1864. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



211 



THE PUMPKIN. 



This vegetable, although long known to the 

 New England cultivator, is regarded with differ- 

 ent degrees of favor ; some considering it as near- 

 ly worthless for feeding purposes, while others 

 use it as a substitute for corn and other proven- 

 der in fattening cattle and swine. In looking 

 over one of our Western agricultural papers some 

 time since we noticed an article recommending 

 the drying and grinding of pumpkins. The meal 

 is then used as Indian meal, and is said to be one 

 of the best articles for fattening stock that is 

 known. 



One of the principal objections urged against 

 the pumpkin is that it contains too little nutri- 

 ment in proportion to its bulk. It is not easy to 

 set this objection aside ; but by drying it the nu- 

 tritive matter alone is preserved, and the entire 

 mass reduced to less than one sixty-ninth of the 

 original bulk. For this purpose the best and 

 ripest fruit should be selected, and the operation 

 commenced by removing the seeds. The sphere 

 should then be cut in two, horizontally, and each 

 sphere cut into rings ; the thickness of each slice 

 being about half an inch. These slices should, 

 be hung on strong poles, firmly suspended, and 

 in such a condition as to admit the rings being 

 slipped on and off as convenience or necessity 

 may require. 



Those who are fond of pumpkin pies in the 

 winter, preferring them to squash pies, may find 

 this process a paying one ; but we think it cannot 

 be made so for feeding and fattening cattle. 

 We have, however, a high opinion of the value 

 of pumpkins to be fed to milch cows or fattening 

 cattle, in a green state, and also for fattening hogs, 

 when cooked and mixed with potatoes, meal, &c. 

 All these animals are very fond of them, and 

 thrive well when fed judiciouslj^with them. They 

 are easily raised and harvested, and may be kept 

 quite late by packing them in the lean-to or other 

 room in the barn, in straw or hay. 



rying off sheep by thousands, during the last 

 winter, has been occasioned, in many instances, by 

 over-salted hay ! The use of salt for this purpose 

 leads to the bad practice of getting in hay in a 

 half-cured condition. The expression with regard 

 to such hay is, — *'this will answer, with a good ap- 

 plication of salt." Hundreds of tons are thus got 

 in under this soothing delusion, and the stock is 

 obliged to eat it or starve ! 



In an article in the Country Gentleman, by S. 

 Edwards Todd, on this subject, he says : "Keep 

 the salt off it. It does more hurt than good. 

 There is moisture in salt. And the idea is to 

 keep as much moisture out of the hay as possi- 

 ble. Hay is not like flesh. Salt will preserve 

 flesh from decomposition, but not plants. In- 

 deed, it will only hasten their decay. Salt will 

 not dry hay in the mow. It only produces damp- 

 ness. Therefore, keep it away from the hay." 



It is possible that two quarts of salt to a ton of 

 well-cured hay might give it a pleasant relish, so 

 that the cattle would like it better ; we do not 

 know that it would, but to put on half a bushel, 

 or more, as is often done, to a ton of damp hay, 

 is wasteful and injurious, in our opinion. Such 

 hay, certainly, cannot be wholesome as fodder. 



Last year, a very large portion of the grass cut 

 was wet before it was taken to the barn, and was 

 injured, in greater or less degree, in every in- 

 stance. In order to secure this valuable crop in 

 good condition, we must avail ourselves of means, 

 in one way or another, of protecting it from the 

 rains, so that when bright suns return we can get 

 it sufficiently dry, in a short time, to be housed. 

 It is easier and cheaper, in the long run, to secure 

 the crop by such means, though the outlay at first 

 may be a little inconvenient. 



SALTING HAY. 



Our great hay harvest is again near at hand, 

 and it will be well for all who are engaged in it to 

 ascertain what will facilitate cutting and gathering 

 it, or preserving it in good condition after it is se- 

 cured. For several years past a practice has pre- 

 vailed to an extent which we believe has been in- 

 jurious, — that of salting it. 



Cattle fed principally on dry fodder will eat 

 very little salt, voluntarily, during the time they 

 are fed in the barn. If salt is freely applied to 

 the hay upon which they are fed, they are forced 

 to consume a considerable quantity which they do 

 not need, and which, to say the least, does them 

 no good, if it does not induce actual sickness. 

 Who knows but the disease which has been car- 



For the New England Farmer. 

 SHEEP HUSBANDRY — No. 4. 

 At a time when the question of a higher tax 

 upon foreign wool is agitating the minds of both 

 wool growers and manufacturers, perhaps it will 

 not be considered out of place to offer a few re- 

 marks upon the question in this connection. We 

 have no desire to meet the question as a partisan, 

 but to treat the matter with that candor which we 

 believe it demands ; for we have no doubt but 

 extreme views will be urged by individuals of both 

 parties. Yet it may be well for even extremists 

 to pause and consider whether manufacturers and 

 farmers have interests which are opposed to each 

 other, or have hid one real and common interest, 

 depending one upon another for each other's pros- 

 perity. Whatever tends to advance the interests 

 of one, benefits the other ; and whatever militates 

 against one injures the other. If the agricultu- 

 ral part of the nation is not in a flourishing con- 

 dition, the manufacturer's best customers are suf- 

 fering from want of funds ; and though the farm- 

 ers may be destitute of the very articles for which 

 the manufacturer is vainly seeking a market, yet 

 they can only be purchasers on a system of long 



