Messrs. Editors ; — Relying on your pledge made to a 

 brother farmer in your Jnnuory number, [will tiy. 



Kirst, to institute an inquiry for the general good both of 

 firiners and all others w ho keep cows. Last spring I lust iin 

 exrelli-nt cow. .She died in about two days after she calved, 

 witli what we call the calf fever. My son lost another in 

 the fi:ime way, about the same time. We have lost two or 

 three ottiers within a few years post. My son has one sick 

 now with the same disease. J^everal died in tliis neighbor- 

 hood last spring, and I hear of others sick now. I have been 

 a farmer all my days and am now over sixty years old, and 

 never have been troubled with my cows in this way, till 

 within a few years past. I formerly fed niy cows on hay 

 through the winter, and before calving I gave thetn a few 

 messes of potatoes to loosen their bowels, and had no trouhle. 

 VViihin a few years I have fed them mostly on corn fodder, 

 and have not been so particular aljout the potatoes previous 

 to calving. Now, a query arises in my mind, whether corn 

 fodder i.s the best food for a cow that is w ith calf ; and not 

 being a chemist myself, 1 wish the subject to go into the 

 hands of men of t;ciencc, for investigation, and the results 

 of that investigation pul>lished in the Genesee Farmer. 

 Also, the cause of the disease, and preventive, and best cure, 

 if any. My cows are generally in good order. When Uiken 

 with the disease, they lirst appear dumpish, disinclined to 

 food, eyes duU ; they soon get down and never get up again. 

 They invariably swell up after a while, and appear in great 

 distress till death ends their sufferings. 



Now. Messrs. Editors, if you can give any light or in- 

 struction on this subject, or obtain it from practical or scien- 

 tific men. yoti will bestow a great blessing on your country- 

 men and on that most invaluable animal with which God 

 ever blessed tlie human family — the Cow. Wm. Pakso.is. 

 M.lli'ille. A', y., 1850. 



If Mr. Parsons had now, as formerly, a few pota- 

 toes to feed his cows before they drop their calves, 

 they would unquestionably suffer far less, if at all, 

 froin this strictly parturient fever. If he can not 

 well raise green feed of any kind, he slioiild mess his 

 cows with brail wet with brine sufficient to keep the 

 bowels loose, for several days before calving', and 

 they will not die of the malady described by him. 

 Dry corn fodder and dry hay are constipating, and 

 tend to inflammation in the system when under con- 

 siderable excitement from other causes. The disease 

 is an inflammation, and should be prevented ; and it 

 may be by the use of carrots, turneps, beets, potatoes, 

 or cabbage. Green food, not in e.\ces.=, but in regu- 

 lar feed with dry forage, and a reasonable allowance 

 of salt, will enable Mr. P. to save his cows and to 

 obtain from them a generous flow of milk. 



Messrs. Editors: — 1 noticed an article in the February 

 number of the Farmer, in answer to the inquiries of *" P. J. 

 W.,"on the properties of plaster. Your theory is. no doubt, 

 true, and satisfiictory so far as you went ; but \ have a few- 

 questions to add to those that have already been given. 



1st. Does plaster possess any soluble substances, or those 

 that will be destroyed by its being wet? [It does not.] 



2d. Does it retain its power so as to act on vegetiition the 

 second year? [It does.] 



'I'he following experiment gave rise to tfie preceding ques- 

 tions : — Two years ago this spring, I had a field of about 

 four acres which I sowed to oats , I also seeded it, and after 

 bestowing upon it proper labor, 1 sowed a little plaster on 

 aboiU half^ an acre of it. The lirst year there was no per- 

 ceptible dilTerence in the oats ; but when I cut the grass the 

 next year, that part on which the plaster was sow n was 

 exceedingly stout, the stalks were large and long, ami from 

 that half acre I received two loads of hay ; but from the 

 other three and a half acres 1 received about three loads. 

 IVovv I would like to know whether I must ascribe this great 

 difference of ratio to the plaster, or look to some other source 

 for the cause. E. N.— Oneic/a Caslle, N. Y., 18.50. 



