1860. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



351 



their eggs to put under a sitting hen. He, as well as 

 myself, had tried tlie Chittagong, which have one seri- 

 ous fault. When they want to set, after laying a litter 

 of some twelve eggs, it takes nearly as long to break 

 them up and have Uiem commence laying again, as it 

 docs for them to lay a litter of cgg.-^. Besides, being 

 large hens, they arc great caters. The Leghorn sel- 

 dom wants to set. I think Mr. Ilewins tolcl me that 

 his Leghorn fowls had laid regularly since last fall, and 

 have not wanted to set. The hens arc not large, most 

 of them white, with yellow skin and legs. Tlic males 

 have very large single combs and large wattles. 

 MansfieU, June, 1860. I. Stearns. 



CATTLE IN THE BAIIN AND IN THE YARD. 



I would like to inquire through the medium of your 

 paper if it is judicious to stable cows at night through 

 the summer season, or to let them remain in the Ijarn 

 cellar? The objection made to the former proposition, 

 is that it is unhealthy and uncomfortable for the cows 

 to be confined in the barn at night through the warm 

 weather; whilst the objection to the latter plan is, that 

 it fails to make as much manure as the former. Whicli 

 objection is the most weighty ? Please to answer as 

 soon as convenient, and oblige A Subscriber. 



Woonsocket, June, 1860. 



Remarks. — If we could have things just as we 

 pleased in regard to this matter, we should prefer a 

 large, well-sheltered yard, with ample shed accommo- 

 dations, and then leave the cows to lie down in the yard 

 or under the shed, to suit their own feelings. "We bc- 

 Jieve in the largest liberty for cattle, compatible with 

 their safety and our interests. There would not be 

 much loss of manure if the bottom of the j-ard and 

 shed were first covered with muck and then litter, as 

 they should be if the cattle are to lie in them. There is 

 no doubt on our mind that the cattle would be more 

 comfortable and healthy in such a yard than they 

 would be tied up in the barn. 



THE ONION maggot. 



I accidentally learned the following from a man who 

 said he ktieio how to raise onions, and not be troubled 

 with the maggot. He said he had a nice lot of onions, 

 and the maggot attacked them. He took a teakettle 

 full of boiling water and poured upon a few rows, 

 thinking if he did not kill them the maggot would. 

 This operation did not kill the onion, but it did kill the 

 maggot, and after applying the water to the remainder 

 he succeeded in raising good onions, and it always has 

 since, when tried. s. 



Wliether a truth or a lie. 

 You may have as cheap as I. 



North Charlestown, N. II., June 5, 1860. 



A SUBSTITUTE FOR MUCK. 



Farmers often complain of a want of muck on their 

 lands, and the degree to which they use absorbents for 

 liquid manure depends almost wholly on the presence 

 or absence of this valuable material. When a farmer 

 has a muck deposit on his premises, let him rejoice in 

 his good fortune, but why should those who have but 

 little or none feel hampered when making up their 

 compost heaps ? The entire contents of the heap are 

 destined for the tillage land of the fomi ; why then 

 might not the absorbent portion be taken from the 

 surface of the soil to which with the distributing of the 

 manure it will be restored ? j, j.'h, g. 



Marblehead, Mass. 



CORN AFTER BUCKWHEAT. 



As the season has arrived for raising buckwheat, I 

 would inquire if the growing of it is injurious to the 

 raising of Indian corn on the same land afterwards ? 

 Hermbn Hall, Esq., of this town, says that after rais- 

 ing a crop of buckwheat on a piece of land he could 

 ;jiot get a crop of Indian corn upon it, as he was in the 

 practice of doing before. i, s. 



Mansfield, June, 1860. 



AQUEDUCT PIPE. 



I would like to get information through your col- 

 umms about the water cement aqueduct to bring water 

 from a well to my buildings. Is the water better than 

 when brought through lead pipe ? How should it be 

 laid, and the cost per rod ? A Subscriber. 



Dcerfiekl, Mass. 



Remarks. — Cement pipes are laid, and we Ijclieve 

 are durable when below the frost, but we know little 

 of the mode of construction or cost. There is nothing, 

 in our opinion, equal to good pine logs, cither for 

 health or economy. 



HAYING AND HAT CAPS. 



The season of hayings is near at hand, and it 

 will be a matter of comfort and economy to all 

 concerned in it to have every preparation made in 

 advance that will facilitate the gathering it quick- 

 ly and well. 



Is the hay cart or wagon in order with proper 

 outrlgging, so that a ton or more can be thrown 

 on readily ? 



Are the binding pole, or rope, the forks, rakes, 

 scythes, hay-poles, grindstone, all in order and 

 ready for use ? 



Is a mowing machine selected for the smooth 

 farms where twenty-five tons of hay are cut, and 

 a good horse rake, or will you wait another year 

 in the hope of getting something better ? 



Is the barn itself ready for the crop ? Are those 

 openings in the side, or that ugly leak in the roof, 

 repaired, so that the loss will not trouble you as 

 it did last year ? 



"All these are ready." Very well, then. Now 

 by judicious management, that is, by good calcu- 

 lations, working moderately and living well — you 

 may get as much enjoyment out of this season as 

 the "gadders about" do in their trips to become a 

 little more fashionable, and spend their hard- 

 earned money. 



Haying is a pleasant labor — it seems to inspire 

 all who engage in it ; the crop comes in so rapid- 

 ly, and there is such a wealth in the harvest, that 

 all the household have a cheerful animation and 

 desire to help it along — the women assisting in a 

 pinch, cheering on the labor with kindly words, 

 or devising some unexpected treat when the day's 

 toil is done. Bless the women, they are always 

 ready to help along a good cause. 



Drying the Crop. — The idea is common that 

 hay cannot be made too much, but it is an erro- 

 neous one, and great loss is incurred by its prev- 

 alence. If exposed too long to the sun, and the 

 hot, drying winds, it becomes hard, brittle, loses 

 its leaves and a considerable portion of its nutri- 

 tive juices, and in this condition, if the grass is 

 coarse, the hay from it is not much better than 

 dried brush ; at any rate, its value is much depre- 

 ciated. The farmer may learn something of his 

 wife in this matter, if he will observe what course 

 she takes in preserving her sage or other herbs, 



