1858. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



283 



correctness is not t^ be questioned. But such 

 ha; not been the reports of dairy management in 

 Massachusetts — not to speak of the fonr-quart 

 products of Devon stock, in October. Why this 

 difference ? Is it in the animals, the pasture, or 

 tile management? 



I have long been of the opinion, that our own 

 native stock were as good for butter as any ani- 

 mals whatever, but I did not presume to say they 

 were hoenty-Jive per cent, better, which I should 

 do, if the above facts are to be conclusively re- 

 lied on. Essex. 



May, 1858. _ 



WATER PIPES. 



Will you have the kindness to inform me in 

 regard to the best kind of pipe for bringing wa- 

 ter to the house for family use, and where it can 

 be obtained ? Lead is poison and iron corrodes. 

 Is there any thing better than logs ? I believe I 

 have seen an advertisement in the Farmer, or 

 some other paper, of a cast iron pipe, lined with 

 glass or cement and covered with the same, so 

 that the iron will not corrode, and the water will 

 remain pure. Is there such a pipe, and is it the 

 thing wanted ? If so, where can it be obtained, 

 and what is the probable cost ? Any information 

 on this subject will be very gratefully received. 

 Austin Constantine. 



East Wallinciford, ButlaTid Co., Vt. 



Remarks. — In the country, where logs can be 

 easily obtained and at a cheap rate, we doubt 

 whether anything more economical can be used. 

 There is such pipe made as you speak of, but it 

 would be quite costly compared with logs. Pipe is 

 made of common hydraulic cement, thus ; dig the 

 trench, cover the bottom for a length of six or 

 eight feet with cement, then lay a round stick on 

 it of the size of the diameter of the pipe which 

 you desire, and cement over and around it. In a 

 short time the cement will set, then go on as be- 

 fore. But this must be below the frost. Upon 

 the whole, you will be safest with logs from your 

 own hiUs. 



to convert bones into manure. 

 Please tell me the best and cheapest way to 

 convert bones into manure. D. Roberts. 



North Adams, 1858. 



Remarks. — First break the bones as finely as 

 you can. Then it can be done by covering tiiem 

 six or eight inches thick with unleached ashes, 

 but the process will be a slow one. Take one 

 part sulphuric acid, and Jive parts water, and mix 

 the bones with it. If it does not form a sort of 

 paste in a few days, add a little more acid. The 

 acid is an excellent manure, and costs about three 

 cents a pound, and is a liquid dangerous to han- 

 dle, and must be used with care. 



leaky cows and afflicted horses. 



Is there any remedy for cows leaking their 

 mi'k, and if so, what it is? Also, what is the 

 best remedy for sores on horses ? 



April 2Qtli, 1858. A Subscriber. 



more land and less products. 



I accept the authorities cited by Mr. TowF.R, 

 as an explanation for his statements, that while 

 our acres of cultivated grounds within the State 

 of Massachusetts had expanded one-quarter, our 

 products had diminished one-third. If such has 

 been the progress for eight years last past, it 

 will not be difficult to calculate the time, when 

 our products will be entirely unworthy of notice. 

 I think there must be some error in the statistics. 

 I cannot believe that our cultivators have thus 

 been advancing backwards. 



I hope measures will be adopted to mark these 

 things with entire accuracy. It would be easy 

 to require of each agricultural society, enjoying 

 the bounty of the State, a specific retm-n of the 

 products within their limits. Let such returns 

 be made upon the responsibility of the society, 

 and on failing to be made in a satisfactory man- 

 ner, let their portion of the State bounty be with- 

 held, and all these things would soon be right. 



A Looker-On. 



REM.4RKS. — We have no doubt our correspon- 

 dent is correct in his belief that some "error ex- 

 ists in the statistics." In the first place, we be- 

 lieve that instead of our cultivated acres being 

 expanded one-quarter, they have been contracted 

 more than that, and that still our products have 

 increased. 



We have asked the question of gentlemen from 

 all parts of the State, "icJiether as much land is 

 under tillage noiv as there was twerity years ago," 

 and the invariable reply is, — "No, we plow less 

 land, but use more manures, and cultivate bet- 

 ter ; we have learned to find a better profit in al- 

 lowing our rough pastures to run to wood, and 

 pasture our cattle partly on land that we can 

 plow and manure and re-seed. There is more 

 wood-land than formerly, and less pasture and 

 tillage land." 



This accords entirely with our own observa- 

 tions and impressions. We think there is an 

 error in the statistics, and wish some person of 

 leisure and patience would take the proper step 

 to correct it. 



growth of wood for fuel. 

 In answer to a correspondent who inquired 

 about the best trees to raise for a crop of wood 

 in the shortest time, I would say that the Silver 

 Maple is the quickest growing tree and the easi- 

 est to raise of any with which I am acquainted. 

 The River Birch is the next best. The seed of 

 both are ripe about the last of May, or first of 

 June, and should be sown as soon as ripe, and 

 covered very lightly. The seed of the Maple 

 may be found in Nashua hanging over the iron 

 bridge near the Indian Head Company's Mills, 

 and other locations in Tyngsborough, at the farm 

 of D. P. Colburn. The seed of the birch may be 

 had on the Merrimack River at Lowell, above 

 the falls opposite the residence of Abiel Rolfe, 

 Esq., or in Methuen, four miles above Lawrence, 

 near the well-known Bartlett farm. I have 

 raised one year seedlings of both kinds from one 

 to two feet. B. F. Cutter. 



