THE GENESEE FARMER. 



301 



"THE MANURE QUESTION." 



Eds. Genesee Farmer: — The management and 

 application of manures has been fieely discussed in 

 your pajjes — and very properly and profitably &o, in 

 my opinion. Perhaps the following may throw some 

 light on one phase of the question: 



In removing the contents of an earth-floored calf 

 pen or stable, a few days ago, I found the manure 

 which was made therein last winter and which had 

 accumulated to some two feet in depth, still vnfer- 

 mented andfresh^ and in its best condition for com- 

 posting with swamp muck, or other refuse vegetable 

 matter. The pen was kept level and well littered 

 and become packed down hard, so that there was no 

 chance for the admission of air — indeed the readiest 

 method of getting it out was to cut it in chunks 

 with an axe — hence fermentation and loss was im- 

 possible. I have piled this with an equal quantity 

 of muck and intend to apply it to green-sward, the 

 last of September, as a preparation for corn the 

 next season. I have also spread some decomposed 

 manure, already, for that purpose, as I am bound to 

 try Mr. Johnston's method. 



Now, I think this shows that manure can be kept 

 without loss, as long as we design, for some treated 

 in the same manner, two years ago, is scarcely 

 changed. Let us then have plenty of shed room 

 and remove thereto the stable manure, keeping the 

 sheds at the same time well littered for the shelter 

 of stock, which will tread it down solid, and prevent 

 all loss. Then we can remove at any season most 

 convenient. Bat I need not farther remark in this 

 connection. J. H. 



JS'iagat-a 60., JV. Y. 



BUTTER FROM PRAIErE HAY. 



Editors Genesee Farmer: — I take my pen to 

 correct an idea advanced by your excellent corres- 

 pondent " S. W.," in his notes for August. It is 

 under the head " Prairie Hay and White Butter." 

 Referring to a lady writing from Kansas, he says: — 

 " The butter from prairie grass is white, aromaless, 

 and in stinted supply at that. She advises her 

 brother not to bring his Chautauque horses to Kan- 

 sas, as they are too quick for the sloughy roads, and 

 may not relish, much less thrive on, prairie hay." 

 Now, I have resided in the West and on the prairies 

 in Wisconsin or Minnesota for more than five years, 

 where the tame grasses are not grown, and have had 

 butter upon my table every day, and still have not 

 found it " white, aromaless, or in stinted supply." I 

 have eaten what was pronounced by good judges to 

 be good butter in all of the New England States, 

 in New York and in Pennsylvania, but have found the 

 butter from prairie grass to be of as good quality 

 and color. In the spring of 1856 I drove one cow 

 from Eastern Wisconsin, turned her upon the prairie 

 weak and poor, with two sucking calves, weak and 

 poor from the efiFect of the drive and scanty feed 

 while on the road. The calves run with the cow 

 onmolested until August 16th, (when my family ar- 

 rived) at which time I found them growing rapidly 

 and in good condition. I then muzzled them, and 

 made butter enough to supply my family (of from 

 three to four grown persons) until she came in again 

 in the spring. The calves did well all winter on 

 prairie hay, and so did the cow. The eamo cow 



with another, both ordinary cows, have supplied my 

 family (averaging five grown persons) with milk and 

 butter since spring, besides keeping two calves 

 (which we still feed with milk) in good condition, 

 and furnishing most of the food for one hog, and 

 some butter to sell, and some to put down for winter 

 and spring. Cows that are not milked regularly of 

 course do not do as well. Horses do better on our 

 prairie grass, after the first year, than on the tame 

 grasses; they never have the heaves here. I am 

 giving my oivn experience. It may be different in 

 Ossawatainie, as they have the milk fever in some 

 portions of Illinois and Indiana; but it should not be 

 inferred from that, that it is universal in prairie 

 countries. 



We have lately had much rainy weather. Wheat 

 and oats are not all harvested, though some have 

 been marketed at one dollar per bushel. Corn will 

 be fit for harvesting in a few days. Potatoes, car- 

 rots, turnips, &c., growing rapidly. E. Hodges. 



Marion, Olmsted Co., Minnesota, Avg. 17. 



UNDERDRAINING. 



It is time that underdraining was thought of 

 more, talked of more, and practiced more than it is. 

 The value of underdraining is almost unlimited. 

 Land properly drained, will produce double crops. 

 A drain is not like a load of manure; once placed 

 in the earth it will last for ages, while manure must 

 be applied every year or two; and besides that, ma- 

 nure is not half so valuable on undrained as it would 

 be on properly drained land. And, besides getting 

 more value for your manure when your land is 

 drained, you save half your labor, because you can 

 produce just the same amount of grain on half the 

 number of acres. 



The proper way of constructing a drain on land 

 descending a little, is to dig a ditch 18 inches wide, 

 and about two feet deep; then place stones four, 

 five or six inches square against each side on the 

 bottom of the drtch. Then lay flat stones across the 

 top of these; then throw small stones on the top of 

 the flat ones; then haul in your dirt, and your dra'n 

 is completed. If you have no fiat stones, round 

 stones will answer, placed in the fane way. 



Duanesburgh, Schenectady Co., JV. ¥. 



PRESERVING BUTTER. 



Editors Genesee Farmer: — I see in the July No. 

 a very sensible article on butter making, from the 

 pen of H. U., of Rutland, N. Y. I was also much 

 struck with a plan of preserving butter by boiling, 

 as practiced in Switzerland, taken from a work of 

 Dr. John Forbes, entitled a Physician's Holiday, or 

 a Month in Switzerland. The modus operandi is as 

 follows: 



Into a clean copper pan (better, no doubt, lined,) 

 put a quantity of butter. Place it over a very gen- 

 tle fire, so that it may melt slowly, and let the heat 

 be so graduated that the melted mass does not come 

 to a boil in less than two hours. During all this 

 time the butter must be frequently stirred, say once 

 in five or ten minutes, so that the whole rciass may 

 be thoroughly intermixed, and the top and bottom 

 change places from time to time; and when the 

 melted mass boils, the fire is to be so regulated as to 



