84 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



Feb, 



few common boards, old shingles and laths, and a 

 good degree of skill, or rather tact, which is a 

 grade higher than skill, had shut out the storm 

 and wind, and provided a comfortable leanto for a 

 fine stock of cattle, horses and colts. The old bam 

 would creak and groan before the blast, but the 

 cattle patiently Ustened to its uproar while quietly 

 chewing the ''cud of contentment," and grew fat 

 and strong upon their fodder. 



But the experiences of a "plain, practical far- 

 mer," will be regarded as of more value than any 

 theories of ours, and as we have a plenty at hand, 

 we give some of them below, which we find in a 

 New Hampshire paper for 1852. 



"The barn, or building, rather, in which my cat- 

 tle for a number of years were sheltered, (if shel- 

 ter it could be called,) was in a very dilapidated 

 condition. Expecting from year to year to be 

 able to replace it with a new one, I delayed many 

 little repairs which I am since convinced it would 

 have been true economy to make several years be- 

 fore. I knew the animals suffered much from the 

 cold, and to compensate for their sufi'erings, I fed 

 them McU ; but while pursuing the system that 

 necessity compelled me to adopt, I could not 

 but observe, on comparing notes with my neigh- 

 bors, that my cattle consumed considerably more 

 food than theirs, while at the same time their 

 condition was not only no better, but scarcely as 

 good. However, I then attributed this fact to any 

 other but the right cause. Knowing that some 

 animals eat more than others, without improving 

 in an equal degree, I presumed that mine were of 

 tliis lean kind, and thus dismissed the subject from 

 my mind. 



Feelinjj somewhat stronger in pocket two years 

 since, I built a new barn. The shelter it afforded 

 my cattle was, as you may suppose, better than 

 the old one. The feed given my cattle during the 

 fii'st winter was the same in quality and quantity 

 as that of the previous winter ; but I was sur- 

 prised to find in the spi'ing there was a decided 

 improvement in their condition over that of the 

 preceding spring. Last winter I found that I 

 could keep them on at least one-fourth less food 

 than ever before, and as I am satisfied that they 

 have not changed their natures, I cannot attribute 

 this saving of food to any other cause than to the 

 comfortable shelter provided for them in the new 

 barn during cold weather. 



I am aware that there are scientific principles 

 upon which this change may be accounted for, but 

 aspiring to no prouder distinction than that of a 

 plain, practical farmer, I leave scientific explana- 

 tions to those more competent than myself, being 

 content to record the simple fact, that / save one- 

 fourth of my cattle^ s food, by providing them loith 

 comfortable shelter during the winter season." 



Feeding Bone-Dust to Cows. — Your cor- 

 respondent "Country," says his cow's toes groAv too 

 long. I have had sheep's toes do the same while 

 stabled. Some time ago a young farmer living 

 some 20 mUes from me, said that he had, at dif- 

 ferent times, in his barn, cows whose claws would 

 grow too long, and occasionally one claw would 

 grow around the end of the other claw, and that it 



was cured by feeding hone-dust. He had fed as 

 much as one tablespoonful each day to a cow in 

 cut feed, with marked effect. He acknowledged 

 it was full, strong feed. I generally feed one table- 

 spoonful twice in a week to each cow, but do not 

 know its effect. My reason for doing it is that 

 my neighborhood has been pastured these 200 

 years, and little or no manure put on the ground, 

 hence the soil is wanting in bone-making mate- 

 rial. — Country Gentleman. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 PLAWTIITG CORN— KAISINQ ONIONS, 



I believe that it is well for farmers to make ex- 

 periments in agriculture, and after so doing pub- 

 lish the same in some agricultural paper, whether 

 the results prove favorable or otherwise, so that 

 others may know how to be governed in such mat- 

 ters. Agreeably to that belief, I last spring made 

 the foUoM'ing experiments in raising corn and on- 

 ions: After spreading about 32 loads of barn 

 manure on grass land and turning it under, the 

 land Avas then well levelled and haiTowed smooth, 

 after which it was rowed out 3i feet apart, each 

 way, and planted as follows : 



One portion of the field was manured with 

 night-soil compost, at the rate of one shovelful to 

 four liills, another portion with Coe's superphos- 

 phate, at the rate of one handful to two hills, a 

 third portion with Avheat bran, at the rate of one 

 handful to each hill. Before dropping the com 

 the bran was covered with soil by the foot ; the 

 three portions were treated alike till harvest time, 

 then the three parts were harvested separately, 

 and carefully weighed. In estimating the expense 

 of the phosphate and the bran, I found that I had 

 applied 18 per cent, more phosphate than of bran, 

 by actual cost, and tliat the increase was but 6 per 

 cent., by Aveight, above the bran, thus shoAving the 

 bran gave the greatest gain for the first outlay. 

 Ljuring all the forepart of the season, the bran 

 portion Avas superior to the others, both in size and 

 color. Thus I have experimented Avith bran for 

 the tAvo last years, Avith tlie same results. 



NOAV FOR TUE TRIAL WITU ONIONS. 



After trying for the last feAV years, Avith almost 

 an entire failure, I had nearly concluded to give 

 up in despixir of raising this much-loved vegetable, 

 but last spring I concluded to give them one more 

 trial ; consequently, after preparing my bed for 

 parsnips, I sowed tAvo rows lengtliAvise of my bed 

 of six rods in length. I soav lengthwise, because 

 I find it more expeditious Avorking Avith the seed- 

 soAver, and the hand-cultivator running betAveen 

 the roAvs lessens the labor of raising garden vege- 

 tables much. After the onions Avere up, say about 

 tAvo inches, I sprinlded Avliite pine saAvdust along 

 the roAvs so as to cover the ground completely 

 over, Avishing to prove whether saAvdust Avas of any 

 benefit. I left about four feet of one roAV without 

 the dust ; the consequence Avas, I had tAvo good 

 rows of onions, Avith the exception of the four feet 

 undusted, Avhich did not produce one single plant, 

 proving satisfactorily, to my mind, the benefit of 

 the dust. 



Thus much, Mr. Editor, I have experimented, 

 and send to you for publication, should you see fit 

 to give it a place in your valuable paper. 



Bedford, N. H., Dec, 18G1. T. G. il. 



