1864. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



103 



husbandry to dress high or dry land. 



C. S. Weld. 

 Penobscot County, Maine, 1864. 



Remarks. — Notwithstanding the apparent dis- 

 satisfaction of our correspondent with the- world, 

 we believe it is gaining in intelligence and virtue 

 every day. It is not all right yet, certainly, so 

 far as human duty is concerned, — but the progress 

 is Heaven-directed and encouraging. The criti- 

 cism upon the "Vermont Speculator" we do not 

 think it best to suppress, but to let the Vermont 

 gentleman reply to it himself, if he chooses. If 

 we have a man in the community who is distin- 

 guished for fair dealing, for integrity and manli- 

 ness, it is the person to whom this allusion is 

 probably made. 



With regard to the advice we gave "about one 

 year ago in relation to composting," we have re- 

 ferred to it, and only say that the opinions given 

 were the common opinions of our best farmers. 

 We have never advised any one to topdress "high, 

 sandy loam grass land," with sand compost, but 

 with muck compost ; and our opinions, over and 

 over again expressed, have been to topdress nat- 

 urally moist lands, and, as a general rule, to plow 

 and cultivate to restore gravelly and sandy loams. 

 But we are not arbiters of the weather. An un- 

 usually dry season might greatly reduce, if not 

 destroy, the crop on "a high, sandy loam," espe- 

 cially if aided by the hot sheep droppings used. 

 No advice can be given to a farmer which it is 

 safe to follow without taking attending circum- 

 stances into account. If a single early, drench- 

 ing rain fell upon the manure spoken of, we can- 

 not see how it could fail of benefiting the grass, 

 provided it had any roots to work upon, Manure 

 is often applied where there are few roots left, and 

 the farmer is astonished that it does not increase 

 his crop ! 



High Prices of Wool. — The high prices to 

 which wool has attained, have greatly stimulated 

 the production, especially in the more remote 

 Western States. For the past two years large 

 numbers of sheep have been sent from Ohio, 

 Michigan, &c, to Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska, 

 where the climate and ranges are rarely excelled 

 for sheep husbandry. The clip of 1864 will no 

 doubt be largely in excess of that of any previous 

 year, and it will all be needed at remunerative 

 prices. The increased production of wool in Cal- 

 ifornia is remarkable. In 1857, the quantity 

 shipped from that State was fifty-five bales of very 

 inferior quality — worth from 6 to 10 cts. The 

 clip of 1863 — only six years later — was over 50,- 

 000 bales. According to this ratio of increase, 

 the clip of 1869 will reach 200,000 bales ; and in 

 1875, 1,250,000. The quality and condition of 

 California wool coming forward, is much better 

 now than formerly, and meets with increasing fa- 

 vor among manufacturers. Staple kinds in good 

 order command 40 and 50 cts. 



EXTBACTS AND REPLIES. 

 Sap Troughs for Sugar Makers. 



In answer to "Mr. Backwood's" inquiry in the Farm- 

 er for Feb. 6th, I would say that he can get a sawed 

 wooden spout for about 12 or 14 cents a rod, to carry 

 sap down the hill to the place for boiling, of Moses 

 Sheldon, of Calais, Washington County, Vt. Mr. S. 

 was presented with a diploma and premium at the 

 Vermont State Fair, last fall, at Rutland, for the above 

 invention. A. C. Powers. 



Sutherland Falls, Jan., 1864. 



Cut Peed for Horses. 



A correspondent in the Farmer for Feb. 6, 1864, 

 wishes to know whether cut feed for horses is any ad- 

 vantage. I presume I can answer the question to his 

 satisfaction. 



We have an old horse, some twenty years of age, 

 which we used to feed as your correspondent described 

 his. But since we commenced feeding him with cut 

 hay, mixed with about three or four quarts of meal 

 per day, it not only makes the horse look better, but 

 enables him to perform as much labor as two horses 

 fed on the old system. m. h. h. 



Fall River, 1864. 



Coal Ashes as a Fertilizer. 



I was informed that coal ashes are a fertilizer, which 

 would pay to cart a few miles; but I learned from a 

 neighbor, who was induced to try them, to the con- 

 trary. Buy gas lime, said an agent of a gas company. 

 I demurred. He said, I will make you a present of a 

 barrel. I tried it and found it wanting; but he lost 

 nothing, for many of my neighbors were induced to 

 try it on hfs saying that I tried it. 



Substitutes for Coffee. 



Substitutes in lieu of coffee meet the eye at every 

 grocery store. Beware of them. Many are the dele- 

 terious component parts. Illness was the result of 

 using that which was recommended to me as pure 

 ground coffee. Hundreds are the cases of ill health 

 brought on by its use, which are ascribed to other 

 causes. 



Increase the Manure. 



Every farmer on the sea coast need not have a leis- 

 ure day in the winter. Haul up the treasures of the 

 deep, seaweed. 1 took a look at a farm with the view 

 of purchasing; the owner's mind ran on thorough cul- 

 tivation, rather than driving a fine horse; his barn, 

 storehouse, and cellars were full, and his fields had 

 that color which predominates with the slaves. 



Setting an Orchard. 



If the young man who is about to set out an orch- 

 ard has noticed tbose trees which produce the best, he 

 will find that it is better to set one in a situation which 

 is protected from high winds. 



Newcastle, N. H.,Jan., 1864. 8. p. M. 



Sore Mouth in Sheep. 



A sure remedy for this complaint is to bathe the 

 parts affected with a strong decoction of sage, mixed 

 with an equal quantity of vinegar and add one half 

 ounce of blue vitrol to one quart of the mixture; 

 sweeten it with honey, and bathe every third day un- 

 til the disease disappears. I have used the above rem- 

 edy for a number of years, and never knew it to fail. 

 May it save others as many dollars as it has me. 



Hillsboro', N. H., Jan., 1864. g. g. r. 



Salt for Horses. 



I would like to inquire of you, or some of your cor- 

 respondents, whether salt is good for horses or not? 

 I have heard some good farmers say it was not, and 

 they reason something in this way — that the horse has 

 no gall, and the food is not digested by gastric juice, 

 but by a sort of gas which salt destroys ; they say that 

 it is not natural for the horse to love salt and he only 

 learns to do so by having it placed temptingly before 

 him. My horses* love salt and express as much un- 

 easiness to do without it three or four weeks, as do 



