64 



NEVv^ ENGLAND FARMER. 



Feb. 



the butcher. This whole subject deserves more 

 attention than it has received. 



•Tlie third thing to he attended to, is the treat- 

 ment Avhicli calves and heifers should receive be- 

 fore they come to mills.. When taken from the 

 cow, they should be provided Avith food suited to 

 their condition and health ; they should be taught 

 to eat a vai'iety of food, and should have a good 

 supply of pure water. Calves need a large quan- 

 tity of drink, and it is desirable that they should 

 get the habit of drinking freely, as this is essen- 

 tial to free milkers. 



They should be treated with the utmost kind- 

 ness and gentleness, and never teased, or beaten, 

 or frightened, but should be frequently handled 

 and accustomed to. the utmost iamlliarity. As 

 they grow older this habit of confidence in their 

 keepers should be encouraged and cherished. 

 They should be protected from the cold and from 

 storms. Their skins should be kept clean and 

 free from vermin. In short, such a course of 

 feeding and training should be pursued, as will 

 steadily develop their growth and strength, and 

 j>reserve them in vigorous health and in a com- 

 fortable, contented condition. 



A half-starved, stunted, lousy calf, shivering in 

 a cold storm, is one of the most pitiable objects 

 that can be seen, and is a disgrace to any farm ; 

 and the owner of such a calf does not deserve 

 to have a good com', and is in a fair way to real- 

 ize his deserts. The subject of raising our own 

 milch cows is one of great importance, and many 

 more suggestions might be made with regard to 

 it. But I think that in those above made may 

 be found several hints that will contribute essen- 

 tially to the success of those about to engage in 

 this business. j. e. 



Concord, Dec. 10, 1857. 



PREPAKATION OP TBIPE. 



I am aware that tripe is a subject which few 

 persons have much sympathy with, or relish for ; 

 and as to the idea of using it as an article of food, 

 that it is utterly repugnant to *heir tastes ; yet 

 the idea of its being unfit for food, I think, is 

 wholly imaginary, for the individuals who discard 

 it have no compunctions about eating a piece of 

 broiled liver — the heart when boiled, and served 

 up cold, or made into mince pies, is excellent — 

 and a cold tongue is considered a choice morsel. 

 The reason why tripe is generally rejected, is be- 

 cause it is one of the inner parts of the beef; and 

 the filthy manner in which it is often treated, is 

 enough to make it repulsive to any one. Yet 

 most person.s, when a dish of tripe that has been 

 carefully cured and well cooked, is set before 

 them, eat it and call it excellent. The same ob- 

 jection might be made against the other parts 

 mentioned, and with equal propriety. I contend 

 that if proper care is used in preparing and cook- 

 ing tripe, it is just as clean, healthy and nourish- 

 ing, as any other part of the beef. It is presumed 

 that most farmers who fat and kill their own 

 beef, throw away the tripe because of their igno- 

 rance of how to clean and prepare it. 



The following method of cleaning and prepar- 

 ing tripe, I have tried successfully, and prefer to 

 any other way that I know of. When the paunch 

 is taken from the beef, care is used to keep it 



clean, and as soon as it is emptied, it is washed 

 in clean water till it is clean ; if it is cold weath- 

 er, it is put into warm water, and soaked a short 

 time, when it is cleansf^d in this way : Have a 

 kettle of boiling water ready ; take the tripe and 

 cut it into pieces small enough to handle conve- 

 niently ; then take a piece and hold it in the 

 water till it is scalded, so that the skin will start, 

 when it should be laid on a table, and scraped 

 with a knife till it is thoroughly clean ; proceed 

 in this way till it is all cleaned. It should then 

 be put into cold water, and remain a week, the 

 water being changed every day. 



It should then be boiled till it is so tender that 

 a straw can be run through it easily. While it 

 is boiling, a small quantity of saleratus should 

 be put into the water, for the purpose of sweeten- 

 ing it, and to make it tender. After it is cooked, 

 it can be pickled to suit the taste of those who 

 use it. 



In this way, it may be prepared in a way 

 which, if suitably cooked, will make a dish of 

 food equal in every respect to any part of the 

 beef. — Country Gentleman. 



Fur the New England Farmer. 



DIGGIISTG KOCKS AND LAYING WAKL 

 MADE EASY. 



Mr. Editor: — Being in Rochester, (Plymouth 

 Co.,) a few days since, I had occasion to call on 

 Thomas Ellis, Esq., of that town, who gave me 

 a polite invitation to ride v.ith him over to his 

 brother's, to witness the operation of a machine 

 for digging and laying large rocks into a wall. The 

 field of operations was on the farm of Jarvis El- 

 lis, in the west part of Rochester, near Fairha- 

 ven. The machine will take out a rock weighing 

 full six tons, that lies level with the surface of the 

 earth, only removing a fcAV shovels full around it 

 so as to m.ake a slight indentation on the sides 

 with a hand-drill, sufficient to receive the ends of 

 the camhooks, when the rock is easily raised by 

 oxen or horse as the case may be, and can be 

 hauled if desired, and dropped on the foundation 

 or line of the Avail. After getting two or more of 

 these on to the line, they hitch on to one Aveigh- 

 ing about three tons, which is easily dropped on 

 to the other, so as to break joints. It may be 

 asked, Avhy lay so heavy a Avail ? The answer is, 

 that Mr. J. Ellis's land abounds Avith such stones, 

 and being a believer in horse-rakes and moAving- 

 machines, he Avishes to remove all incumbrances, 

 so that they "can have full course and run." 



From one hundred to one hundred and fifty 

 large rocks can be dug and dropped on to tlie 

 ground near by, in a day. The machine Avas in- 

 vented by Mr. Seth Belles, of the same toAvn, 

 Avho has sold a part of his interest to Mr. T. El- 

 lis. The patentee's price is two hundred and sev- 

 enty-five dollars. One or tAvo Avill be sufficient 

 for any toAvn. It is designed to have a good cut 

 of the same, published in the Farmer, if the nec- 

 cessary arrangements can be made. The j^ropri- 

 etors Avould be happy to answer any letters of in- 

 quiry that may be sent them. F. 



Framingham, Dec. 1, 1857. 



Remarks. — Let us see the "cut" and descrip- 

 tion. 



