1856. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



409 



BONE-SICKNESS IN COWS. 



Mr. J. A. Nash, of Amherst, Mass., writes as 'earned. 



■bone-renovating substance. She has the bone-sick- 

 [ness. Never was a disease more appropriately 



It is called hone sickness for two reasons : 



follows to the editor of the Coimtn/ Gentleman : \ ist, because it is really a disease of the bones, these 

 In your paper of a recent date 1 perceive an m- organs having fallen into an abnormal, sickly state; 

 quiry by A. T. Tuttle, of Enfield, to winch I deem and 2d, because it is manifested by an unnatural 

 it important that a correct answer should be given, and, in some cases, an almost rabid craving for 

 both for the gratification of that gentleman, and {^ones, so that the cows afflicted with it, as Mr. 

 also as atlording information important to all dairy Xuttle savs, will run for a bone as if a dog were af- 

 farmers on old lands. ter them.' So much for the cause. 



It appears tliat Mr. Tuttle's cows have a morbid, Yor the cure, the best ])rescription is to remove 

 sickly appetite fcr old bones ; that those most af- the cows to a good pasture, in which ate plenty of 

 fected with the disease, gradually lose their flesh clover and other sweet grasses, if it is summer ; "and 

 and become poor ; that, although they eat well, to feed them, if it be winter, on good, well cured 

 they appear dumpish, stiff m the joints, weak across hay from richly manured land. Such food will sup- 

 the l)-cks— so much so that they can hardly move, ply the necessities of the milk-giving animal, and 

 Mr. Tuttle has graphically described the symptoms ^.ijl be likely to restore health. If a change of 

 of a disease to which milch cows, on old. worn-out pasture could not be had, it would be well to soil 

 pastures, are always liable ; but he has failed to the cows on grass cut from well manured mowing, 

 give information respecting his land— whether it is n would also be well to give them bone-dust, ashes 



old, or recently cleared, and if old, whether it has 



been long used for dairy purposes, all of which is 



important to an intelligent answer to his inquiries. 



In the absence of positive information, I shall 



and salt. The latter, of course, should always be 

 within the reach of cows. The two former would 

 tend to mitigate, and might cure the disease. If 

 the three were ])lnced separately, the instinct of 



presume that his lands have been long used fcr the animals would be the best possible guide which 

 dairy purposes. Indeed the single fact that his, to take and which to reject ; fori suppose that no 

 cows are thus affected, affords strong presumptive animal would eat bone-dust, or ashes, or salt even, 

 evidence that his lands, both mowing and pastures, ' uniggg led to it by a real want of its nature, 

 but more especially the latter, are dairy-worn. If j Xow for the prevention. This has been already 

 so, the bone-sickness of his cows is easily pointed intimated ; for what would cure, would in this case 

 out ; and although its application may be som.ewhat ; be likely to prevent a recurrence of the disease. I 

 expensive, yet the expense incurred will afford a believe cows never have the bone-sickness, if fed on 

 paying investment. The cause of the disease, its rich, sweet pasturage, or on hay from well manured 

 cure as now existmg, and the prevention of recur- ; mow lands. But what shall be done with our old 

 rence, are the points claiming our attention. j pastures, so poor that ten acres but keep a cow, 



It should be born m mmd that the cow creates and that on grasses so innutritions that she needs 

 nothing. It IS true also that the grass creates noth- 1 after all bone-dust, ashes, salt, and gypsum to keep 

 lug. Certain inorganic substances exist in the soil, her from sickness P Put these things on the land, 

 among which are phosphate of lime, potash, soda, I a compost of 5 bushels of ashes unleached, 4 of 

 common salt, gypsum, &c. The grass cannot ere- oyster shell lime, 3 of cheap, agricultural salt, 2 of 

 ate these substances for itself. It can only draw ; bone-dust, and 1 of gypsum, to the acre, would 

 them from the soil. If they exist abundantly m I prevent the 6one-siVit»css, and more than pay the 



the soil, as in most newly cleared lands, those sweet, I expense in the 

 nutritious grasses, most valued by the farmer, will j 

 grow luxuriantly ; but if the soil do not contain 

 them, except in very minute portions, as in old dai- 

 ry farms, then those nutritious grasses will die out, 

 and meagre, innutritions grasses will take their place. 

 But it so hapi)ens that the same substances which 

 are essential to the sweet, nutritious grasses consti- 

 tute the essentials of milk. Of phosphate of lime, 

 for instance, two ounces are recjuired for the elalx)- 

 ratlon of each pail of milk in the mysterious organ- 

 ism of the cow ; and several pounds are carried off 

 in the bones of every calf sold from the farm. In 

 process of time, this substance, which never exists 

 but in small quantities, is exhausted. "When no 

 longer found in the soil, it cannot be in the grasses 

 growing from that soil. But the cow cannot elabo- 

 rate milk without it. Still there is in the organ- 

 ism of the cow an effort of nature to elaborate 

 milk. The little phosphate contained in her food 



increased productiveness of the land. 



MADDER. 



(ra'BIA TINCTUELM.) 

 It has been ascertained of l:Ue that this plant is 

 susceptible of cultivation in this country, though 

 the very large quantity of it annually consumed in 

 our clothing establishments, and dye-houses, are 

 im])orted. The plant has a perennial root and an 

 annual stalk, and those who have carefully investi- 

 gated it with reference to its habits, say that it 

 does best in a deep, rich, sand loam, moist, but not 

 wet. It requires three summers to come to per- 

 fection ; and as the roots strike deep, the ground 

 should be plowed and mellowed two feet deep for 



is all abstracted from her system in the composition '^s reception. Miller says it should be planted 

 of milk. None is left for that steady and constant 1 with a dibble (it is propagated by off-sets from the 

 renovation of her bones which nature requires. | old roots,) in rows from two to three feet apart • while 



Her bones are deprived of what is necessary to 

 keep them in a sound, healthy, constantly renova- 

 ted state. In other words, her bones are not fed 

 with food convenient for them. Phosphate of lime 

 is the proper food for bones, but this cow's bones 

 have been cheated out of that bone-growing and 



Beechstein says they should be p'lanted only six 

 inches asunder. The practice in this country, we 

 believe, for we are not personallj familiar with it, 

 is to plant in rows four to five feet a})art, and to 

 cultivate rows of corn or potatoes between them, 



