44 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Jan. 



sudden changes of weather caused by thunder and 

 •old rains, simultaneously produced action, from 

 'leat to cold and subsequently cold to heat foUow- 

 ng, and ])roduced the same sudden change and 

 death-like appearance in the pre-disposed enfeebled 

 plants, that over-exertion, sudden changes ot weath- 

 er and unusual exposure produced vi])on the con- 

 sumptive patient. He dro])s away, dies suddenly, 

 being the efl'ect, mainly, of the pre-disposed cause. 

 And is not the change so simultaneously noticed in 

 the potato plant analogous ? Every effect residts 

 from a definite cause, and I have explained to Mr. 

 Barber what he will more fully understand when 

 he makes a careful research with the microscope in- 

 to the botanical condition and entomological con- 

 nection Avhich are developed and clearly revealed in 

 the potato plant, from the attentive study of these 

 three sciences combined. The former lays before 

 us in clear vision the wonders of the two latter. 

 Dec. 6, 1859. Tiu: F.\kmeu Boy. 



DOSING ANIMALS. 



The practice of daily or weekly dosing and 

 drugging domestic animals is pregnant with good 

 or evil results. Hence, it is an important subject 

 — one that should interest every one who keeps only 

 a cow or a pig. So, too, is proper treatment, in 

 health and in sickness, important. 



Every one who is at all conversant with the cur- 

 rent literature of the day, often — very often — 

 sees, "going the rounds," such recipes as this : 

 "Salt every day, and salt, ashes and sulphur once 

 or twice a week ; salt, ashes, and hen manure 

 once or twice a week," &c., &c., varied somewhat 

 in their proportions, and all for the benefit of an- 

 imals that are already in the enjoyment of good 

 health, and have been for a long or short time, 

 and are likely to continue so, for aught that is 

 known. Now, in short, I am opposed to ail such 

 routine courses. This feet'lng salt, ashes, sulphur 

 or charcoal to animals as much as they can be in- 

 duced to eat of them, or giving condition powders, 

 corrosive sublimate, or any of the et cotcras daily, 

 weekly or monthly, is, I believe, almost always 

 sooner or later injurious, in each and in every in- 

 stance, where the patient or patients are in a good 

 healthy condition. As an illustration, I will give 

 one out of many, that might be adduced if it were 

 at all necessary. 



A friend — a physician — in commencing busi- 

 ness, bought a fine roadster, and naturally — and 

 rightly, too — wishing to keep him sound, and 

 looking sleek as he then did, M'as led to road some 

 irjjon the proper care and treatment of the horse. 

 Reading, I think he told me, in "Youatt on the 

 Horse," the beautiful effects of corrosive subli- 

 mate, he commenced giving it, as directed, to him, 

 and there was a gloss that "was a gloss" easily to 

 be seen on that doomed horse, for a while. But 

 stop, or rather v/atch him for a v.hile ! 



Before a year he coughed. The corrosive sub- 

 limate was changed for cough medicine, condition 

 powders, carrots, a]i]>les, potatoes, &c., but with 

 his favorite drug in the interim ; yet still he would 

 cough just when he wished to, and that was quite 

 often, while that hitherto beautiful coat began to 

 fade, and look sickly. • 



About this time, he rode with me a few miles 

 with my little nag. He wished to know what I 



gave her to keep her in such sound health, and 

 fine condition. I told him that she had no medi- 

 cine of any kind, and never had, except once when 

 she had a severe attack of the "horseail," before 

 one year old, ^nd even this she almost ^entirely 

 refused. He continued to change his tactics, and 

 dose, dose away for some six months longer, with 

 but little improvement, and then went into anoth- 

 er county, and exchanged him for a fresh one. 

 But whether he has learned, in this his first voyage, 

 to let well enough alone, I know not, because he 

 is now in Aroostook county. 



Finally, I have seen somewhere, with pleasure, 

 that Dr. G. H. Dadd, has raised a warning voice 

 against this contiimal dosing, which is extolled 

 to be so necessary and valuable hy some. Why 

 should we give man or beast a ])oisonous drug 

 Avhen in health, to keep him in health P Does not 

 the undue action of the system to rid itself of 

 this deadly foe, at once produce a deteriorated or 

 loAvered condition of the original healthy system ? 

 Is there not, then, an injury inflicted that we are 

 not able accurately to estimate, or repair entirely, 

 notwithstanding it is often said, when a sick man 

 has seemingly recovered, "he is good as new," 

 and so of the horse or ox ? — O. W. True, in 

 American Stock Journal. 



LIVE BEAVELY". 



The world ia half darkoned with croakers 



WIiosc burdens are weig^hing them down ; 

 Tliey croak of their stars and ill-usage, 



And grope in the ditch for a crown. 

 Why talk to the wind of thy fortune, 



Or clutch at distinction and gold ? 

 If thou canst not reach high ou the ladder, 



Thou canst steady its base by thy hold. 



For the flower thou hidst in the corner 



"Will as faultlessly finisli its bloom, 

 Will reach for a sparkle of sunshine. 



That clouds have not chanced to consume. 

 And wouldst thou be less than a flower — 



AVith thought, and a brain, and a hand.'' 

 Wilt wait for the dribbles of fortune, 



When there's something that these may command.' 



There is food to be won from the furrow, 



And forests that wait to be hewn, 

 There is marble untouched by the chisel ! 



Days that break not on the forehead of June. 

 Will you let the plow rnst in the furrow — 



Unbuilded a house or a hall ? 

 Kor bid the stones wake from their silence, 



And fret as if fretting were all ? 



Go, learn of the blossoms and ant-hill ; 



There's something tliy labor must give, 

 Like the beacon that pierces the tempest, 



Str'.ice the clod from thy footing, and live. 

 Live — not trail with thy face in tlie dross heap. 



In the track of the brainless and proud, 

 Lift tlio cerements away from thy manhood. 



Thou ai-t robbing the dead of a shroud. 



There are words and pens to be wielded, 



There are thoughts that must die if unsaid ; 

 Wouldst thou saunter and pine amid roses, 



Or sepulchre dreams that are dead ? 

 No, drag the hope to the pyre, 



Dreams dead from the ashes will rise ; 

 Look not down ou earth for its shadow. 



There is sunlight for thee in the skies. 



