NO. 14. 



THE FARMERS CABINET. 



observation. Now let me ask — what tanner 

 ever found a horn, from wliicli the pith was 

 either parlial/y or entirely consumed, in the 

 manner describod 1 I iiavo inijiiired of seve- 

 ral, and tliey all say, they never saw or heard 

 of such an occurrence. Until the existence 

 of hollow liorn, as a disease, shall be substan- 

 tiated by better proofs, I shall continue to 

 doubt, and to deny, its existence. Some may 

 say, tliat the intlauunation of the frontal sinu- 

 ses, wiiich I have described, is the disease term- 

 ed hollow horn. It cannot be so — because it 

 is very mild, or if severe but seldom occurs — 

 unless brought on by boring afler the animal 

 becomes sick — and, even then, is not accom- 

 panied by the constitutional symptoms of Hol- 

 low horn. 



What are the symptoms usually attributed 

 to hollow horn 1 Tlie authors already quoted, 

 enumerate " dullness in the countenance — a 

 sluggish motion — want of appetite — a desire 

 to lie down — and, if attended with an inflam- 

 mation of the brain, a giddiness, and frequent 

 tossing of the head — stiffness, as in rheuma- 

 tism, affects the limbs — the milk often fails in 

 cows — the udder is hard — and there is, in 

 most cases, a sudden wasting of the flesh." 

 This is, perhaps, a pretty good enmneration of 

 symptoms, supposed to be caused by the horn 

 distemper. But, 1 would ask — wliat would 

 a person infer from these symptoms, who had 

 never heard of that disease 1 AVould he bore 

 a hole in the horns to look for t!ie cause of 

 them there? I think not. lie would rather 

 look for somg inflammatory disease of the 

 internal organs, producing a febrile state of 

 the system. The animal, to which I have 

 alluded, presented most, or all, of the above 

 symptoms. Tossing the head was a prom- 

 inent sign, yet there was no inflammation of 

 the brain, or spinal marrow. The real cause 

 of death was, intense inflammation of the 

 liver, lungs and many-plus, or third stomach. 

 Either of these organs, presented lessons, 

 sufficient to account for the death of the ani- 

 mal. The symptoms would lead me to look 

 I for what the dissection brought to view — an 

 I inflammatory state of the viscera — and ren- 

 I ders it worth while, to extend observations, 

 so as to ascertain, whether it may not always 

 be the real cause of the symptoms. 



I hope that others will pursue the inquiry, 

 and make known the results. 



The only remedy proposed by Drs. Wil- 

 lick and Tafts, is, to bore the horns "two or 

 three inches above the head" — and, if found 

 hollow and dry, " it will be adviseable to bore 

 lower, as near to the head as the hollowness 

 may probably extend.''' My previous re- 

 marks will necessarily overturn the hypoth- 

 esis, on which this recommendation rests — 

 and with it the whole boring system. The 

 opening, they say should be carefully kept 



open, as it is liable to be filled up by a tl 

 fluid which gradually oozes out, and obstruc 

 the passages. Now what does this fluid oc 

 out uf! — tlie injured edges of the periosteui 

 Why does this fluid ooze out of the peri( 

 teum — because it lias been injured. And w 

 does it obstruct the passage 1 — because uatii 

 is making an efliirt to repair the injury, a 

 to close up the cavity of tlie horn, wliicli h 

 been rudely, and uselessly, torn open a 

 exposed. 



Tlie practical conclusions to which I mo 

 especially wish to call the attention of c 

 readers are, — 



The inflamed horn, arising from colds, a 

 other causes, may terminatij in corrupted, 

 putrid horn. But that it is much more fr 

 quently produced by boring. 



That boring is seldom required, exec; 

 where the nasal passage is obstructed — a 

 can hardly be justifuible in any other case. 



That hollow horn, (or a tlisease atteiKl( 

 with wasting of tlie bony pith of the hon: 

 has no existence in nature. 



That when the reputed signs of hollo 

 horn occurs, we ought to expect an indui 

 matory state of some of the internal organs- 

 and direct our remedies accordingly. 



JVew Garden, 1st mo. lith, 1837. 



Tlie advantages of Good Tillage 



BY AGRICOLA. 



There are certain fundamental principL 

 of good tillage, with which every part of n 

 ral practice is more or less connected. The 

 are the same in all climates, and in all situ 

 tions, and these I consider to be as foUov.-s : 



First, That the soil should be laid dry, < 

 free of all superfluous moisture. 



Secondly, That it should be kept clean, c 

 free of all noxious weeds. 



Thirdly, That it should be kept rich— tht 

 is to say "all t!ie manure that can be made c 

 collected, should be so applied as to keep th 

 soil in a state capable of producing goo 

 crops. 



Without laying land dry, neither the ac 

 vantages of good ploughing, nor the benefil 

 arising from manure can be fully obtained; 

 either of the other principles are neglectec 

 similar defects will necessarily ensue; bu 

 when they are well acted upon, when thi 

 land is kept dry, clean and in good heart, am 

 a proper system of rotation of crops is pur 

 sued, the "husbandman may expect a suitabli 

 reward for his labor. In a system of good til 

 lage, every part of a farm should be in a ciil 

 tivated or productive state. All swamps am 

 marshes should be cleaned up and drained 

 also all other wet and low places, and con' 

 verted either into tillage or grass. Withou 

 draining such land, the greatest quantity o 



