185-i. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



3T 



treme, gorging themselves with fruit, until no 

 more can be swallowed, and even in some cases, 

 filling their throats so full, as to cause suffocation, 

 resulting in death. Although we have said in 

 this communication, that these birds are the per- 

 sonification of- mischief to the cultivators of fruit, 

 more especially the cherry, yet, in view of the 

 many insects, particularly that pestiferious one, 

 the canker worm, which they destroy from the 

 time of their first arrival, to the ripening of our 

 early fruits, we should pause when meditating 

 some murderous design upon their lives. 



s. p. F. 

 Danversport, Nov. 18lk, 1853. 

 [to be continued.] 



For the New England Farmer 

 "SOMETHING NSW— GUANO." 



Mr. Editor: — I have recently seen it asserted, 

 by gentlemen claiming to have superior intelli- 

 gence in matters agricultural, that an article 

 written for publication, was not worth publish- 

 ing, "on the ground of its not suggesting any- 

 thing essentially new on the topics treated." 



An ambition to show off some new thing, is the 

 rock on which many founder. It seems to me, 

 to put forth ideas useful and practical, in a man- 

 ner calculated to convince the understanding, is 

 an effort much more deserving approbation, than 

 simply showing something new. These new the- 

 ories, and speculative notions, are the bane of all 

 useful improvement. Take for instance, the ac- 

 counts that have been given of the application of 

 guano, to the growing of crops in New-England. 

 How many have succeeded to their expectation 

 by such application? One in ten, perhaps. When 

 they do succeed, proclamation is made of their suc- 

 cess. When, they do not, it is carefully kept 

 in the back ground. Beyond question, there is 

 much virtue in this fertilizing material — but it 

 can only be wsed to advantage — by those who 

 know how to use it. 



One of my neighbors, a gentleman of high 

 standing in the community, owning a farm of 200 

 acres, on which he has expended at least $100 

 an acre — besides the first cost, for which his fath- 

 er paid, set about raising a better crop of grass 

 than any of his neighbors. Accordingly he select- 

 ed a couple of acres of meadow-land, turned it 

 over, pulverized it fully, and put on a liberal dress- 

 ing of guano, and sowed his grass seed. The 

 consequence was, his seed came up, and there it 

 stopped — and when the time for mowing came, 

 there was nothing to be mowed, while his neigh- 

 bor, having a meadow of like character adjoin- 

 ing, plowed it as usual, and applied a fair dress- 

 ing of compost, costing much less than the guano 

 — and there grew more than three tons of hay to 

 the acre, the present season. So much for some- 

 . thing new — without understanding it. 



A Constant Observer. 



Remarks. — IIow could the knowledge of the 

 proper use of guano ever be acquired without the 

 aid of experiments 1 We believe judicious ex- 

 periments are doing much for the farmer, while 

 we deprecate that foolish 'pride of opinion which 

 prevents a person, about engaging in such a work 



as you have described, from making proper in- 

 quiries of those more familiar with the use of 

 guano than himself. 



THES WINTERING OF STOCK. 



Taking the last census as the basis of the calcu- 

 lation, and there are at this time about six hundred 

 million dollars worth cf live stock in the United 

 States. Their value exceeds that of all the man- 

 ufacturing establishments in the country, and also 

 exceeds the capital employed in commeice, both 

 inland and foreign. Live stock is an immense na- 

 tional interest, but one which has been sadly over- 

 looked by American statesmen and writers on 

 public economy. How to winter cattle, horses, 

 hogs, sheep, and" poultry in the most economical 

 way, all things considered, is a subject on which 

 an instructive volume might be written. 



The science of animal physiology sheds much 

 light on the business of keeping live stock, both in 

 winter and summer ; and if properly studied in its 

 bearings on this great interst, would add indefinite 

 millions to the income of farmers, and the wealth 

 of the nation. But how can we pursuade our 

 readers to study animal physiology in connection 

 with the production of the flesh of their domestic 

 animals 1 It is impossible to show them the val- 

 uable fruits of any science relating to husbandry 

 before its seeds are permitted to be planted and 

 cultivated in any State in the Union. Neverthe- 

 less, as the truths of science and the truths of em- 

 piricism never contradict each other, many learn 

 ?)y the latter not a little of the wisdom taught by 

 the former. Thus science informs us why it is 

 that cattle and other animals subsist on less food 

 in winter, and keep in better order, if well stabled 

 or housed, and regularly fed, than they will if 

 subjected to the rigors of cold storms, snow, rain, 

 mud, and irregular feeding. The latter system 

 consumes both forage and flesh needlessly, and, of 

 course, involves a prodigious loss to such as fol- 

 low it. 



Warmth is the equivalent of food, because food 

 is used in the bodies of all animals to generate 

 what we call animal heat. How far warm stables 

 will save hay, grain, roots, corn-stalks, and other 

 food of domestic animals, is not known ; but a 

 number of experiments lead to the conclusion that 

 one-third may thus be saved with advantage to 

 stock. A man at work out in the cold of winter, 

 needs double the food that would serve him if he 

 remained idle in a warm room through the winter; 

 and the same is true of an ox or horse. A large 

 share of all domestic animals do not work, and are 

 kept for the production of flesh, milk, or wool. 

 They need a reasonable amount of exercise to pre- 

 serve their health, as well as good keeping in the 

 matters of food, drink and shelter. 



In wintering hogs, true economy requires that 

 one should keep no more than will give the maxi- 

 mum of flesh for the food consumed. To keep a 

 pig without his gaining in weight involves not on- 

 ly the loss of the food he consumes, but all the in- 

 jury resulting from stunting his growth. Few are 

 aware of the damage done to young animals by 

 prematurely arresting the growth of their bones 

 and muscles. A stunted pi^, calf, colt, or lamb 

 has received an irreparable injury. You can no 

 more fully make amends for the shock given to the 

 vital functions, than you can give a horsB a new 



