2G2 



Corn Stuhhle — Treatment of Animals. 



Vol. II. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Preparing Corn Stublilc for tlic Plough* 



As the season is approachino-, in which 

 farmers prepare their corn stubble for the 

 succeeding crop, I propose throwuig out a 

 few hints on the subject of preparing- it for 

 ploughing — to be left in the best condition for 

 receiving the seed of, and takhig oft", the fol- 

 lowino- crop. Since experience has confirm- 

 ed that cutting oii'cornat the ground, is pre- 

 ferable, in an economical point of view, to 

 topping it above the ear — that method has 

 generally been adopted by those farmers, who 

 make economy a prominent article in tlieir 

 agricultural creed. It might be asked, what 

 can be done to make it in a better condition 

 for ploughing, than by cutting the corn oft'at 

 the ground ! Farmers, try it for yourselves. 



The object to be attained, is to prepare the 

 stubble to be in such a condition, that most of 

 it may be ploughed down ; and being plough- 

 ed down, not to be drawn up again with the 

 harrow, m putting in the followmg crop : — In 

 the practice of cutting off corn at the ground, 

 unless more especial pains be taken, than is 

 usually bestowed, a stubble of some six, eight, 

 or ten inches Vi'ill be left. In this case farm- 

 ers sometimes scalp tliem off even with the 

 ground with a hoe, to make it in a condition 

 more suitable for ploughing. 



Another method has been adopted by many 

 farmers, which has been found to answer the 

 purpose better than scalping. It consists in 

 passing the harrow twice over a row, or in 

 other words, going a round to a row. This 

 should be done early in the spring before tlie 

 ground becomes completely settled. Where 

 both plans have been tried in the same, or 

 adjoining fields, it has been found tiiat that 

 which was harrowed, tiie corn stubble plough- 

 ed down better — and those that were plough- 

 ed down, were less drawn up than where they 

 were scalped. Hence, they would obstruct 

 less in applying the seed, and taking off the 

 crop. Again 1 would say, farmers try it for 

 yourselves ! 



Chester County, Feb. 1i, 1833. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Remarks on tlie Treatment of Animals« 



I have frequently observed in the daily 

 papers and other prints introduced for popu- 

 lar view, receijJts for the cure of wounds, 

 sores, and other complaints in horses ; some 

 of them inert, and others excellent, if judici- 

 ously used; but most of them — given, as 

 they usually are, without special directions 

 for the discriminate use of them — positively 

 injurious. There is the same necessity for 

 thp exercise of i udgment, and for the obser- 



vance of care in the employment of cura- 

 tive means in practising successfully upon 

 the inferior animals, that tiiere is in the 

 treatment of the diseases of the human fami- 

 ly. A man can no more be a good horse 

 doctor without applying the energies of his 

 mind specially to the subject, than he can 

 become eminent in any otiier pursuit in 

 life without toiling to make himself so. 

 Quackery therefore, even upon the brute 

 creation, should be discountenanced, and in 

 the graver diseases of our domestic animals, 

 advice should be sought in an intelligent 

 quarter. But as there are frequently occur- 

 ring complaints and casualties of an ordinary 

 and simple character, we may trust in such 

 cases to our own faculties, provided, we 

 make a proper use of them. A little obser- 

 vation, a just appreciation of the recupera- 

 tive powersof nature, with which all animals 

 are endowed ; and the exercise of common 

 sense, and humane feelings, may be said to 

 embrace all that will be found necessarv in 

 such cases. It is pity enough that the horse 

 should have so many ills incident to his do- 

 mestic life, and to our abuse of him. We 

 ought not, therefore, by our ignorance and 

 officiousness to add to his suffering by resist- 

 ing, as we often do, the kind and persevering 

 eftbrts which nature makes to restore him to 

 health. We first chafe a poor beast by 

 mal-adjusted and unsuitable trappings ; next 

 tiret and jade him by the repeated use of 

 them, until the galled part generates into a 

 sore : and then seek a remedy in painful and 

 injurious nostrums; whereas, by simply keep- 

 ing the part clean, covering it with some un- 

 irritating and balmy application, and defend- 

 ing it against further ineclianical injury, 

 nature will speedily effect the cure. We 

 take a young horse from the habitual use of 

 pasture or soft food; put him into a 

 stable and feed him upon grains, hay and 

 other harsh food, and thus cause the tender 

 roof of his mouth to become so swollen and 

 inflamed that he cannot eat. He conse- 

 quently pines for want of sufficient nourish- 

 ment. The farrier tells us that he has the 

 lampas, and immediately with the twitch 

 screws up his upper lip to agony, in order to 

 render him incapable of resistance ; and then 

 sears the whole roof of the mouth with a red 

 hot bar of iron. — VV^hereas by restoring the 

 poor animal to his wonted soft food for a 

 week or two he would be effectually curec' ; 

 and by tlie gradual introduction of the harsh- 

 er foods into his messes, a return of the com- 

 plaint would be entirely obviated. Thus it 

 is also with a variety of the complaints of 

 the kind, causing lameness, swellings, 

 &c. 



A horse is transferred from the country, 

 where he has been accustomed to soft and 



