V'>1.. XII. NO. 30. 



AND HORTICULTURAL REGISTER 



•237 



From llie Farmer's Cabioct. 

 WEARING FLANNEL. 



Health to the farmer, as to all others, is a con- 

 idcratioii of the first importance. But we find him 

 more careless on this point than almost any other 

 lass, probably because liis habits and pursuits, 

 best entitle him, by the iiiimiitablo laws of nature, 

 to tlic largest share of its blessings. Active exer- 

 cise in the open air, frugal regimen, and tlie ab- 

 sence of many causes of mental disquietude, arc 

 all favorable to the maintenance of health. Still 

 there are many errSrs unwittingly committed, which 

 f corrected upon true philosophical principles, 

 would tend to the lessening of liuman ill. With 

 1 view to correct one or two errors which I con- 

 eive to exist, I beg leave to suggest a few hints 

 respecting the necessity and proper mode of wear- 

 ing flannel. 



Flannel, I consider, should be worn at all times ; 

 and that wearing it promotes individual comfort. 

 !n this latitude, it is probalile, that to the majority 

 of persons, its use the year round, would be more 

 Dtrreeable than otherwise, if the texture of the ma- 

 terial be changed to correspond with the season. 

 Many, however, will prefer discarding it in summer, 

 ind this may at any time be done with impunity, 

 by others than invalids. 



J'he idea of flannel rendering its wearer effemi- 

 nate, has been prejudicial to its free use, and to 

 health. The covering of all animals, excepting our 

 own species, is adapted to their necessities, suffi- 

 :ient to afl'ord them protection from the ordinary vi- 

 issiludfs of the weather. That we require cloth- 

 ing, all agree; let us, there'ore, imitate nature, by 

 using a sufficiency to gratify our feelings of com- 

 'urt, and the opposite of effeminancy will be the 

 consequence. 



Another false impression exists as to the danger 

 of leaving off flannel, when it becomes desirable 

 to do so. When the weather is such that the 

 wearer would feel better without it, no fear need 

 be apprehended in relinquishing its use at any mo- 

 ment. So far indeed from such being the case, I 

 cannot too strongly recommend the practice of lay- 

 ing it aside at night, and sleeping in a cotton night 

 shirt. The primary object of wearing flannel un- 

 der clothing, is to preserve the body at a comforta- 

 ble and uniform temperature. Wool being of light 

 weiifht and an imperfect conductor of heat, is the 

 best material to convert into such garments, but at 

 night it is not required for the sake of warmtii. 



One of the benefits of flannel, is the friction it 

 excites on the skin, determining the blood to the 

 surface and promoting a general circulation of the 

 vital fluids to the extreme parts of the system. Now 

 by wearing it constantly, night and day, the cuta- 

 neous surface becomes familiarized with its eflfecl, 

 until finally its influence as a counter-irritant is 

 gone. If laid aside, however, for the night, such 

 is not the case, as all can bear witness who are in 

 the habit of doing so. Another argument in favor 

 of the practice, may be derived from its cleanliness. 

 The garment being suspended in the air during the 

 night, becomes ventilated, and in a measure puri 

 fied, and in warm wealher, when moist from the 

 perspirable matter, is dried. 



No fear of "catching cold" need be entertained 

 in adopting this plan. The timid may be confi- 

 dently assured that those who wear flannel during 

 the day, and during the day only, are much less 

 obnoxious to all diseases of the chest. 



Many good and sufiicient proofs of the general 



benefits of woollen next the surface, might be ad- 

 duced, but they are such as have been frequently 

 presented to the public. My object in this brief 

 essay, has been to draw ihc attention of my agri- 

 cultural brethren, to one or two points which 1 re- 

 gard as of considerable importance, and which 

 tliough well established among the intelligent of 

 the medical profession, are not eo well known as 

 they shuuld bo, to the people at large. 



MEDICUS. 



From the Albany Cultivator. 



if they will either answer the above queiies or sub- 

 scribe for your paper. 



We hear much said about hard times, but it in 

 an encouraging thought that we shall not live un- 

 der a cloud always. 



With respect, yours, S. W. Jf.wett. 



IfeybriJge, Ft., Dec. 1843. 



BRINE YOUR HAY— OLD WHIMS. 



Messrs. Gaylord if Tucker — It may be well 

 remind some of your readers of the advantage of ""J"^ 

 salting their poor fodder, at intervals through the 

 winter, both for cattle and sheep. 



Lay by all your hay, stalks, straw, &c. that are 

 coarse or damaged, then once or twice- a week, in 

 warm days, or moderate weather, brine this refuse 

 hay and other feed : to one pail of water add one 

 pint of salt; sprinkle this brine on one large fork- 

 full of dry food, and you will find that all or most 

 of it will be consumed, though some locks may not 

 be impregnated with salt. 



