1868. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



167 



ous statements made to us of the effects of dry 

 vegetable matter upon a lean soil. We find 

 in Johnston'' s Elements of Agricultural Chem- 

 istry, the following remarks, which corrobo- 

 rate the views we have expressed : — 



^^Smvdust, with a view to slow amelioration, 

 or dry vegetable matter of any kind may, if in a 

 sufficient state of division, be added with bene- 

 fit to the soil. Even sawdust applied largely 

 to the land, has been found to improve it, — little 

 at first more during the second year after it 

 was applied, still more during the third, and 

 most of all in the fourth season after it was 

 mixed with the soil. That any dry vegetable 

 matter, therfore, does not produce an immedi- 

 ate effect, ought not to induce the practical 

 farmer to despise the application to his land — 

 either alone or in the form of a compost — of 

 anything he can readily obtain. If his fields 

 are not already very rich in vegetable matter, 

 both he and they will be alternately benefited 

 by such additions to the soil. 



"Saturated with ammoniacal liquor, or with 

 liquid manure, sawdust has been profitably 

 used, and without further addition, in the rais- 

 ing of turnips. It may also be charred, or by 

 alternate layers of quick-lime, and thus bene- 

 ficially applied." 



The decomposition of sawdust will take 

 place more rapidly where the soil is manured ; 

 but our object in detailing a process has been 

 to enable the farmer to bring up a piece of 

 waste land to a state of fertility, by applying a 

 capital in labor upon it, and without using 

 the manures which he needs for the land al- 

 ready intended for his crops. 



CARE OF ANIMALS IN WINTER. 



In wintering animals, there are some things 

 to be considered besides the mere feeding and 

 sheltering them. They have rights, tastes and 

 habits that must be regarded, or they will be 

 discontented and perhaps suffer. 



Thus gentle and peaceable cows may be 

 turned into the yard with a dozen rollicking 

 steers or as many huge oxen, which will race 

 and push them about, and not only deprive 

 them of a fair share of the fodder thrown out, 

 but allow them no time for rest and to "chew 

 the cud of contentment." 



So they may be exposed to the frolics of one 

 or more colts, which will chase and bite and 

 kick them until they become nearly exhausted 

 before the time comes for tying them up at 

 night. All this may be done on the part of 

 the colts in the way of fun, but as the frogs 

 said to the boys who threw stones at them, 



"it may be fun to you, but it is death to us." 

 The colt has no milk to make, no wood to draw, 

 does not go to mill or market, but is full of 

 vim and mischief, and so practices his powers 

 of attack and defence on the poor cows and 

 young cattle which are shut up with him in ti." 

 yard. 



It is a good practice to separate the stock. 

 Keep the colts in a yard with a fence so high 

 that they will not attempt to jump over it. 

 Allow no carts, wagons, ploughs, harrows, or 

 lumber of any kind to remain in it, which they 

 can run against or stumble over and injure 

 themselves. This is the practice, we are well 

 aware, with those who engage in the raising of 

 colts to considerable extent, but where one or 

 two only are kept, they may be seen daily dis- 

 porting themselves pretty much in the manner 

 that the boys enjoyed the sport and exercise 

 of firing stones at the poor frogs who come to 

 the surface of the water for a breath of air. 



Especially, do not compel the calves to run 

 with larger and older animals. Sheep and 

 calves may, perhaps, run together without det- 

 riment to either, if in small numbers ; of this, 

 however, we are not quite certain. There 

 may be objections of which we are not aware ; 

 some of our experienced friends can tell us. 

 Finally, read and remember the following by 

 a correspondent of the Oermantown Telegraph 

 on keeping 



Calves with Sheep. — Late calves, when 

 they come to the barn in the fall, will, if con- 

 fined in yards with older animals, frequently 

 sicken and become debilitated. Being weak 

 and small, they are usually shoved about, and 

 deprived of their due share of the food, and 

 in consequence, 'fall away' rapidly. Now, I 

 never allow animals of this description to as- 

 sociate or be confined with larger ones, but 

 put them with my sheep, where there is no 

 danger of their doing or receiving harm. Sick 

 calves, I have observed, often pick up and de- 

 vour with avidity the hay and straw from among 

 the sheep dung. It is medicinal, and I know 

 of no article that has a more immediate and 

 salutary effect in restoring diseased calves to 

 health, than sheep dung. I have practiced 

 this usage for many years, and have never lost 

 an animal, though I have had many sick when 

 they came to the barn." 



— The Hocking county, Ohio, Sentinel says : "A 

 terrible disease is now X'aging in this county among 

 the hogs. Some farmers have had as high as fif- 

 teen and twenty die in one day. It is caused by 

 sore throat. Turkeys in great numbers, have also 

 died, the present week, of the same disease." 



