496 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 KETROSPECTIVE NOTES. 



"Fever and Dysentery" — Sudden Chan- 

 ges IN Diet, &c. — In the issue of this journal 

 for Sept. 6th, the editor, under the first portion 

 of the above heading, has given to his readers 

 several valuable and seasonable hints in respect 

 to the avoidance of the above-named diseases, as 

 well as of other minor ailments which are apt to 

 occur about this time of year. From a wish to 

 second the benevolent and judicious efforts of the 

 editor to enable his readers to escape a great deal 

 of danger and suffering, common at the autumnal 

 season, we yield to the imjnilse which prompts us 

 to commend the article referred to, as worthy of 

 a second, or even a third or fourth reading, which 

 we can do most cordially, as the advice and sug- 

 gestions contained in it are really as judicious as 

 if they had been written by one of the oldest and 

 most sensible physicians in Boston, and as we feel 

 sure that those Avho will fix them firmly in mind 

 and memory, and make practical application of 

 them, will be likely to escape disease and suffer- 

 ing which might otherwise happen either to them- 

 selves or to their families. A great deal of the 

 sickness which mothers and doctors have to at- 

 tend to during the fall might be avoided, if such 

 precautions as those recommended in the article 

 under notice were more generally adopted. The 

 bowel complaints and other ailments of children, 

 as well as of adults, at this season of the year, 

 are probably as frequently owing to sudden chan- 

 ges in temperature, exposures to damp and cold, 

 and the want of sense and care which should 

 adapt the clothing to these changes and exposures, 

 as they are to errors in diet, and the immoderate 

 consumption of fruit and vegetables. We would 

 add, therefore, to what the reader will find in the 

 article under notice, as to sudden checks to per- 

 spiration, and exposure to night air and currents 

 of air, that during cool and rainy days, and when 

 the mornings and evenings are quite cold com- 

 pared with the heat of the day, more than usual 

 care should be taken so to adapt the clothing, and 

 of children more especially, to the atmospheric 

 condilion and temperature that there shall be no 

 cliilliness of the surface of the body. There is, 

 without question, much carelessness in this re- 

 spect as to children, and physicians of discrimina- 

 tion and benevolence have often been able to trace 

 complaints which they have been called upon to 

 prescribe for, about this season of the year, to a 

 negligence which has surprised them, in regard to 

 adapting clothing to the changes of the weather. 

 Wiien mornings are cool or cold, and when a day 

 of rain, raw, east wind, or other uncomfortable- 

 ness occurs, the clothing should certainly be dif- 

 ferent from that well enough for the warmer morn- 

 ings and days of the season, though both chil- 

 dren and adults may be often, at such times, go- 

 ing about in garments fit only for the warmth of 

 summer. There should also on many such occa- 

 eions be a fire kindled in the sitting-room. 



liut this is wandering somewhat from our pur- 

 pose, which was, not to give details as to manage- 

 ment, but to second the efforts of the editor in 

 warning his readers to avoid a cause of sickness 

 which is not known to be such, or avoided as such 

 when known, as much as it should be. That 

 cause consists chiefly in sudden chucks to perspi- 



ration, sudden changes in the weather, chilliness 

 of the surface from want of sufficient clothing 

 and such like conditions, all tending to drive in 

 the blood upon the internal organs, and otherwise 

 to derange the functions of the system. 



There are several other suggestions in the arti- 

 cle under notice, which are of value as helps to 

 the preservation of health, such as those relating 

 to a sparing use of fruits and vegetables, making 

 the fruit a part of the meal, changing clothing aa 

 the temperature changes, 8zc. 



"The Season and Crops." — In an article 

 with this heading on page 394 of current volume 

 of this journal (Monthly) the writer remarks that 

 "hay is not injured by standing in cock for several 

 da3s, if properly capped," and adds that he rather 

 thinks it better made so than in any other May. 

 Upon this the editor makes a comment as follows; 

 "\Ve have no doubt but it is at least ten per cent, 

 better. Let the grass be thoroughly wilted, or 

 half-made, then cock it, cover with caps, and let 

 it remain from twenty-four to thirty-six hours, 

 then throw it open to the air and sun for three or 

 four hours, and the hay will be as perfectly cured 

 as it can be. It will not be brittle and break, like 

 so many dry twigs, nor bleached until almost 

 worthless, but soft, fragrant, and of a cheerful 

 light green color, and full of tallow and milk, or 

 what will abundantly make them." 



Now, as not every farmer is provided with caps, 

 (though before the great rise in the price of heavy 

 cotton goods, which is one of the evil fruits of 

 this wicked, fratricidal rebellion, and that accursed 

 clinging to "the sum of all villanies," which is the 

 fountain of the rebellion, an investment of a few 

 dollars in these articles was usually a paying one,) 

 we would suggest that hay can be made, and has 

 been made, of just as bright and fresh a color, and 

 of just as nutritious qualities, without caps, as ev- 

 er was made with them. For several years it has 

 been our aim to make hay, especially that which 

 was all or mostly clover, in just the way described, 

 that is, so far as putting it up in cocks when only 

 about half-made, letting it remain so from one to 

 three days, and opening it out to the sun and air 

 a few hours before drawing it into the barn, are 

 concerned. Some years ago we made hay in this 

 way, which was the admiration of all who saw it, 

 for its beautiful freshness and green color, and the 

 delight of every creature to which it was offered, 

 and when not hurried in the making of hay by 

 weather or want of help, we have done the same 

 repeatedly since. And what has been done can 

 be done again. Try and see. More Anon. 



Remarks. — Certainly. But what if it rains 

 some portion of nearly every day, as has been the 

 case with us, this summer ? However, we do not 

 urge the caps, with cotton at twenty cents a yard. 



Pillars of Sand in the Desert. — The des- 

 erts of Arabia are among the most remarkable 

 places in the world, and are especially remarka- 

 l)le for their pillars of sand ; they are raised by 

 whirlwinds, and have a very close resemblance in 

 their appearance to waterspouts. The places where 

 these pillars of sand most frequently occur, are 

 those portions of the deserts which are near to a 

 river or the sea. The pillars of sand ill the des- 