Several important advantages may be gained by 

 this treatment. 



First, you will dispose of all your poor fodder; 

 second, the stock will oat it with avidity and look 

 full in warm days, when tolerably good feed may 

 lay before them rejected, or eaten with reluctance ; 

 third, it answers every purpose of otherwise salting 

 the stock, as they should be; fourth, you will not 

 lose one-half the number of animals, especially 

 sheep, as you would to manage any other way. 



Disadvantages of .Agricultural Papers. — It is 

 very common to hear the farmer say "I will not 

 subscribe for this or that agricultural paper, be- 

 cause it is published one hundred miles or more 

 abroad from me, and our farming requires a very 

 diflorent process where we live from the neighbor- 

 hood where the paper is issued." 



Now, I would like to have some one of these nu- 

 merous objectors answer through your paper — 



Why salting stock, as above directed, except 

 near the sea-shore, would not be beneficial in any 

 other State? 



And also inform us what difference there should 

 be of soil, in Maine, or Ohio, or any other State, 

 to produce corn, from that which is required in the 

 vicinity of your paper? 



And whether the same manures, when applied 

 in the same manner, on the same kind of soil, will 

 not produce the same effect on the same grain, in 

 any country ? 



What different effects would draining have in 

 the Western or Southern States over the Northern, 

 when executed in the samo kinds of soil, similarly 

 located ? 



A plow that succeeds well in one State, why not 

 in another, if the soil and sod be the samo, where 

 the same kind of work is required ? 



Why will not a probang or any other instrument 

 that may be described in your paper, that will in 

 all cases succeed in extracting a potato from the 

 throat of an unfortunate animal in Wiskonsan, an- 

 swer as well in the same capacity in Vermont. 



I will wait on such objectors, Messrs. Editors, 

 with patience, and not propose any more questions, 



From the same. 



SICK HOGS. 



The diseases and treatment of domestic animaU 

 must necessarily claim the attention of the farmer. 

 Sick hogs, I have been informed, could not be 

 cuied, and when they would not eat, there was no 

 In consulting Loudon, similar opinions 

 were expressed, and last autumn, when one of my 

 neighbors lost three hogs by sickness, I began to 

 think the general opinion was correct. But in 

 Oct, 1842, [ was led to draw a different conclusion, 

 the following case being the first in which I had 

 acted as hog doctor. The circumstances were mi- 

 nuted at the time, and you have them as entered 

 in my memorandum book: 



Oct. 5lh, 1842. This morning, a young half- 

 breed Berkshire sow, with a litter of seven pigs, 

 five days old, was discovered to be sick, and re- 

 fused to eat. No cause for her sickness is known, 

 unless she may have eaten something among the 

 sea-weed, half a cartload of which was thrown into 

 the pen yesterday. Had been fed upon swill made 

 with bran, or ground corn and barley, and butter- 

 milk. 



About ten o'clock, A. M., let her out of the pen, 

 when she appeared to be blind, would turn around 

 in a circle, or run against the fence, or any obstruc- 

 tion before her. 



Turned her into a field of grass, where she kept 

 moving round in a circle, with her nose to the 

 ground, without eating the grass. Offered some 

 buttermilk, which she would not take. 



Conceiving the disease to be in her head, I cut 

 ofl;" the end of her tail, and slit her ears, to bleed 

 her, to which she made no resistance and no outcry. 



Alter wandering about the lot until noon, the 

 tail still trickling with blood, caught and threw her 

 down to administer some medicine. Drawing her 

 mouth open with a rope, the following dose was 

 aiven. mixed with molasses, and made thin enough 

 with water to bo easily poured down : 



Recipe. — Calomel, a teaspoonfull ; 



Powdered jalap, two teaspoonsfull ; 

 Sulphur, one teaspoonfull ; 

 Ginger, one teaspoonfull. 

 In the afternoon, had spasms, drawing her mouth 

 and neck to the right side. Now thought we should 

 lose the sow and her litter, as they were too young 

 to feed. In the evening the animal was no better, 

 and the medicine had not operated. Caught her 

 again, and poured down her throat a quarter of a 

 pound of Rochelle salts, dissolved inwarm water. 

 Oct. 6th. The medicine has operated, and this 

 morning the animal has improved — taking some 

 swill, and during the day, some soft nubbins of 

 corn. In the evening, rather languid. 



Oct. 7th. In the morning, much better. In the 

 afternoon, well and lively as ever, eating her al- 

 lowance, and taking care of her pigs. 



Nov. 10th. The sow and her pigs all alive and 

 doing well. Richmond. 



