CORRESPONDENCE— WINTER WORK, &c. 



53 



markably fine corn. There is a wealth in our soil 

 many feet belSw the surface, beyond beliet It seems 

 even more fertile several feet down thaa on the sur- 

 face! Let the husbandman only do his part, and rich, 

 abundaafly rich crops will reward him. It fills me 

 with thankfulness and joy— enthusiastic joy — to see 

 what inexhaustible food lies below to a great depth 

 for the plants that sustain life in man and brute. A 

 mine far more precious and valuable than those in 

 California. A. Baer. 



Beab Creek, Jay Co., Ind. 



Dear Sir: — I have made a discovery in the cure 

 of warts on cattle. I have a young cow that had 

 twelve or fifteen w.arta on the neck varying in size, 

 from half an inch to two inches in diameter. The 

 largest were quite sore, and frequently discharged 

 blood. 



Remedy. — Slak a piece of lime the size of a hen's 

 egg, add four tablespoonfuls of soft soap; stir the 

 same until well mixed. Apply the same to the warts. 

 They will disappear in a few days, and the skin be- 

 come smooth, as I have found by e.^perience. 



Lenox, 1854. A. H. 



Mr. Editor : — I have taken the Parmer for 

 some years and have several bound volumes, in which, 

 whenever I look them over, I find so much interesting 

 and useful matter, that I can not resist the induce- 

 ment to avail myself of its further benefits. Having 

 for some years past been engaged in other pursuits, but 

 now desiring to turn more of my attention to farm- 

 ing, which was the occupation of my early days, and 

 I fondly hope may be of my latter, I find myself en- 

 tirely behind the " intelligence of the age" without 

 the Genesee Farmer. 



One word more. As our farmers are beginning to 

 think of the improvement of their stock, and some 

 difference of opinion exists in regard to the best 

 breeds to introduce, I wish to make one inquiry. 

 There exists on the Genesee River a race of cattle 

 which the breeders call Red Durhams some fine 

 specimens of which have been introduced into our 

 State. They are raised to a considerable extent by 

 a family by the name of Brooks, and are really splen- 

 did stock, but the question has arisen in regard to 

 the purity of their Durham blood. Most of our far- 

 mers prefer the Durham Cattle to all others, but dis- 

 like the vhite and grizzly color which has usually 

 characterized the race. If they can be fully assured 

 that they are getting the pure Durham stock, and 



can obtain with it a bright red color, their ideal of 

 perfection in stock growing will be attained. 



If yourself or some of your numerous contribu- 

 tors will answer this query, it will confer a favor on 

 the writer, and many others in the agricultural pro- 

 fession. B. G. 



Goodrich, Jan., 1855. 



Hard and Soft Water — Hard spring or well 

 water has by filtering through the earth for a consid- 

 erable time, imbibed many impurities held in solution, 

 consisting of various earthy salts. There is a very 

 curious fact noticed by Professor Griffiths, presentr 

 ed du ing the formation of lime-water, namely, that 

 the colder the water, the more Ume it will dissolve : 

 thus, water at 33 degrees, or near the freezing point, 

 will dissolve exactly twice as much lime as water vrill 

 do at boiling heat. Hence, cold water saturated 

 with lime will precipitate one-half of the mineral if 

 its temperature be raised to 212 degrees. Lime, 

 however, never exists in the earth uncombined with 

 any acid. If there be no one stronger than carbonic 

 acid, that unites with the alkaline base to form com- 

 mon limestone. 



All the earthy salts found in hard water decom- 

 pound soap, and therefore it is not desirable for 

 washing purposes ; nor is hard water so good for 

 boiling meat and vegetables, or for making tea and 

 coffee. Pure white soap dissolved in spirits of wine 

 is one of the best tests of the purity of spring or 

 well water. Good soap is perfectly soluble in pure 

 or distilled water. If water contains a little gypsum, 

 or alum, or copperas, on which its hardness usually 

 depends, soap curdles in it 



WINTEE WORK. 



There was a time, when the farmer calculated as 

 much upon three or four months leisure, in the win- 

 ter, as on drifting snows and frosty panes. If he 

 could cut a season's wood, feed his cattle and make a 

 weekly visit to town, he congratulated himself on 

 having performed all that was required of him. In 

 some seasons, and in some localities, there was flax 

 or hemp to break, grain to thresh, or a little wood 

 to take to market. These accomplished, the farmer 

 felt at liberty to dose over the kitchen fire, hang 

 about the bar-room, the country store, or the work- 

 shop of some industrious mechanic. There was wit- 

 nessed much drinking, not a little loud talk, and many 

 a hearty laugh, as political debate grew warm, or the 

 party listened to some half mythological tale of olden 

 time. 



But in more recent times, since farmers have read 

 and experimented, since they have learned that it is 

 not imperative upon them to be idle in the winter 

 season, they find sufficient to occupy their time. 



