232 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



May 



tablishes the fact that it can be done. We ought I 

 not to be wholly dependent upon the West, aridi 

 the mercy of speculators, for our flour. \Vhat is 

 needed, is a proper knowledge upon the cultiva- 

 tion of wheat; it is evident that the soil has be- 

 come exhausted of the elements which are requi- 

 site to produce it. Undoubtedly, there are fertil- 

 izers within the reach of every farmer, if known, 

 which could be applied to the soil and supply the 

 deficiency. And I believe, that with a proper 

 care, in selecting and changing the seed, and sow- 

 ing it in drills, at the proper time, wheat may 

 not only be made to pay, but be a profitable 

 crop to the farmers in New England, and their 

 eyes be gladdened with the sight of a golden 

 harvest of wheat every year. Who can enlighten 

 the farmers on this subject? Ye wise ones, let 

 your light shine through the N. E. Farmer, that 

 it may "run to and fro, and knowledge shall be 

 increased." A. Philbrook. 



East Saugus, March 16, 1859. 



Remarks. — The kind words of our correspon- 

 dent are encouraging. He confirms what we feel 

 assured are facts with regard to pruning. There 

 are few orchards twenty-five years of age which 

 have been spring-pruned, that do not bear evi- 

 dences of injury from such pruning ; and we have 

 no doubt, whatever, but we can find them in Mr. 

 Putnam's. Friend Putnam may expect us to 

 make him a call some pleasant morning, when 

 we will compare notes. 



away. I do not hold the calf, the box holds him ; 

 he cannot waste the milk ; yet it may take three 

 or four days, at intervals, to teach him to drink. 

 1 should have stated that the box or calf stall has 

 a door, or movable board, in the rear, so as to 

 et the calf in and out easily. 



I. B. Hart WELL. 

 Wilkinsonville, Mass., March 21, 1859. 



I^or the New England Farmer. 



KICKING COWS AND STUBBOKN 

 CALVES. 



Mr. Editor : — I perceive that your readers are 

 having some experience with kicking cows, on 

 which subject I have a word to offer. I have a 

 beautiful four years-old cow, and a good milker ; 

 kind and gentle when her teats are not sore, and 

 her treatment is exactly in accordance with her 

 notions of right ; but otherwise a very expert and 

 furious kicker. With one fore foot strapped up, 

 she will kick with the hind leg of the same side, 

 so as to knock a pail out of my hands, or strike 

 me above the knee. With a rope and twister 

 around her, she will distort the symmetry of a 

 milk pail, instanter. 



But I can milk her with perfect safety to my- 

 self and pail, by putting her in the stable with a 

 common chain tie, then lashing her body, just 

 back of her fore legs, firmly to a strong, short 

 partition, not extending far enough back to be in 

 the way of milking ; and lastly by attaching a 

 strap to the hind leg, on the milking side, draw- 

 ing the leg back out of harm's way, and so as to 

 give a liberal exposure of the udder, and a wide 

 berth to the pail, and making fast said strap near 

 the floor in the rear. All which appliances can 

 be adjusted in two minutes. 



To teach a calf to drink milk, I construct a 

 stall, or box, for him, so narrow and short that he 

 can neither turn round, lie down, or move for- 

 ward or back, with his head over a large wooden 

 bowl made stationary at the proper position for 

 drinking. Then with my hands and fingers work 



EXTKACTS AND HEPLIES. 

 BLACK SPANISH FOWLS. 



Have you eggs to sell from pure black Span- 

 ish fowls? I also wish to get some Bolton Grey 

 fowls. Can you tell me where to procure them ? 



Dover, N. II., 1859. B. o. o. 



Remarks. — We have often given ourselves 

 considerable trouble to answer questions similar 

 to the above, by going to the places where fowls 

 and eggs are sold, when the dealers ought to 

 make known their trade by advertising. But as 

 they prefer not to help themselves, we have con- 

 cluded not to help them any longer. There are 

 plenty of the fowls and eggs which you inquire 

 for in this city. 



PROLIFIC PUMPKIN SEED, 



Samuel Hurd, Esq., of Leicester, exhibited 

 at the horticultural exhibition in this city, last 

 fall, 19 sweet pumpkins weighing 110 pounds, 

 which, with two that were not ripened, grew 

 upon a vine measuring with its branches, 190 

 feet in length — and the whole is the product of 

 07ie seed, 



I purchased the above pumpkins of Mr. Hurd, 

 an>d have used them through the winter, eating 

 the last of them, last week. They were of the 

 most delicious flavor. I have saved the seeds, 

 and they number 10,341 good seeds. E. H. 



Worcester, March 12, 1859. 



OATS TURNED TO RYE. 



I saw in a late Farmer an account of oats turn- 

 ing to rye, as being a late discovery. Seventy- 

 four years ago, my father moved into Randolph, 

 Vt., and two other families at or about the same 

 time. One man of the number sowed half an 

 acre of oats too late ; he let his oxen feed on the 

 oats as long as they sprouted up through the 

 season, and the next spring they grew up, and 

 the latter part of the season he harvested a crop 

 of good winter rve. Leander Turner. 



East Bethel, Me., 1859. 



CURE FOR POTATO ROT. 



Mr. Robert French, of East Haverhill, N. 

 H., states that the potato grown from seed that 

 has been soaked one hour in blue vitriol water 

 will not rot. His recipe is "one-fourth of a pound 

 of blue vitriol dissolved in three parts of water ; 

 cut the potatoes and soak them in the solu- 

 tion one hour, and then plant them. They will 

 germinate readily, and their vines will not blast, 

 nor their tubers rot." Try it in a small way. 



