1867. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



37' 



guerdon as a reward. The antipathy cherished by 

 some towards the toad, is the consequence of per- 

 verted views, and should be corrected. In itself is 

 is a source of misery to those by whom it is in- 

 dulged, and the cause of cruelty to the innocent 

 and inoffending. Hence it is a disgrace to our na- 

 ture, which, illuminated by the divine scintillations 

 of science, should see beyond the blinding mists of 

 prejudice, and recognize the wisdom and goodness 

 of Providence even in its most abject creations. — 

 Cowper, the poet of nature, discourses admirably 

 upon this subject. — Germantotvn Telegraph. 



EFFECTS OF CLOVER HAY ON 

 ANIMALS. 



Some late writers have taken the position that 

 clover hay produces a most injurious effect on do- 

 mestic animals, particularly horses ; and that to this 

 cause the great increase of diseased horses is to be 

 attributed. We lately heard a farmer affirm, that 

 he believed the introduction of clover hay into gen- 

 eral cultivation the greatest curse yet inflicted on 

 the country, and assigned as a reason for this sin- 

 gular opinion, its effects on animals when used as 

 a fodder. Late English writers have attributed to 

 this kind of hay the prevalence of heaves in horses, 

 and the great increase of other diseases that effect 

 the respiratory oigans. This is a most important 

 subject, and should receive a full investigation. 

 Clover is tco important a plant to be discarded or 

 condemned, except upon the most satisfactory evi- 

 dence. Its value as a fertilizer and a preparative 

 for wheat, to say nothing of its use for pasture and 

 hay, would demand that it should not be con- 

 demned unheard. For ourselves, we have very 

 little belief in the injurious properties assigned to 

 clover. We have used it constantly for pasture and 

 for hay, more than thirty years, and never, to our 

 knowledge, has any animal suffered from it ; cer- 

 tainly, no horse has been taken with the heaves 

 when fed on it, or while in our possession. As 

 hay for sheep, we have considered it unrivalled, 

 and should have no fears that any stock would not 

 winter well, with a supply of well-cured clover hay 



And here lies, we think, the great source of ob- 

 jection to clover hay. It is too often imperfectly 

 cured. To save the leaves and the heads, which 

 are apt to fall in handling or curing, the hay is put 

 into the barn while the large stems are full of mois- 

 ture or the natural juices, and the fermentation 

 which ensues causes the whole mass to become 

 damp ; and if not spoiled wholly, it becomes moul- 

 dy, black, and when used raises such a dust, it is 

 no wonder that horses and cattle are choked or 

 their lungs destroyed. Our experience shows that 

 clover may be perfectly cured without losing any 

 of its valuable parts ; cured so that when fed out, 

 no more dust will be flying than from timothy or 

 herds-grass, and we shall be slow to believe that 

 from such hay any injury to animals ever ensues. — 

 Ohio Valley Farmer. 



Remarks. — We desire to enter an earnest pro- 

 test against the doctrine that clover hay, properly 

 cured, is injurious to the stock of the farm ; on the 

 contrary, it has proved a signal blessing to man. 

 The belief is certainly gaining ground that clover 

 hay, as a crop, has been too much neglected ; and 



that if the interest of the farmer were well under- 

 stood, a much larger quantity would be raised thnn 

 has ever yet been produced. Though neglected 

 to be sown by man, it often comes in spontaneous- 

 ly, and gives us the most ample crops. Such is the 

 case the present season ; some of the most luxuri- 

 ant crops we have ever seen, are now, June 30, on 

 the ground where not a single clover seed has been 

 scattered by the hand of man for many years, if 

 there has ever been one. It often shows itself in 

 fields long kept in other grasses, until all the fer- 

 tilizing powers of the soil seem exhausted, and bar- 

 renness and poverty prevail. The clover then 

 comes with its recuperative power, clothes this na- 

 kedness in "living green," and soon not only cov- 

 ers the earth with a luxuriant crop, but perfumes 

 the air with the fragrance of its rich and beautiful 

 blossoms. 



According to our own somewhat extended expe- 

 rience, there is no hay equal to well-made clover, 

 both red and white, for feeding sheep. 



In another column we have given what we con- 

 sider the best mode of curing clover for hay. 



For the New England Farmer. 



UNDERDRAINING. 



I am pleased to witness that the cultivators of 

 Essex County are to be favored with an opportunity 

 of obtaining earthen pipe of best form, and eVery va- 

 riety of dimensions, without transporting the same 

 all the way from Albany. Mr. Joseph W. Reed, 

 a potter of South Danvers, has prepared himself to 

 supply any quantity of pipe that may be sought, on 

 terms most reasonable. The clay of this region 

 has long been well-known for its strength and sus- 

 ceptibility of complete finish ; it is the same that 

 has been so extensively used for the making of 

 household utensils of various kinds, called Danvers 

 crockery. I have seen six varieties of these pipes, 

 that appeared to be made in the best manner ; and 

 understand that one of the best experienced farmers 

 in Marblehead has already contracted for 25,000 

 feet of them, to be made the present season. 



Much of the land on our farms is susceptible 

 of great im])rovcment, by underdraining ; and I 

 shall not be surprisea, if crops are doubled, in the 

 course of five years, by reason of this process. I 

 have known more than sixty tons of cabbages grown 

 to the acre, on land underdrained the year previ- 

 ous, where thirty tons had before been viewed as a 

 large crop. While on my way to view Mr. R.'s 

 works, this afternoon, I learned, in addition to the 

 smut upon the onion, of which I have before spok- 

 en, that the maggot is making great ravages, so 

 that the chance of having our soups seasoned with 

 onions, is becoming wonderfully less. 



South Danvers, June 20, 1857. P. 



Vine Bugs. — I preserved my vines last year from 

 the ravages of this little pest by jjlacing little wads 

 of cotton saturated with spirits of turpentine among 

 the vines near the roots, using care not to have 

 them touch the vines. The turpentine should be 

 renewed from time to time. — Genesee Farmer. 



