1858. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



293 



bably receives its first dilution, and then into the 

 hands of the grocers, where it is brought into the 

 limpid form of cases Nos. 3, 7, 10 and 11, in which 

 it would be difficult by the taste to tell whether 

 milk or water prevails. 



But this is not all. In many cases the milk is 

 deprived of its cream either before or after it is 

 watered, or perhaps in both cases, — so that the 

 consumer after paying the highest prices for his 

 milk and water, pays from 17 to 25 or 30 cts. per 

 quart, for his own cream ! 



But the worst aspect of the case, after the crim- 

 inality of such transactions, is the effect that 

 such milk has upon the health of the people. 

 Milk is now resorted to, not only by the feeble 

 and infirm, but by the robust and healthy, as a 

 cheap and wholesome article of food ; and at a 

 proper age and in a pure state, it unquestionably 

 is so. So it forms a large portion of the food of 

 numerous children who are, from constitutional 

 or other infirmity, unable to partake of solid food. 

 But does milk that has been mingled with water 

 from twelve to twenty-four hours, and then trot- 

 ted through the city and doled out in pints and 

 quarts, retain the precise qualities of pure milk — 

 or has it received some chemical change, which 

 makes it neither milk nor water, and an article 

 entirely unfit for use, and especially for the sick ? 

 We make no claim to an exact knowledge either 

 of chemistry or physiology, but believe that such 

 change actually does take place, and that those 

 persons engaged in this abominable adulteration 

 and traffic ought to be classed with those who 

 poison Avells, although their crime may be some- 

 what less in degree. Some of these persons, to- 

 gether with their practices, are well known, and 

 they may be thought entitled to more special at- 

 tention hereafter. 



Other persons have been engaged with us in 

 these investigations, who may possess facts 

 which we have not given ; we hope they will make 

 them known, and that every consumer in the city 

 will lend an influence to suppress this illegal and 

 infamous traffic in an article which is second 

 only to the "staff" of life" itself. 



A New Theory about Hog Cholera. — On 

 dissecting a hog which had died of cholera, Dr. 

 Dougherty comes to this conclusion : That the 

 disease is not in the brain, spinal marrow, lungs, 

 liver, heart, or stomach. The large bowel and 

 part of the small were without disease, but that 

 portion of the small bowel next the stomach was 

 literally filled with worms for several feet, and 

 was highly inflamed. The worms were from two 

 to five inches in length, hardy, active, and tena- 

 cious of life. They were crowded so closely in 

 the bowels that their forms could be distinctly 

 traced through their coats. The doctor thinks 

 these the cause of the evil, and thinks that the 

 treatment must be altogether preventive. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 LETTEB FROM AN ENGLISH FARMER. 



My Dear Brown : — When you go to Old 

 England, and find yourself alone in a strange 

 land, should you chance to meet a man who has 

 faith enough in human nature to invite you to 

 join him in his travels, to take you to his home, 

 and show you such attentions as are usually be- 

 stowed only upon near friends, you will feel that 

 sort of gratitude towards him, that I feel towards 

 the writer of the enclosed letter. Among the 

 pleasant pictures of English life, upon which I 

 shall always look with pleasure, one of the most 

 pleasing is that of my friend Lowe's nome at 

 Brauncewell Manor, where, with his large and 

 agreeable family, he farms his thousand acres, as 

 independent as any lord of the land. He will 

 pardon, I trust, the liberty I take in publishing a 

 part of his private correspondence, but it is so il- 

 lustrative of the difference between our own land 

 and the mother country, that I know it will in- 

 terest our readers, and it seems a pity they 

 should not enjoy the privilege of reading it. The 

 expression "wheats will cover a hare," which to 

 many readers would convey no idea, is full of 

 significance to one who knows something of the 

 preservation of game in England, and who has 

 seen the little rascals sitting up in the pastures, 

 by scores, or skulking among the half-ripened 

 grain, destroying what they phase. The wheat 

 is sowed in autumn, and by April 7th had grown 

 well to aflbrd cover for game. I hope my friend 

 will favor me with more reports from Lincoln- 

 shire, for comparison with our own affairs. I am 

 sure, at least, that I shall not soon forget the old 

 yew trees and the purple beeches around the ma- 

 nor house, nor the kind hearts of those who sat 

 in the sultry summer evening, with me in their 

 shadows. Truly yours, 



Henry F. French. 



Brauncewell, April 7, 1858. > 

 Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England. ) 



Hon. H. F. French: — My Dear Sir, — Do not 

 suppose we have forgotten you, though we do 

 not write ; few days pass that some of the family 

 or friends do not refer to ]Mr. French, to his ')- 

 servations or writings. P.'s question yesterday, 

 "Papa, do you think Mr. French will come this 

 summer ?" brought before me our Welsh tour, 

 Lincoln Tower and Haddon Hall. Those were 

 pleasant sunny days for her aiid me. We thor- 

 oughly enjoyed your visit. I would it were pos- 

 sible to have a fortnight with you and W. in 

 Devonshire in the Peak Country and at Ilokcby 

 — Sir Walter's Rokeby — between turnip-sowing 

 and hai'vest, generally the best time of the year, 

 and usually'the only time we farmers have at our 

 disposal. Yours is indeed a long, long winter ; 

 it is well you have no poor. In the short sum- 

 mer how do you contrive to get your work done ? 

 Where do you get labor from ? I understood you 

 to say that, for the most part, the farmer's fami- 



