^82 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



MARCH aO, 1S33. 



Own ofFspritig. To counteract this unnatural ap- 

 petite, the breeding sows ought not to be stinted 

 in provision when their yeaning time approaches, 

 and especially should be allowed plentiful draughts 

 of warm comfortable wash, as they are frequently 

 impelled to this practice fioni a deficiency of 

 liquids; though there are some sows, which, not- 

 withstanding every care, never fail to destroy their 

 tender progeny, and therefore such as are addicted 

 to this vice ought by no means to be kept as 

 breeders." 



In the New England Farmer, vol. v. p. 214, is 

 it communication from the Hon. O. Fiske, on this 

 subject, in which he observes that " It is not un- 

 common for sows to destroy their first offspring. 

 It is more rare at a later period. In most cases, 

 where I have inquired into the fact, whether iu 

 old or young breeders, I have ascertained that 

 they iiave been disturbed in some of their essential 

 habits — either from having been removed from 

 their companions, their range restricted — or from 

 being removed from one pen to another. All these 

 changes, however, may be effected with safety, by 

 allowing them sufficient time to become accus- 

 tomed to them, four or five weeks at least. I have 

 known sows do well with a second litter after hav- 

 ing destroyed a first under one of the above men- 

 tioned excitements. Hence it would be unwise to 

 condenm to death one which bid fair, otherwise, 

 to be a valuable breeder, even for this most un- 

 natural crime. 



"A remarkable occurrence of'^his kind took 

 place mider my own view in the animal which 

 has disseminated the Bedford breed of swine into 

 most jiarts of the country. She had brought rwo 

 litters at a season, when she could be safely in- 

 dulged in a yard abroad. On the approach of the 

 tliird she was removed to a warmer pen. She 

 brought forth as usual, and at first did no injury, 

 although she seemed constantly uneasy. At the 

 end of the first week she killed one. In the 

 course of the second week she despatched another ; 

 and at three weeks old she destroyed the third. 

 Suspecting the cause, and to preserve the residue, 

 I restored her to her old resort, where she became 

 contented and treated the survivors with maternal 

 affection." 



This gentleman attributes the ferocity of these 

 anitnals on such occasions to hysteric irritahility, 

 and supposes a second yeaning might not cause a 

 similar excitement. He says, " It is of great im- 

 portance that swine of all descriptions, particular- 

 ly those intended for breeding should be rendered 

 perfectly tame and gentle, that their enclosures 

 may be entered at all times, and on any occa- 

 sion without giving alarm, and exciting their re- 

 sentment. This is easily done by gentle treatment 

 and early accustoming them to the brush or curry- 

 comb. No animal enjoys it more, or derives from 

 it greater benefit. While it increases their com- 

 fort, it adds to their health and growth, and serves 

 iu a great measure to correct their tempers and 

 dispositions." 



Dr. Fiske likewise enforces the imporiiuice of 

 keeping swine warmly housed in an inclement 

 season by the following statement : — 



" Late in autumn I put two shoats, which I 

 had selected for breeders, into a warm enclosure 

 in tny barn. Their size and other qualities were 

 of an average with the rest, which remained ex- 

 posed to the weather, except when they returned 

 to their rest. There is at least a third difierence 

 in weight in favor of those which are housed, llieir 

 keeping having been the same." 



For the New Engluml Farmer. , 

 Extract of a Letter from a Gentleman in Talbo^ 

 County, Maryland. \ 



I HAVE long looked over your |iaperin hopes ol 

 seeing some account of the New Kngland trotting^ 

 horse, and as I have not been gratified, you will 

 now much oblige me by answering the followinjj 

 queries : — 



1. Do you know anything of this race cf 

 horses ? 



2. In what estimation are they generally held is 

 to speed, bottom and durability on the road eilhtf 

 in harness or under the saddle .-' 



3. Are they characterized with long life aid 

 spirit.' I 



4. What general color characterizes this famiV 

 of horses; and what could a stallion of 5 or* 

 years old be had for, delivered in Philadelphia c^ 

 Baltimore, at the shortest notice ? I 



5. What is their general form, whether that a 

 the race hor.se or poney ? \ 



I 

 We are not acquainted with the race of horses 

 alluded to by our correspondent, and would be 

 much obliged to any friend who would answer or 

 enable us to answer the above ipieries through tlir 

 medium of our paper. — EcJ. 



From the American Farvier. 

 OrT-BCiliDIKGS. 



Woodside, (Del.) Jan. 30, 1833. 

