736 



FARMERS' REGISTE R 



[No. 12 



From the Silk Culturist. 



ANOTHER EVIDENCE OF CHINESE MULBER- 

 RY rEODUCEI) FROM SEEDS. 



Mr. Editor. — Dr. Eli Ives, of New TIaven ; 

 has in his garden three seedling Chinese Mulber- 

 ry trees. In the summer of 1S33, a small Chi- 

 nese Mulherry tree in his garden, then, I believe, 

 in the second year of its growth from the slip, pro- 

 duced one berry, which ripened. This was plant- 

 ed in August, and the same season produced the 

 three trees I have mentioned. They have now r en- 

 dured two winters — are four feet high, were very 

 slightly injured by the last winter, and show wood 

 which is well hardened and perfect to the tips of 

 the twigs. The trees raised from slips, though 

 standing within a lew feet, were severely injured 

 by the last winter, and show wood which is green, 

 succulent, and badly matured. 



I have seen it suggested, that seedling Chinese 

 mulberry trees would prove more hardy than those 

 raised from slips, and I communicate this tact, as 

 tending to confirm that opinion — and also to cor- 

 rect what seems is an erroneous impression, that 

 this tree cannot ripen its seed in our climate. 



I am, sir, yours, &c 3 



II. C. EEARDSLEE. 



Monroe, Oct. 5, 1S35. 



From the Ohio Farmer. 

 ON SPAYING COWS. 



I have seen several pieces upon the subject of 

 spaying cows lately, and as they performed the 

 operation somewhat different from what I do, I 

 will state what is my practice. 



I make a soft rope ol hemp which I fix at each 

 end of a crooked piece of wood, like the one used 

 for spaying hogs, only larger. These ropes should 

 be long enough when doubled, so as to form a 

 slip knot, to go over the hocks of the cows and 

 heifers intended to he spayed, and they should be 

 fixed on, and the heifer suspended by means of a 

 sweep, until only the head, neck, and shoul- 

 ders, rest upon the ground. 



I then, with a crooked pair of sheep shears, 

 shear the hair off the belly, just below the udder, 

 (as they hang) large enough to get my hand into, 

 find I then introduce my hand and carry it back to 

 the back bone, and raise my hand until I find I he 

 ovary, which I draw out and cut away, not only 

 the ovary, but all the fallopian tube, taking it off 

 close by the horns of the womb. Cutting close, 

 will prevent the cow from going into heat. After 

 I have taken them out in this way, I sew her up 

 with a common spaying needle, but instead of 

 thread, I use buckskin or sheepskin. The advan- 

 tages of skin instead of thread is, that it is ab- 

 sorbed and does not irritate the parts, like thread. 

 One case that I examined eight days after the op- 

 eration, was healed and none of the stitches left. 

 I then apply a little hogslard in which there is a 

 small portion of tar, to keep off the flies, if at a 

 season of the year when flies are troublesome. 



I prefer performing the operation in the fall or 

 spring. I have spayed them, from eight days old 

 to three years; and have spayed some that were 

 with calf, not being apprised of their situation, un- 

 til I had opened them. They cast their calves 



in a lew days, and recovered as soon as the oth- 

 ers. 



I have also spayed them in the side, but find it 

 more troublesome than spaying in the belly; 

 though, after the operation is performed, I have 

 always thought that, those spayed in the side, 

 were less liable to accidents than those spayed in 

 the belly. 1 once had a heifer whose guts came 

 out in consequence of the slipping of a knot. 

 Had such a thing happened with one spayed in 

 the side it would have been of no consequence, 

 as the guts would not come out, if half the stitches 

 were taken out. 



The heifer alluded 1o, was thrown, and the 

 bowels returned, and she recovered. When 1 first, 

 began to spay, (about 10 years ago) I sewed 

 them very loose, according to the instructions I 

 had received — but am now convinced that it is 

 best to sew them moderately tight. 



I have usually spayed from twenty to twenty 

 five a year, and my loss has been about one in a 

 hundred. 



I have never spayed milch cows with a view of 

 kee| ing them to their milk, for this can be easily 

 done by keeping the cow from the bull, and always 

 milking all that can be got from the cow, and 

 feeding her well. 



The demand for blooded cattle, is now getting so 

 good, that I shall only spay the inferior heiiers, 

 whilst I find it more profitable to dispose of the 

 best for breeders. Two winters ago, 1 had forty- 

 five heiiers, and selected twenty and kept them 

 for breeders. The balance I spayed and sold this 

 fall (then two years old past) for twenty eight dol- 

 lars each. 



1 usually keep my heifers up a day without food 

 before spaying, as it is much easier to spay them 

 when empty than when full. In one case, where 

 a heifer was very full, m opening her, I cut her 

 paunch about hall an inch. She got over the 

 operation as well as they generally do. In 

 sewing, I am very particular that the stitches 

 should pass through the flesh inside (the peri- 

 toneum) of the belly, and where the animal is 

 very iiii, it is best to sew them twice — first the in- 

 side skin, (the peritoneum) and after cutting off 

 the thread, (buckskin) sew the outside. 



If you think that there is any thing in the 

 above that will interest your subscribers, you can 

 use it. 



SAMUEL D. MARTIN. 



For the Farmers' Register. 

 ON THE NECESSITY OF MAKING MANURE. 



Charlotte County, J a., } 

 February 19th, 1830. S 



A deep and increasing interest for the Register, 

 and of course the farming interest, excites me once 

 more to pen a few lines lor the columns of that pa- 

 per; not that I am vain enough to think any thing 

 that I can say or write will contribute much to the 

 amusement or improvement of your readers — but 

 hoping rather to effect more from the example ot 

 making communications, than any thing else, to 

 stimulate others to the performance of contributing 

 their mite of information for the "general welfare. 1 ' 

 With these views and feelings, the hasty remarks 

 herein contained, are now submitted to the plan- 



