216 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



May 



Fio. 1 



HAY REQUIRED PER HEAD. 



I perceive it was stated at a late meeting of 

 Legislative farmers, by one gentleman, that he 

 used ten pounds of hay, per head, with oil-cake, 

 roots, Sec, for each animal. I am informed by 

 another gentleman that the quantity of hay men- 

 tioned is not more than half as much as should 

 be given. 



For myself, I do not know, as I never Aveighed 

 the food for stock, but I am inclined to believe 

 the practical man is nearest right. Much will de- 

 pend upon the quality of the hay ; if it is badly 

 cured and worse housed by heedless laborers, 

 perhaps ten pounds is as much as the animal can 

 be induced to swallow. But if properly cured, I 

 am confident that twenty-five ])ounds per day will 

 not be more than is necessary for a cow that is re- 

 lied on for milk, or in other words, that it will 

 take a ton and a half of hay to carry a cow through 

 from November 1 to April 1. What say you to 

 this ? J, w. P. 



Soidh Danvers, March, 1860. 



Kino Philip Corn. — AVe are not able to in- 

 form "G. W.," South Kingston, N.H., where he 

 can obtain the genuine King Philip, if not at the 

 seed stores. 



CHICCORY, OH SUCCORY. 



The chiecory, or succory plant, is quite common in the 

 eastern part of Massachusetts, and for aught we know, all over 

 New England, and yet but few people know its' name or uses 

 M-hen they see it. It is** a stout, branching plant, when full- 

 grown, standing two to three feet in height, has beautiful sinu- 

 ate leaves and bright blue flowers, and a sort of flaunt- 

 ing, care-for-nothing air, which makes it quite attrac- 

 tive. It loves warm, rich spots, and in such places 

 will throw its tap-root so deep and strong into the 

 ground, that more than the strength of a single 

 man is required to pull it out. 



It has been extensively grown in Belgium, Hol- 

 land and Germany, and as a cultivated variety was 

 brought into notice by the late Arthur Young, as a 

 forage plant. The root is white, fleshy, and yields 

 a milky juice. This is dried, roasted, and used as 

 coff"ee, and is now allowed by the excise in England 

 to be mixed and sold with coffee. The reader has 

 quite likely often used it at his OAvn table, when he 

 supposed his cup was filled with a decoction of the 

 pure Java or Mocha ! The English Quarterly 

 Journal of Agriculture ^a.y^: — "No plant culti- 

 vated in this country will bring the cow-feeder 

 nearly an equal return with the chiecory." 



We know the plant well, however, 

 and advise every farmer who finds it 

 growing on his premises, to eradicate it 

 as fast as possible. If it yields a large 

 quantity, the quality is bad, for the 

 plant is a coarse, rank grower, takes 

 possession of the whole land, and the 

 forage is bitter and unpalatable, and 

 will give the milk of cows an unpleasant 

 taste. The succory is gaining gi'ound in this re- 

 gion, and needs careful looking after. A species 

 of it called Endive, or Garden Succory is exten- 

 sively cultivated among us an early salad. 



When the root of chiecory is to be used as cof- 

 fee, it should be cleaned and put into the oven 

 after the bread has been taken out, and allowed 

 to remain until cold. Continue that process un- 

 til the root is sufficiently brittle to be ground, and 

 then mix a fourth or more with coffee. 



The root is also used medicinally for chronic 

 affections of the stomach, connected with torpid 

 liver. Figure 1 represents the whole plant, and 

 in bloom. Figure 2 is a separate head of the 

 flower. 



Disease among Horses. — A fatal disease, 

 called by veterinary surgeons "paralysis of the 

 throat," is raging among the horses in one of the 

 most extensive stables in Brooklyn, N. Y. So 

 far, eight have died, and several more are affect- 

 ed, and expected to die, as no remedy, or even 

 stay to the disease has yet been discovered. The 

 first symptoms are an inability to drink, and en- 

 tire incapacity of the throat to perform its natu»al 

 functions. 



