180 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



most of those remarks, nor as to your general ob- 

 ject in editorial labor, to elicit and present the most 

 reliable and useful matter to your readers, which 1 

 think is manifest by your closing remark, viz — 

 "Our columns are open to our readers for the ex- 

 pression of their views, whether they are in accord- 

 ance with ours or not." 



It is some' ten years since I purchased two of the 

 best cows I could find of this breed — having for 

 years -previously taken my native cows out of town, 

 and paid two dollars each for the benefit of a cross 

 with a Durham bull. Tiie first I bought at one 

 hundred dollars was a very fat Roan, four years 

 old, near to dropping her first calf. Her dead 

 weight I computed at one thousand pounds. Her 

 milk was considered the first best for richness and 

 color. Though I have taken the first premiums 

 in both Hampshire and Hampden Counties for dif- 

 ferent cows as milkers, I think this Durham sur- 

 passed them. I paid one hundred dollars for anoth- 

 er cow and her calf one month old, and kept her 

 till she brought me five calves. She was larger 

 than the other, a good milker, and a better breeder. 

 I have now a bull from her (coming 3) probably 

 the best in the county, a picture of his sire, "The 

 North American.'' 



So far as I know, those who have bred this stock 

 are satisfied with the best animals of pure blood as 

 paying well for high keeping; considering their 

 docility, early maturity, beauty and power as ivork- 

 ing oxen, and their ready sale at remunerating 

 prices for this and the slaughter. I know of sev- 

 eral cows that could not be bought for one hundred 

 dollars each, and oxen each worth that for the yoke, 

 and not less for fattening. When such cows and 

 oxen have done, they cannot die in debt. The 

 young stock, at proportional prices, pay handsome 

 profit for raising. When a calf will bring from 

 twenty-five to thirty dollars, at or under one year 

 old, I think those serve society who introduce and 

 encourage the raising of diminished numbers, of 

 surpassing value. 



I would recommend the keeping of bulls of the 

 5es/blood, whether Durham, Devon, or other breeds, 

 to each town. To able individuals, the same, with 

 only prime cows, fattening all others. To those 

 who keep a small stock or only one cow, get the 

 best you can. Put her to such a sire and your calf 

 will pay for raising, or will sell to profit, though a 

 half-blood. Let every one lend his whole influence 

 to improve the stock, the soil, the fruit, the mind 

 and character of his neighborhood. 



Every well-informed farmer knows that every rood 

 of ground that does not produce or impr ore hy cul- 

 ture or otherwise, equal to the outlay, is a loss of capi- 

 tal; or every creature in his stock or piggery that 

 gains nothing and produces nothing, he loses all 

 the cost of keeping. Common sense responds, the 

 same is true of half-feeding, half-seeding, half- 

 weeding, half-plouging, half-manuring, half-fencing, 

 or do anything else to the halves. It is like half- 

 catching a fish. If their growth, or milk, or wool 

 but half equals their keeping, they lose in propor- 

 tion. Hence it is manifest, if any kind or quantity 

 of stock, or soil, or cultivation, will pay handsome- 

 ly, each one should say, "that's the kind for me." 

 Yours truly, 

 Lancaster, 1851. Benjamin Willard. 



For the New England Farmer. 



IMPROVING THE SOIL BY SUMMER 

 TILLING. 



Mr. Editor: — I do not recollect of seeing any- 

 thing in agricultural papers respecting improving 

 the soil by summer tilling. I had a piece of pine 

 [jlane, about four acres, which I ploughed in June, 

 and in two or three weeks I harrowed it; and so I 

 ploughed and harrowed it alternately, once in a 

 week or ten days, till the first of September; then 

 I sowed it with rye one bushel to the acre. 



People that live near me thought if I had five 

 bushels to the acre, I should do well; the produce 

 was eighteen bushels to the acre. Ploughing and 

 harrowing, I only worked while the dew was on; 

 and I consider this of great importance. If we sow 

 rye, wheat, or oats, in the spring, where we have 

 summer tilled, it is best to get them in as early as 

 possible. James S. Parker. 



Leominster, May 8th, 1851. 



Remarks. — We have several instances of the 

 improvement of soil by frequent tilling. A few 

 years ago, a farmer promised us the results of his 

 experience on this subject, showing that great suc- 

 cess attended it; but he departed for some distant 

 region before he could get time to prepare the ar- 

 ticle. 



In connection with this subject, we would pre- 

 sent for consideration the ploughing in of green 

 crops; and suggest to experimenters to summer 

 till half of a piece of land, and raise and plough 

 under green crops on the other half, and see 

 which will make the greatest improvement, at the 

 least expense. On light lands, as they admit of 

 early sowing, two green crops may be raised and 

 ploughed in, in one season. 



Why is the Prince of Wales like a cloudy day? 

 — He is likely to reign. (Rain.) 



CARROTS FOR HORSES. 



We have received the communication of W. R., 



who is mistaken as to our not having written on 

 the use of carrots as food for horses. There are 

 several articles in our early numbers on this sub- 

 ject, but as many of our subscribers have not our 

 early numbers, we will give a synopsis. 



Two bushels of oats and one of carrots is bet- 

 ter food for a horse than three bushels of oats; and 

 when used for light work, the quantity of carrots 

 may be increased. With such food horses will en- 

 joy good health and spirits, a loose hide, shining 

 coat, and improved digestion. It may be thus ex- 

 plained: — The carrot is very nutritious, and, in 

 addition, has the curious property of gelatinizing 

 the watery solutions contained in the stomach of 

 the horse. Carrots contain pectic acid, a single drop 

 of which, when mixed with the juice of an orange 

 or other fruit, immediately turns it into a jelly, and 

 the Paris confectioners use it for this purpose. 

 Soups in which carrots have been boiled are al- 

 ways gelatinous when cold, and are more easily 

 dio-ested when used as food, than soups otherwise 

 made. 



The bene plant has similar properties. A thin 

 slice of this plant thrown into a glass of water, ren- 

 ders it ropy and gelatinous, and for this reason it is 

 a specific for summer complaint with children. 



By examining the dung of a horse fed in part on 



