispanica is 

 raised in this country as a garden vegetable, though 

 certainly nothing in our climate forbids, judging by 

 the regions in Europe, in which it grows. It is a culi- 

 nary vegetable — perennial, herbaceous — a native of 

 Spain, and long cultivated in England. (Encyclopedia 

 of Plants.) The root is carrot-shaped — i3 cultivated 

 like salsify or carrots, and is eaten boiled like carrots 

 or parsnips. The bitter flavor of the rind requires that 

 the roots should be first scraped, and soaked in water. 

 (Idem — also, Kenrick's Orchardist, 2nd Ed. p. 365J 

 Rozier calls it "a species of salsify. The flowers are 

 "yellow and the leaves toothed — the root, black on the 

 " outside, is white within. In the middle and north of 

 " France, this root is not eaten but in the second year: 

 " it occupies the ground then longer that salsify, and 

 " in that respect, its culture is less economical; howe- 

 " ver, the root of the scorzonera is generally preferred 

 " to that of the salsify, as more tender and delicate." 

 — (Corns Complcl etc., Vol. VI. Scorsonere.) Ed. 

 Farm. Reg. 



RAKING AN INVALUABLE REMEDY IN COLIC, 

 &C. "WITH HORSES. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



Though this communication would more pro- 

 perly belong to the Farrier, yet it will not be 

 amiss, I fancy, to offer it to the farmers through 

 the medium of your truly useful and valuable pe- 

 riodical. 



Raking is an operation, which in several cases 

 under my own immediate observation, has been 

 found really "an invaluable remedy in cases of the 

 colic, constipation of the bowels, &c. &c. , in horses." 



Whenever the horse shall become affected with 

 the above specified complaints, it is common to ad- 

 minister a purgative of some kind: if this should 

 fail to produce the desired effect, the inexperienced 

 groom administers another and another until the 

 sufferer dies — merely for the want of a passage 

 from the bowels. 



Now raking — though an indecent operation — 

 [ venture the assertion, in ninety-nine cases of 

 the hundred, will attain the desired end — viz: an 

 evacuation from the bowels. 



I will, for the information of those unacquainted 

 with the modus operandi, describe the manner in 

 which it should be performed. 



Place the horse in a situation to prevent him 

 from doing injury to the operator by kicking, and 

 push the hand into the abdomen, until a hard 

 lump of the feces is felt — (here, by the way, I 

 will observe, that this hard lump is the cause of 

 the suffering to the animal — ) push the hand 

 backwards and forwards, until the lump is re- 

 moved. 



It is not unfrequently the case, that this opera- 

 tion should be performed several times; but I 

 will hazard the assertion, that an evacution of the 

 feces will be obtained in every case in which the 

 above-mentioned directions are followed. It is 

 scarcely necessary to remark, that there will be no 



Vol. Ill— GO 



occasion for this operation, should there be no ina- 

 bility on the part of the animal to void his feces. 



A GREAT HORSE DOCTOR. 



Oct. 207/t, 1835. 



ON THE CHOICE OF SOILS FOR APPLYING 

 PUTRESCENT MANURES. 



To the Editor of the Fanners' Register. 



A writer in a late No. of the Register doubts 

 whether or not it is more expedient to apply ma- 

 nures to a soil of a good quality, or to that which 

 is inferior. The author of "British Husbandry," 

 in the Farmer's Series of the Library of Useful 

 Knowledge, says, on this subject — 



"There is, indeed, evidently a mistaken practice 

 throughout most parts of the kingdom with respect 

 to the application of manure. The custom al- 

 luded to, is, that of laying it upon land of inferior 

 quality — while that ol a superior kind is in equal 

 want of improvement; the better part of many 

 farms being thus in some degree impoverished by 

 attempting to improve, at an evident loss, the 

 poorer parts. Others, indeed, follow the opposite 

 system; but, when justice is done to the land, every 

 part in rotation, should receive the manure arising 

 from its produce. There are, however, some rare 

 instances of ground of so rich a quality, that by 

 layino; any manure upon it an injury would be sus- 

 tained. Jr3.it upon the whole, it is an evident iact, 

 that any manure whatever — if not of a nature un- 

 suitable to the soil — will be always attended with 

 a proportionately better return when laid upon 

 good, than upon poor land." 



The above view must strike with peculiar force 

 those who observe, in Virginia, even under the 

 most judicious management, "the better part of 

 many farms impoverished by attempting to im- 

 prove the poorer parts." 



It is with us, almost universally the practice, 

 to bestow our putrescent manures upon the poorest 

 spots with the hope of raising them to an equal 

 degree of fertility with the rest. Is this hope ever 

 realized? Is it not frequently the case, that equal 

 sterility, rather than equal fertility, is thus attained? 

 It would seem more wise, to fertilize by the appli- 

 cation of our manures, the acre which has pro- 

 duced five barrels of corn, so as to make it pro- 

 duce ten barrels, rather than to cover the barren 

 land with the same quantity of manure, which 

 would not produce more than three or four barrels, 

 under the most favorable circumstances, and with 

 double labor. Where our fields are chequered, as 

 they too often are, with these poor spots, there we 

 might apply calcareous manures with most advan- 

 tage, whilst we applied the putrescent to good 

 land to make it still more productive. 



I offer these hints with diffidence. I hope that 

 a better farmer than myself will give light to your 

 readers upon this subject. 



E. T. T. 



Nov. 3, 1S35. 



Queries. Is it not better to improve fifty acres 

 of land so as to produce ten barrels of corn per 

 acre, than to cultivate one hundred acres which 

 will produce five barrels per acre? Is it not a 

 common error wilh our Virginia farmers — our at- 

 tempting to cultivate too much land? Ought we 

 not to enrich half the quantity of land w T e are in 

 the habit of cultivating, and to till it well — or 



