CORRESPONDENCE. 243 



in, and some of a perishable quality, to have hogs that 

 have no stomachs is worse than to have no hogs. 



Rotten wood has been recommended as a corrector 

 of the acid in a swine's stomach, but charcoal is one of 

 the best things that we have tried. We cannot tell 

 the why, but hogs are fond of it, and will eat a portion 

 of it daily when they can get it. It is insisted by 

 some that there is much nourishment in charcoal, and 

 that hogs have been known to live on it a great length 

 of time. In a voyage from Europe a lost pig was 

 found in a charcoal pit, after some weeks, plump and 

 hearty. 



Captain Riley, many years ago, in his travels in 

 Africa, surprised us in his accounts of feecling camels, 

 on long journeys through the desert, with nothing of 

 consequence but charcoal. Now we do not vouch for 

 the truth of these stories, but we know that some hogs 

 love charcoal, and will fatten better for having that as 

 one item of food or condiment. It may be pure fancy 

 in the hog, but not a wilder one than some of our own 

 race manifest for the African complexion. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



Mr. Buckminster, — I have a hundred loads of 

 compost manure which I intend to put on my grass- 

 land, and I should like to have your opinion as to the 

 best mode of using it. I agree with you that it is 

 more profitable, in this region, to raise grass and hay 

 than to raise grain for sale ; but I think we sometimes 

 lose by not putting on our manure at the right time, 

 and in the right mode. 



Some people spread manure on their grass-lands im- 

 mediately after haying. Some choose this month, 

 October, and some prefer laying it on just before 



