142 



NEW ENGLAND FAKMER. 



March 



vor of cutting!: feed, especially straw and corn fod- 

 der, and believes it pays ; it also pays to wet the 

 feed — it makes it more like pasture feed in spring 

 and summer ; is in favor of roots — they moisten 

 the dry feed ; thinks farmers should try them — 

 try experiments. 



'Col. Wilkins, of Amherst, said he feeds out 

 much meadow hay. Feeds three times in morn- 

 injj, and three at night ; likes roots — prefers the 

 mangold ; keeps stock out of doors from 1 en to 

 three, P. M. ; wished to know if stock can be 

 kept on good hay entirely, and come out in good 

 flesh in the spring? The President thought it 

 would, if properly fed. Feeding has much to do 

 with the heallli of stock. Cuts his butts and poor 

 hay, and mixes them together. 



"Mr. Hazel tine said stock should gain in winter 

 — no farmer should be satisfied to have it fall away 

 — it is a dead loss ; should feed grain — not sell 

 hay, bat feed it out. 



Levi jMcIntire, of Milford, thought it would do 

 to buy manure and sell hay. Farmers should 

 save all their night soil. N.ever allows an animal 

 to go dov.-n on his hands. Thinks cut feed good 

 for some horses, and bad for others. 



J. Cleaves, of Mt. Vernon, don't like work well 

 enough to cut hay ; don't want poor hay all eat 

 up — wants enough left for litter. Feeds poor hay 

 and turni])s. No trouble in having stock come 

 out in good shape in spring ; should be stabled 

 most of the time. 



Levi McLitire said a frequent change of feed 

 is good ; stock does better to keep it still. 



J. Cleaves thinks old meadow hay the best — the 

 older the better. Meadow hay kept till four years 

 old is as good as money at nine ])er cent. Gives 

 oats to oxen in the spring, especially hot-uatured 

 ones. 



MAINE BOAKD OF AGRICULTUTIE. 



The Maine State Board of AgricuUure recently 

 held a several days' session in the State House at 

 Augusta, elected officers, transacted other bus- 

 iness, and then discussed several leading agricul- 

 tural subjects, among which were, '■'■What meas- 

 ures can he adopted to secure a uniform annual 

 profit in farming f '■'On the composition of 

 soils, and on the preparation and application 

 of Manures." Several other imjwrtant topics 

 were presented as being worthy of careful consid- 

 eration. In the course of discussion, Mr. Ander- 

 son, from Cumberland, said that there had been 

 more improvement in that county resulting from 

 the influence of the county societjj-, than in any 

 previous year. Draining had been followed more 

 than ever, and with good results. A manufactur- 

 er of tile in the county found it difficult to manu- 

 facture fast enough to supply the demand. He 

 spoke of the great destruction of sheep by dogs. 

 Mr. CusHMAN said he had lost $200 at least in 

 sheep, by his neighbors' dogs. Mr. Wasson, of 

 Franklin, believed that more sheep were killed by 

 dogs than by all diseases and all other animals 

 put together — dogs are the greatest obstacles in 

 the way of sheep husbandry. Mr. LANCASTER, of 



South Kennebec, thought sheep raising as profi" 

 table as stock. Mr. H/UIMOND, of Piscataqua, 

 said a lawyer commenced fanning in his vicinity 

 many years ago, and has beat the whole county, 

 as a farmer. 



The subject of the Cranhei'ry and the Orape, 

 was discussed, and many interesting points intro- 

 duced. Mr. Martin, of West Danville, said that 

 in applying manure, he thought the nearer the 

 top of the gi-ound the better. 



The discussions seem to us to have been ani- 

 mated, and included many points of gi-eat inter- 

 est. The views generally expressed were emi- 

 nently practical, and will be likely to attract a 

 new interest in the Board. The following is a 

 list of the officers : 



President — Hon. Isaac Reed. 



lice President — John F. Anderson, Esq. 



Secretary — S. L. Good all, Esq. 



Messenger — Francis Fuller. ; 



EXTBACTS AND REPLIES. 

 MEADOAV HARDILVCK — IRON GRIST MILL. 



Can you, or any of your correspondents, inform 

 me how to rid a meadow from a bush called hard- 

 hack ? Wliat kind of grain will grow most profita- 

 bly on a meadow composed of black muck about 

 one foot deep, then of white sand ? Will it be 

 good economy to plow deep enough to mix the 

 sand with the muck ? 



Also, the price of the portable iron grist mills, 

 of both sizes, that were illustrated in Vol. XIV., 

 No. 10, of the New England Farmer. oxiCi. month- 

 ly for 1859, page 198. A. w. T. 



Roxhury, Me., 1860. 



Rejl-yrks. — Drainage and cultivation will drive 

 the "hardhack" out. From what we can judge of 

 your meadow, by what you say of it, we should 

 think the best course to take would be to plant 

 it with potatoes one or two years, and then lay it 

 down to grass. Such lands ai*e not usually adap- 

 ted to grains. A little of the sand you speak of 

 mixed with the surface soil will be advantageous. 



The Portable Iron Grist Mills are for sale, we 

 believe, by Nourse, Mason & Co., Quincy Hall. 



SICK CATTLE. 



In last week's Farmer I read the account of Mr. 

 Cheney's loss of cattle. It may be that the passage 

 through the manyplus becomes inflamed and dry, 

 so that nothing can pass it. A remedy for all kinds 

 of stoppage, or bloat from any cause, is, vinegar 

 and chalk. One pint of vinegar, and chalk the 

 size of an Qg^, pounded fine. It must be admin- 

 istered quick, for no bottle is strong enough to 

 hold it when mixed. E. Powers. 



Brimfield, Mass., 1860. 



Remarks. — We knoAV nothing of the remedy- 

 prescribed above, and suggest that it be resorted 

 to with great caution, and never without the ad- 

 vice of some person pretty well acquainted with 

 managing stock. Vinegar and chalk may seem to 