Plaster is so val 'able a fertilizer, that .measures 

 should be taken to cheapen its transportation to the 

 lowest attainable figure. Lime, ashes, and bones 

 should also be carried at the minimum charge on 

 railroads and canals. Plaster made the gain. 



Messrs. Editors ; — I am preparing a room in my barn for a 

 threshing machine , a corn sheller ; a straw, hay. and corn 

 stalk cutter ; and I wish to procure and add o mill for grind- 

 ing coarse grain f(tr feeding purposes. It has occurred to me 

 that all these might be operated upon, or rather driven by, a 

 wind-mill. I mention these matters for the purpose of ask- 

 ing you whether you. or any of the contributors to the Gen- 

 esee Farmer, know anything of the manner of construction 

 and cost of a wind-mill ? And whether there i.s any economy 

 in the use of that kind of.propelling power? Will you, or 

 any contributor, be kind enough to communicate whatever 

 is known on this sidtject / Would it be asking too much to 

 request you to name the best and most approved of the four 

 dilTorent machines mentioned above ? If not, bo pleased to 

 do so. E. Gvci-.-R.— l/igMand, Pa., May, IS.'jO. 



There is but one wind-mill of any account now in 

 the United States, which is known to us, and that is 

 in the city of Washington. The \\'heel is .some 60 

 feet in diameter. It is used for grinding grain, and 

 is aided by steam. In Holland and England, as well 

 as in this country, steam and horse-power are found 

 to be more economical. A wind-mill is a timple and 

 very primitive contrivance. 



It would hardly meet our views of propriety to 

 select the threshing machines, straw cutters, and 

 corn shellers of particular manufacturers, and praise 

 them, with the implied condemnation of all others. 

 We aim to give all good mechanics an equal chance 

 in our advertising columns, and avoid everything that 

 looks like puffing or partiality. 



Messrs. Editors; — Many farmers who have used Wheat- 

 land plaster for years, think ita effects upon*the soil are not 

 as good now as formerly, and have consequently discontin- 

 ued its use to a great extent. They think the plaster has 

 deteriorated in value, from some cause — either the beds are 

 not as pure as they used to be, or, perhaps, lime-stone or 

 some other stone is mixed with the gypsum. If Dr. Lee 

 has analyzed the plaster of these beds, and can tell us 

 whether or not our suppositions are well founded, he will 

 much 4tb!ige many readers of the Genesee Farmer. 



We have not analyzed any of the quarries of plas- 

 ter in Wheatland, and we should be sorry to believe 

 that any one would add marl, of which there is an 

 abundance in the neighborhood, to the pure min- 

 eral. The difficulty doubtless is, that your soils are 

 sick of gypsum, from the lack of bone-timber, potash, 

 magnesia, and common salt, in the land. Plaster is 

 not everytliing that nature demands to form a clover 

 plant, or a crop of wheat, oats, or corn. Farmers 

 must learn to take better care of the potash, phos- 

 phorus, and magnesia, in their soils. 



Mkssrs. Editors : — Conid not the culture of indigo be re- 

 sumed at the South, by adopting what is called the hot 

 water process, latterly in use in India for extracting indigo 

 from the leaves pf the indigo plant? There is said to be a 

 great saving of time by this method, and all danger to the 

 health of the workmen, from the deleterious effects of the 

 gases evolved in the old process of fermenting in water of 

 the temperature of the atmosphere, is avoided. And conid 

 not the kermes producing oak be introduced at the South, for 

 the purpose of producing kermes for home consumption? It 

 is in some respects much superior to cochineal as a dye : and 

 there is none of it imported, so far as I am aware. J. E. 



Undoubtedly indigo culture will some day be re- 

 sumed at the South : with cotton at its present price, 

 its production will pay better. A large planter, and 

 a late U. S. Senator, has discussed the subject ; but 

 the production of indigo is exceedingly unpopular. 



The " Kermes oak" we have not studied at all. 



To CATCH Rats — Set a common fox trap ; over 

 which spread a piece of cotton or linen cloth, suffi- 

 ciently large to cover, and sprinkle some meal over 

 the pan — and you have him. At least I did. T. R. 

 S. — Omar, JV. Y. 



