328 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



July 



perfection. Though long strides have been takeu 

 in this direction, we have not yet reached that 

 mile-stone beyond which there is nothing more to 

 learn. The various processes of farming, and 

 everything connected with the production of crops 

 are undoubtedly susceptible of scientific, philoso- 

 phical explanation ; but until we attain such knowl- 

 edge, the results of carefully observed experiments 

 must be our guide. I suppose that it is an accept- 

 ed principle, that the laws of nature are immutable ; 

 and that the substahces which compose the mate- 

 rial world are mutable. Hence, everything in na- 

 ture is undergoing change ; is cither in a state of 

 progression or of decay. So then we have no cri- 

 terion to fix data. 



This is probably the reason why your corres- 

 pondents differ in their experiments and observa- 

 tions upon the same subjects. From apparently 

 the same experiments they arrive at diametrically 

 opposite conclusions, which tend, rather, to con- 

 found than to instruct. It would be Ijetter if com- 

 municators would give more practical tests and 

 closer analysis of subjects, and moi'e carefully 

 reason from cause to effect. Surely the giving of 

 opinion from ephemeral causes without anything 

 to predicate one, is merely hypothetical. 



G. W. Davis. 



West Newfield, Me., March 15, 1868. 



Remarks. — It should be remembered by those 

 who regi'et the unsatisfactory results of agiucul- 

 tural experiments, that farmers are not the only 

 ones who experience contradictory results in their 

 efforts to find an answer to old Pilate's question. 

 What is truth ? The experiments of scientific 

 men are probably little more uniform in their re- 

 sults, than those which are tried by farmers. 

 How often are the results of the most carefully 

 conducted experiments of the best educated and 

 most scientific physicians not only unsatisfactory 

 but "diametrically opposite." Nor are the inves- 

 tigations of men of the other learned professions 

 much more harmonious, as we infer from the dif- 

 ferent "schools" or sects, or theories which exist 

 among them. 



BED WATEK IN COWS. — THE NEW ENGLAND 

 FARMER. 



About the first of April one of my C9ws was at- 

 tacked with "bloody water." Being a young man, 

 I knew of no remedy for this dangerous disease. 

 But as good luck would have it, I had been thinking 

 about taking the New England Farmer, and 

 had borrowt'd a few numbers of one of my neigh- 

 bors for the double purpose of ol)taining your terms 

 and address, and for the pleasure of reading the 

 valuable articles which I well knew they contained. 

 In that of Jan. 21, a correspondent asks what he 

 shall do for bloody water in cows. You gave him 

 the following directions :— "Take one pound of 

 Epsom Salts and one-half ounce of ginger, pour 

 one quart of boiling water over them, stirring till 

 dissolved, then when cold add one-half ounce of 

 carbonate of ammonia; give this, and if that docs 

 not move her bowels, give one-quarter of the dose 

 once in eight hours until it has the desired effect." 

 This was one of the first articles which caught my 

 eye ; and when, a few days after, I found one of my 

 cows was thus affected, this remedy was remem- 

 bered, and rcfcrrmg to it. 1 followed the directions, 

 and in less than live days my cow was perfectly 

 well, and we all think she now looks better than 

 we ever saw her before. I have since inquired of 

 many of my neighbors, to Fee if they could give 

 me any remedy for this disease, but found that 

 none of them of whom I inquired were able to do 



so ; and I am convinced that the cow would have 

 soon died had it not been for the timely informa- 

 tion thus ob(§incd. 1 have since subscribed for the 

 Farmer and am cheered each week by its wel- 

 come visits. L. o. \i. 

 Proclorsville, Vt., May 14, 1868. 



CRt'ELTY TO THE BIRDS. 



In the Farmer, last year, a writer recommend- 

 ed, for the purpose of preventing birds pulling 

 corn, to "string some kernels on horse hair or 

 thread, and when the com is coming up throw this 

 on the field. The birds will pick it up and swallow 

 it. The thread or hair will stick in their throats, 

 and in trying to get it out, they will scratch out 

 their eyes." This is cruel. Tlie end to be gained 

 does not justify such barbarous means. If any 

 one after accompli -ihing this feat, of making a bird 

 swallow a horse hair, sliould witness its struggles 

 to be relieved from it, should see it scratch out its 

 eyes, witness its agony, and then be compelled 

 constantly to witness its lingering distress while 

 dying by the slow process of s arvation, if pos- 

 sessed of one particle of humanity, I think he 

 would never again attempt a like operation. 



fferry, N. H., May, 1868. 



E. B. 



TAR FOR SICK SHEEP. 



I Started to winter thirty-four sheep, for the pur- 

 pose of raising lambs for market. Towards spring 

 they began to lose flesh, had a dull sleepy look, 

 with a foul, bloody discharge from thcnose. They 

 grew weak and in a short time some died. I lost 

 four of my best sheep in this way, and three others 

 were apparently about to die, when I thought I 

 would try to save the rest of mj' flock, if possible. 

 I therefore got some good clean tar, and made each 

 sheep eat some of it, and also put some on their 

 noses. They soon began to look brighter, and ap- 

 peared better, and I did not lose any more. I fed 

 tar once a week by putting it in their mouths, so 

 that they had to eat it. I told one man who had 

 lost aboiit 60 sheep of my remedy and he tried it 

 and said it saved him more than twenty-five sheep 

 and he thought if he had used it before, he might 

 have saved nearly all. I also feed a little sulphur 

 with salt. 3. A. L. 



Barre, Vt., May 31, 1868. 



cow CORN. 



Much has been written, and much has been said 

 in favor of raising corn fodder. As a consequence 

 almost every farmer raises it. Perhaps this is 

 very well. But, for cows that give milk, I am sat- 

 isfied from experience, that it is inferior to weeds 

 from the corn field, second crop, or good hay. 

 Some get the impression that corn fodder is good 

 tor milch cows in this way : — when the pastures 

 fail they give them corn fodder and find the quan- 

 tity of milk somewhat increased ; but they do not 

 compare it with anything else. If they would give 

 them com fodder one week, and second crop the 

 next, they would find a difference. Many other 

 articles, such as squash vines, pea and bean haulm, 

 if they have not been severely injured by fiost, or 

 by standing too long in the field, arc readily eaten 

 by cows, at a time when they need, but do not 

 always get, extra feeding ; and I think it better to 

 save them for this purpose than for composting fn 

 the barn-yard, as I have seen recommended. 



Derry, N. H., May, 1868. E. B. 



8ALTINO CHEESE. 



About a year ago I saw an article in the Farmer 

 (Monthly p. 368, SSI,) about strong cheese, in 

 which you seemed at a loss to account for the great 

 difference in flavor. From own experience and 

 that of one of my neighbors who has long 



