366 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Aug. 



For the Nno England Farmer. 

 SI3B AND USE OF HAY CAPS. 



Mr. Editor : — As I disagree Avith you in the 

 size of hay caps, I will state my reasons Avhy. You 

 say a "hay cap should be two yards square." I 

 prefer one four feet square to any other size to 

 use on hay, and I have tried all sizes, from three- 

 fourths of a yard to two yards square. 



My first objection to one two yards square is 

 the cost. Few farmers would think they could 

 have a proper number of caps at the cost of the 

 two yards square. Every man who cuts much hay 

 wants at least one hundred caps. Now one hun- 

 dred caps a yard square will cost $10 ; one hun- 

 dred four feet square will cost $17, and one hun- 

 dred two yards square will cost from $40 to $oO, 

 as there is the sewing besides the cloth. Almost 

 any farmer v.-ould think he could spend $10 for 

 cai)s, while few would think of spending $40. 



A hay cap two yards square will measure from 

 corner to corner, across the midst to the end of 

 the loops, three yards. Most folks do not cock 

 up hay in cocks large enough to take so large a 

 cap. The corners would reach to the ground. I 

 think it much the best for the hay to have it put 

 in small cocks, as the hay makes much better, and 

 it is much easier to cock up, open, &c., in small 

 cocks than in large ones. 



A cap from a yard to a yard and a third square, 

 if well put on, will keep a cock of hay through a 

 storm so that you cannot tell the hay after it is 

 put in the barn from hay that had not been out 

 in a storm. 



The best way to get hay caps is to buy the cloth 

 the width you want it, and tear it up into squares, 

 and put loops in the corners. The sticks should 

 be from eighteen to twenty inches long. I would 

 not let any one hem, paint or varnish mine, if 

 they would do it for nothing. 



I make this statement, Mr. Editor, not to argue 

 the subject with you, but to encourage people to 

 get hay caps who would not think they could af- 

 ford to buy them at a cost that the two yards 

 square would be. I have often felt that every cap 

 that was on a cock of hay through a long storm 

 had paid for itself, just in that one use. 



A man that outs forty or fifty tons of hay wants 

 two hundred caps. Caps properly cared for Avill 

 last a great many years. I think I have them now 

 in use that I have used for twenty years. 



Hollis, N. H.y June, 1860. Ed. Emerson. 



Remarks. — Excellent, friend Emerson. AVe 

 are not at all tenacious of our opinion about the 

 size, but recommend to all to try for themselves. 

 As we view it, large caps are no more expensive 

 than small ones, because you will not need so 

 many of them ; and then a small cap requires just 

 as many of the operations to put it on as a large 

 one, so that in this particular there is an impor- 

 tant gain. Try the cap — if the season is a 

 "catching" one, you will save more than their cost 

 tlds year. 



To MAKE Steers hold up their Heads. — 

 Having seen in a former number of the linral an 

 inquiry from "(). W. T."how to make steers hold 

 up their heads while at work, I will give you my 



own experience and observations in relation to it. 

 In the first place, be very careful that the yoke 

 has the right draught so that it will not choke 

 the steers when they are at Avork with their 

 heads up. Secondly, do not tire them, as it Avor- 

 ries and causes them to droop their heads. Third- 

 ly, when it is desired to stop the steers, make 

 them understand the Avord Avhoa ; speak quick and 

 distinct, and when they are stopped turn the butt 

 of the Avhip and tap them under their jaAvs light- 

 ly, until they bring their heads up to the proper 

 place. — Rural American. 



FERMENTATIOJf OP MAIJUIIES. 



It would seem from an article in a late number 

 of the Mark Lane Express, that although English 

 fai'mers are as Avell satisfied that fattening ani- 

 mals is a losing business, as our friend Piukham 

 is that raising corn don't pay, yet "shed-feeding," 

 or as Ave should say, stall-feeding, is steadily ou 

 the increase there. The editor says,feAv look up- 

 on it as a profitable branch of husbandry ; the 

 general bearing of experience goes ta prove that 

 the food which is consumed in the "fatting-shed," 

 is seldom paid for in the increased value of the 

 animals by which it is consumed, and yet it is 

 generally considered an essential accompaniment 

 of good management ? But instead of asking hoAV- 

 long it Avill take the English farmers to get rich 

 "at this rate," he finds a solution of the apparent 

 mystery in the manure produced. The impor- 

 tance of the proper management of the manure 

 heap is therefore discussed at some length. We 

 copy a paragraph on fermentation, A^^hich may- 

 have some bearing on the question Avhether ma- 

 nux-e does best in barn cellars or in the open air. 



Without going into an explanation, Avhich Avould 

 be tedious to some of our readers and unnecessa- 

 ry to others, Ave may remind them that during the 

 time the manure is rotting we have great changes 

 taking place in the heap, and the most valuable 

 ingredients, as Avell as those of Jittle or no impor- 

 tance, alike take part in the fermentation. They 

 change their character, their form, and their prop- 

 erties, according to the circumstances attending 

 their management. Wo are all Avell aAvare, from 

 the light Avhich experimental researches have 

 throAvn upon the subject, that the ultimate value 

 of the dung as a fertilizer depends very much up- 

 on the product of this fermentation 5 so much so, 

 indeed, that two lots of manure, originally of the 

 same value Avhen taken from the bullock-shed, 

 may become of very different quality Avhen ready 

 for use upon the land, even Avhen equal care has - 

 been shoAvn to avoid loss by drainage. In fact, 

 the difference may be traced entirely to the man- 

 agement of the dung Avhilst it is rotting. This 

 fermentation is generally allowed to take its own 

 course. All that is done is to avoid loss by drain- 

 age, or injury from the fall of Avater upon it. 

 Valuable as these precautions are, still the latter 

 is capable of being carried so far as to become 

 productive of great loss. It has been very clearly 

 shoAvn that when the manure is fermenting it 



