352 



NEW ENGLAND FARjVIEII. 



Aug 



for culinary or medicinal uses. They are not cut 

 and spread in the blazing sun, and their juices 

 blown away by the winds, but when cut, are taken 

 directly into the shade, where they Avill dry slow- 

 ly. This is the practice with the Shakers who put 

 up large quantities of herbs for the markets ; they 

 incur heavy expenses for large drying rooms, 

 where their herbs are out of the sun, but in well- 

 ventilated rooms. "When these herbs are thor- 

 oughly dried so that they can be readily pulver- 

 ized, they retain very nearly their natural color 

 and original fragrance, so that one pound of them 

 is probably worth as much as two or three pounds 

 would be dried in the sun. But as we cannot pro- 

 vide rooms for drying our grass crops, we must 

 come as near that process as we can economically, 

 and that may be secured by the use of cloth cov- 

 erings, called 



Hay Caps. — Any farmer's Avife or daughter can 

 make them. They should be two yards square, 

 with loops at the corners through which to thrust 

 pine sticks fifteen inches long up into the hay. Or 

 they can be purchased at a fair price, already 

 made, of the Messrs. CiusES & Fay, 233 State 

 Street, Boston, or of Nourse & Co., 34 Merchants 

 Row. A set of these caps, properly taken care of, 

 will last a farmer his life-time, as all the care they 

 need is to he kept dry lolicn not in use. 



The course to be pursued in the use of caps is, 

 to cut the grass just at night, or early in the 

 morning, spread it and turn it before one o'clock, 

 and immediately after dinner cock and cover with 

 the caps. Cocks well made up, and covered Avith 

 such caps as we have described above, will come 

 out unharmed after a storm of three or four days. 

 After a rain, when the surface has become dry and 

 slightly heated, the cocks Avill need little more 

 than to be turned over and partially opened, for 

 it will be found that the process of making has 

 been going on admirably all the time — that the 

 hay is cured, not merely dried — that the leaves 

 adhere to the stems, and that it retains a lively 

 green color and a delicious fragrance. Take such 

 a cock of hay and compare it with a cock that has 

 not been covered, allowing the eyes, nose and 

 hands each to test it, and no unprejudiced mind 

 will longer doubt the usefulness and economy of 

 hay caps. 



Valuables. — If your flat-irons are rough, rub 

 them v.'ith fine salt. 



If you are buying a carpet for durability, choose 

 small figures. 



A hot shovel held over varnished furniture 

 will take out white spots. 



A small piece of glue dissolved in skim milk 

 and water will restore old crape. 



Ribbons should be washed in cold suds and not 

 rinsed. 



Scotch snuff put in holes where crickets come 

 out will destroy them. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 THE CATTLE DISEASE. 



In the American Agriculturist of 1843, I find 

 the following : 



"The epidemic among cattle in Ireland is called 

 pleuro-pneumonia, or galloping consumption, and 

 is thus described. Acceleration of the pulse, 

 v/hich ranges from 80 to 120. The animal invari- 

 ably hangs his head, accompanied by dryness of 

 the muzzle ; the flanks heave according to the se- 

 verity of the disease ; a husky cough, weeping 

 from the eyes, total loss of appetite, grinding of 

 teeth, secretion of milk suspended, the belly 

 drawn up, a low moaning, together with a grunt 

 at every expiration, the lungs appearing, also, to 

 be filled by a painful effort only. These symptoms 

 are all progressive. The treatment should consist 

 of active blood-letting, v/hen the first symptoms 

 appear, to be repeated afterward if necessary, fol- 

 lowed up by sedative medicines and general spare 

 diet. When an animal is attacked, it should be 

 bled at once, this remedy being peculiarly appli- 

 cable to affection of the lungs, and the best ad- 

 vice should be procured. If this treatment be not 

 followed in the early stages, _ rapid effusion sets 

 in, and no power can save the animal. From ob- 

 servation, we are also of opinion that high bred 

 and high fed cattle are more subject to attack, 

 than those which have been less attended to." 



You see by the heading of this piece, that the 

 disease is called an epidemic, which I have seen 

 disputed in your paper. 



REMEDY FOR INFLAMJLVTION. 



I find by trial, that lamp oil is an excellent 

 remedy for inflammation or hardness of cows' 

 teats and bag. I have had a cov/'s teat so hard 

 and feverish, that no milk could bo got from them 

 at night, and by applying lamp oil they would be 

 soft and well in twenty-four hours. A Reader. 



NEW PUBLICATIONS. 



The Yodno Farmer's Manual ; Detailing the manipulations 

 of the Fiirm in a plain and intelligible manner. With prac- 

 tical directions for layin.^ out a farm, and erecting buildings, 

 fences and farm (rates. Embracing also Tlie J'oung Farmer's 

 JForkshfip 1 giving full directions for tho selection of good 

 farm and shop tools, their use and manufacture, with numer- 

 ous original illustrations of fences, gates, tools, &c., and for 

 performing nearly every branch of farming operations. By 

 S. Edwaris Todd. C. M. Saxton, Barker & Co., N. Y. For 

 sale by A. Williams & Co. 



This is the title of a new book just issued by 

 the enterprising agricultural book publishers 

 whose names are appended above. It clearly in- 

 dicates the text of the book, so that all we have 

 to say is, that it is evidently written by a man 

 who knows the farm intimately, and knows how 

 to talk about it to others. He has been fortunate 

 in selecting as one of his topics, the Young Far- 

 mer's Worlcsliop, and he does not give it any more 

 importance than it deserves. A farm without a 

 workshop ! We scarcely know how the farm can 

 be managed. Hamlet, without the Prince ! Well, 

 Mr. Todd, Ave shall keep shady about the farm, 

 but in the supplies arid skill exercised in the 

 Avorkshop, Ave cannot knock under to you, or even 

 your book. We hope everybody will purchase a 

 copy. 



