24 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Jan. 



that is enough ybr more than two barrels a day, for 

 every day in the year. Many of our medium land- 

 holders have, however, at least five times that 

 amount of roofing on their farmeries and dvpel- 

 lings, yielding annually more than four thousand 

 barrels of rain water, or about twelve barrels or 

 one hundred and fifty ordinary pailjuls, daily. A 

 very small portion of this great quantity is caught 

 in the puny and contemptible cistern and tubs 

 placed to catch it ; but full-sized, capacious res- 

 ervoirs, fit to hold this downward deluge, we know 

 not where to find, even in a single instance ! 



It is true, that where a constant draught is 

 made on a cistern, it need not hold the full year's 

 supply — even one-sixth part, will, in general, an- 

 swer; as the variations in the wet and dry seasons 

 do not often amount to more than the rain of two 

 months. But allowing all this, where shall we 

 find a cistern for a thirty-by-forty-feet barn that 

 holds this sixth, or 170 barrels? Or one propor- 

 tionately large, for a broader roof 1 



Now what would the large supply of water from 

 sufficient cisterns enable the farmer to do 1 Or 

 rather, what might he not do with it? 



1. In the first place, all the cattle on a farm 

 well furnished with buildings, might obtain all the 

 water needed for their daily use. 



2. Or, if instead, the usual proportion were 

 supplied them by streams and wells, a large up- 

 per cistern would furnish all the conveniences of 



remark, a ewe that appears to the casual observ- 

 er to be without horns is not always a perfect poll. 

 There must be a cavity, instead of a fulness, 

 where the horns usually attaches, or she can- 

 not be depended upon to produce polled lambs 

 with certainty, although the sire be polled. 



The result of my eight years' labor is, I do not 

 now have but one horned ram lamb in about ten 

 or twelve ; and I do not believe that I have sac- 

 rificed one iota in form or constitution, or in qual- 

 ity or quantity of wool. 



Some of my objections to horns are briefly as 

 follows : 



1. The substance that goes to make horns is the 

 same that enters into the composition of wool. 



2. If rams are polled you may let all the pure- 

 blooded ones run entire to the age of one or two 

 years, and then any that are rejected as rams will 

 make as good wethers as if gelded while lambs. 



3. Where horned rams run in flock in summer 

 they are sure to fight, and if they do not kill each 

 other outright, loose the skin about the horns, be- 

 come fly-blown, and without constant care more 

 or less of them die. 



A gentleman who has been engaged in wool- 

 growing over twenty years, and who keeps near 

 two thousand sheep, told me he annually lost 

 rams enough from these causes to pay all his tax- 

 es. 



4. Horned rams frequently strike ewes in the 

 side, bruising them, loosening their wool, and oc- 



as 



showering, washing, and sweeping off feculent 



matter, which are derived in cities from pipes and ! casionally causing them to cast their lapibs. 



hydrants. 5. You can shelter and feed about double 



3. Or, if large cisterns were placed in the up- many polled as horned rams in a given space. 

 per part of the farm-buildings (where the space In conclusion I would say lam always open to 

 they would occupy would be of little comparative conviction. Has any one a reason why sheep id a 

 value,) they would supply a fountain one-fourth domesticated state should have horns T — Wii. H. 



of an inch in diameter, spouting fifteen feet high, 

 for two hours every summer afternoon — the cis 

 terns being unoccupied in winter. 



4. In addition to supplying the fountain they 

 would keep up the water in a pond at the foot of 

 the fountain, thirty feet in diameter, (or with 

 equal surface) and allow eight barrels to flow off 

 daily for watering cattle or for other purposes, 

 during the hottest evaporating days of summer. — 

 Country Genlleinan. 



POLLED SHEEP. 



Tnos. Brown — Esteemed Friend : There are 

 two reasons which induce me to offer a few re- 

 marks to the Farmer on the subject of Polled 

 Sheep. One is, I believe a decided advantage 

 may result to the wool-growing community from 

 a consideration of the subject. The other is, I 

 am now compelled to buy horned rams for a cross 

 of blood, because I cannot get such polled ones as 

 I desire that are not nearly allied to my own 

 stock. 



I believe that nearly all middle and long-wool- 

 ed Sheep are polled, while the males of the finer 

 wooled varieties are usually horned. 



I have for many years regarded horns on Sheep 

 in a domesticated state, as not only a useless, 

 but a troublesome and expensive appendage; and 

 in 1845 fortunately getting hold of a very super- 

 ior polled ram, I commenced to try to breed a flock 

 which should be hornless. I proceeded by not on- 

 ly selecting polled rams, but, so far as practica- 

 ble, perfect polled ewes also ; and here let me 



Ladd in Ohio Farmer. 



FATTENING SWINE. 

 The business of fattening swine is often ren- 

 dered far more expensive than it n«ed be. Many 

 farmers feed only their best and most valuable 

 grains and vegetables, and feed them raw. Tn this 

 way a much larger quantity of food is required, 

 than would be necessary, were the food prepared 

 by boiling or steaming. Indian corn, fed whole, is 

 always an expensive article in fattening any ani- 

 mal, and those who rely upon it exclusively for 

 making pork, must not be surprised if their meat 

 costs them more per pound, than the same is 

 worth in the market. Many farmers are aware 

 that the corn consumed by an animal, will, if sold 

 in the market, at the common market price, pur- 

 chase more pork than it will make. But by select- 

 ing poor corn, grinding it into meal, perhaps with 

 the cobs, and cooking it either by boiling or 

 steaming, and when convenient mixing it with 

 boiled potatoes, turnips, beets, carrots or pump- 

 kins, all of which are highly nutritious and salu- 

 tary in their effects upon the general health, a 

 very considerable and important saving may be 

 made, and the pork, instead of being an expensive 

 article of food, will be rendered an economical 

 ne. 

 In connection with every piggery there should 



