30 



NEW ENGLAND FAIl]\IER. 



Jax. 



lowish cast. I found that before threshing it, 

 some of the heads contained almost all black 

 seeds, but not quite, while a few heads contained 

 mostly yellow seeds. None but black seeds were 

 sown. 



I think this Hungarian grass is a valuable ac- 

 cession to our list of grasses, and is a profitable 

 crop. The seed yields plentifully. Some do not 

 approve of sowing it for hay as it has to be sown 

 every year. So does oats. When it is sown 

 other grass may be sown with it, for a future crop, 

 the same as with oats. One of my neighbors 

 sowed this Hungary grass the first of last June, 

 and sowed also clover, herds grass, red-top and 

 fine-top, (rather more sorts, I think, than neces- 

 sary,) which appeared to take well, and looks now 

 as if there will be a fine crop of hay on the piece 

 next year. Isaac Stearns. 



Mansfield, Nov., 1860. 



EXTRACTS AIJD KBPLIES. 



PRICES OF CATTLE IN BEIGHTON MARKET. 



lu a Itite number of the Farmer, you quote the price 

 of working oxen in Cambridge market at $80 to $'17o 

 per yoke. We, farmers hero in Vermont would like 

 to know how large those oxen arc ? All drovers here 

 have their girting chains, and most of the farmers 

 have a chain to measure cattle. Working oxen here 

 that will measure six feet six inches, well matched, 

 good, handsome bodied cattle, and good workers, our 

 drovers tell us $75 or $.'80 is a fair price for. A little 

 explanation on working oxen will be thankfully re- 

 ceived. A Subscriber. 



Post Mill, rt., 1860. 



Remarks. — The oxen quoted as bringing $80 to 

 $175, include those of the poorest character, and also 

 those of the best that are taken to market. The prices 

 of oxen vary widely as well as those of horses, accord- 

 ing to their appearance, one pair girting the same as 

 another bringing readily ten to twenty-five dollars 

 more. It is not expected of the reporter to give the 

 price of every pair of cattle sold ; all he can do is to 

 give the range of prices v/hich they bring. Prices vary 

 materially according to the weather, and several other 

 circumstances, which are continually changing. 



TO RELIEVE CHOKED CATTLE — MANURES. 



Friend Farmer : — Having noticed several differ 

 ent modes of relieving choked cattle, all of whicli I 

 think to be inferior to my method^ I will endeavor to 

 explain how I do it. 



Put upon the creature's head a rope or head halter, 

 and draw the rope over the girt of the bani or some 

 object which will raise the animal's nose as high as 

 can be done while standiug upon its feet. Then let 

 two men take a smooth lever or sled stake, and stand- 

 ing one on each side of the animal, press it hard 

 against the throat and carry it gradually down as far 

 as possible, and the obstruction will be carried down 

 into the stomach, and the creature is relieved. This 

 method I have never known to fail, and it being an 

 external application, is perfectly safe to both man and 

 beast. 



If Mr. L. Gage wants good milk for himself and his 

 family, let him feed his skimmed milk and all other 

 slopsto his pigs, and feed his cows with roots to in- 

 crease the quantity of milk ; for I am confident that 

 any kmd of house slops injures the quality of the 

 milk, if it does not injui-e the cow to which it is fed. 



HOW TO MANAGE MANURES. 



I wish to advance one idea on the saving of manure, 

 which is simple and cheap. 



It is not every farmer that has a good cellar under 

 his barn, l)ut every one should have a wheelb.arrow 

 upon which he can carry the manure from the stal^lo 



into the barn-yard, and beginning on one side of the 

 yard, dump one load in a place till he has covered the 

 whole surface, or as much thereof as he pleases, then 

 go over with another course in the same way, and so 

 ou through the winter, and in the spring he will find 

 the droppings of the cattle well mixed with their bed- 

 ding and the litter of the yard, and no unsightly heap 

 under his stable windows. 



If he has sheds for his cattle or sheep under -which 

 he can deposit as above, so much the better. 



Orford, N. IL, 1860. Artemas. 



Remarks. — We shall be glad to hear from our cor- 

 respondent again on any agi-ieultural topics. 



SQUASHES and THRESHING MACHINES. 



Mr. Editor : — I would inquire through the columns 

 of the Farmer, the correct way of telling the male 

 squash from the ieinalc, of the Hubbard, Marrow and 

 other scpiashes, also of pumpkins, — and the correct 

 method of planting, how many of each kind in a hill. 



I raise yearly from six to eight hundred Imshels of 

 grain of all kinds, which has to be threshed in my 

 ])arn, either by hand, or Ijy hiring a horse-power ma- 

 chine, which leaves everything upside down, and car- 

 ries off some money and a large portion of my grain, 

 which I don't like. Now I would like to be advised 

 which to do, to go on as I have done, or purchase a 

 onc-horsc thre-hing machine, and do my own thresh- 

 ing ? I have horses, and keep a man the year round. 

 Do you approve of the one-horse thresher, and what 

 can I purchase one of the best kind for ? 



An Old Subscbiber. 



Ellsworth, Me., Nov., 1860. 



Remarks. — You would be able to do your own 

 thrashing conveniently with a one-horse thresher, with 

 a somewhat heavy horse, say one weighing eleven or 

 twelve hundred pounds. 



SUPERPHOSPHATE FOR APPLE TREES. 



How much superphosphate of lime ought to be put 

 ai-ound apple trees eight or ten years old ? Which is 

 the best, that or oyster shell lime, and how much of 

 that ? When is the best time to apply it, fall or spring ? 



Orange, Nov. 15, 1860. s. M. 



PvEmarks. — If j^our trees are thirty by thirty feet 

 apart, you will have forty eight of them on an acre ; if 

 you add four pounds to each tree, it will give one hun- 

 dred and ninety-two pounds per acre, v/hich we should 

 think would be very well for the first application. A 

 much larger quantity would do no harm. We have 

 never used it for apple trees, and only give you an 

 opinion above, not experimental knov/^ledge. The 

 superphosphate is undoubtedly worth more than the 

 oyster shell lime. A peck of the latter spread under 

 each tree could do no injury that we can conceive. 



cow HOLDS UP HER MILK. 



I wish to inquire through the columns of the Far- 

 mer if there is any remedy for cows holding up their 

 milk, as I have a valuable heifer that is nearly dry 

 from that cause. C. P. Bachelder. 



Franklin, N. II., Nov. 6, 1860. 



Remarks. — Always treat the cow kindly, feeding 

 and housing her well at all times, and just before sit- 

 ting down to milk place before her a little sweet hay, 

 a few carrots, or other roots, or a little meal and water, 

 and she must be a very singular cow if she does not 

 give down her milk as freely as you do the hay and 

 roots. Try it. 



EGYPTIAN CORN. 



Mr. Vesper T. Hubbard, of South StraiTord, Vt., 

 gives us an experience with this corn similar to those 

 we have already published. He thinks it would re- 

 quire two seasons to grow one small crop of it. 