 Mr. Smith: — Allow me to otier a few remaiks 

 upon the subject of out-buildings, it is one our 

 farmers are generally too little interested in, but 

 which in my opinion ought to command their earli- 

 est attention; I allude particularly lo shedding H)r 

 the slock, contrived so as to liolil their provender 

 at the same lime Ibrni a covering i'or them. ^ 

 have myself given it a fair trial and am convinced 

 of its importance; instead of building such very 

 large barns as appears commonly to be the aim ol 

 our agriculturists, let them be of a sufficient size 

 to hold all the g-rain and hay enough for the stcck 

 which is quartered mider it, erect shedding con- 

 nected with it of sufficient dimensions to allow all 

 the animals which the ])rovender will maintain to 

 be kept under it, each having a separate slall ; then 

 they all fare alike, the coward as well as the mas- 

 ter animal, and no hay is wasted, as each one can 

 cat his own without being incommoded by the 

 rest; the other, and I am sorry to say, by far the 

 most general plan of giving them their hay in cribs, 

 disjjersed through the yards, is attended with great 

 waste, as the hay from remaining in a bulk in the 

 mow adheres together, is dragged from the crilis 

 as they are constantly driving each other about, 

 and always carry more or less with them, the most 

 of which is dropt and trampled under loot, thev 

 also receive a great drawback from lying out at 

 night exposed to all weathers, obliged to make 



their beds where they best can, in the wet and 

 (|irty yards, (which they will always be in moder- 

 ate and wet weather,) or if they have, as some- 

 times is the case, a shelter to go under, it will be 

 Occupied by a few of the master animals, leaving 

 hie others entirely unprotected from the weailirr; 

 ton my plan, all are sheltered alike, each one hav- 

 ing a ernifortable dry bed to rejiose on and allow- 

 ed, unmolested, to enjoy his food and it. I believe 

 iu iliis plan one-fourth as many more may be kept 

 on the same provender ; my ceni fodder I feed in 

 cribs, in the yard, which I give them at noon, but 

 all the hay is eaten by them in their stalls. Per- 

 haps it will now be })roper to mention my plan of 

 shedding, it joins wiih the barn on the west end, 

 runs round the north and west side of the yanl 

 one hundred and thirty feet, forming an L, which 

 protects the cattle entirely from the north and 

 iiortliwest winds, and leaves it open to the south, 

 it is sixteen feet wide, a wall is carried np seven 

 feet high on the back, with pillars next the yard, 

 upon which the shed rests, the back from top of 

 wall to eaves is nine feet, the front from top of 

 pillars eighteen feet, is diviiled underneath into 

 stalls eight feet nine inches long, and three feet 

 nine inches wide, (they are lequired to be narrow 

 to prevent the cattle from turning round after they 

 are in iheir places,) each stall has a gate iu front 

 liistcned with a wooden bolt, there is an entry 

 hack of them four feet wide, into which are fnn- 

 nels, convenient distances a| art foriuitting down 

 the hay; each stall has a crib, the width ol' the 

 stall for both hay and meal, after pulling the hay 

 ill to the cattle, by going over ilie entry with a rake, 

 none need be lost or trampled under foot; this en- 

 try connects with the entry of the barn. With 

 >lied and burn I stall sixty head, which at present 

 l.-i lift lunuber my farm is capable of maintaining. 

 I haw another shed, which connects with the east 

 iiido^tbe barn, of the same width and height, 

 but iimead of opening towards the yard it is re- 

 versed ami makes an excellent cart shed. Also 

 under iie same shed, a room is partitioned ofl' for 

 a tool hiuse, in which are kept all our small work- 

 ing impL'menis, so that when a hand is sent to a 

 job, he leed not s])end half an hour or more in 

 looking i)Y a tool, which has been lefl vvhere it 

 was last iscd for want of a pro|)er place to put it 

 away. Convenient to the barn is a wagon house, 

 divided oit r head into two rooms, one fitted up as 

 a work-sliop, (which is indispensable) the other a 

 receptacle for many diflerent articles ; against this 

 building is another for our larger tools, such as 

 ploughs, harrows, &c. My corn cribs arc on 

 each side of the gangway into the barn — which is 

 much more convenient for getling it out, but is 

 rather more liable to be disturbed by vermin, un- 

 der this is a i;ellar for liuta Baga, which joins 

 with the entry of the barn, trap doors are fixed in 

 the floor for shooting the roots directly down. 



I have written much more than I at first intend- 

 ed, and for fear of becoming tiresome, I will con- 

 clude, with my sincere wishes for iucreasing pat- 

 ronage to your very valuable ])aper. S. 



Black Veils. Most person when they wish to 

 wash their black crape veils, use vinegar. Wash- 

 ed in coflee, or rubbed with a cloth wet with cof- 

 fee, gives them a more glossy, black, brighter ap- 

 pejirance. Bombazine dresses are cleaned in 

 the same way. Coffee is better than vinegar, as 

 it has less tendency to decompose the coloring 

 matter. — .V. Y. Farmer. 



