78 



NEW ENGLAND lAKMJ^ii. 



JbK... 



year, and the state of the atmosphere, are some of 

 the many conditions which experienced packers 

 find necessaiy to take into consideration. Few of 

 the "boys" who nttcrcdhard words about the "salt 

 horse" of their rations, were probably aware of 

 the difficulty of preserving beef, especially forwaiTn 

 climates, so as to retain the good taste and nutri- 

 tive value of beef the "year round," and yet avoid 

 the danger of "tainted meat." A man may grow 

 old in the packing business and still desire to learn ; 

 indeed, we believe that the most experienced are 

 the least positive. In curing pork we have adopted 

 the course recommended by our coiTCspondent, but 

 in preserving beef we have generally used a pickle, 

 fearing that a "layer of salt and a layer of beef" 

 would turn out the beef a little too much "corned." 



TREATMENT OF A SICK COLT. 



I notice in your paper of Dec. 15, an inquiry of 

 Lectum in regard lo his colt. I will give him my 

 views of the treatment for such a caae. Take the 

 inside of white oak bark and steep it until it is 

 quite strong. Let it cool ; then add four table- 

 spoonfuls of good Id-andy, one teaspoontul of tine 

 salt, the white of one egg, to each quart of the 

 liquid. Shake well together. Make two applica- 

 tions a day, rubbing well with the hand. Give him 

 a roomy stal^le, well Ijcdded on the ground. Do 

 not tie him, but exercise every day. Feed on dry 

 oats, or if ground, feed it dry, with good clean clo- 

 ver hav. A.' I" T. 



Fitchburg, Dec. 17, 1866. 



HOUSE FLIES. 



It is a long time since I have written for the 

 Farmer. I have had, however, a lot of articles 

 in my mind, but have been so busy with "de shobel 

 and de lioc" th.it there h.as been no time for the 

 pen. But an earnest call for light on the origin of 

 flics, in the Farmer of December 8th, prompts me 

 to take mine out from "under the bushel." Flies 

 are propagated in the summer in the compost heap 

 principally — mostly in horse manure. They de- 

 light in the fresh droppings of the horse, penetrat- 

 ing quickly into its loose texture, and depositing a 

 great number of eggs whicli hatch in a few hours ; 

 varying according to warmth of weather, and de- 

 gi-ee of heat of compost. In from tour to seven 

 days the maggot comes to maturity, creeps to the 

 side of the lieap, and takes the chrysalis form. It 

 then appears like a small egg, and is of a Oark 

 brick color. In about two days more, the perfect 

 fly appears, woi-ks his wings a little, to get the 

 "hang" of his new existence, and then flics directly 

 into your house, dear inquirer, and alights on your 

 nice "food. After wiping his feet and. luxuriating 

 on your good things tor a time, it goes back to the 

 bara to increase and multiply. Having learned 

 so much l)y observation, we put our knowledge to 

 practical use by letting the droppings of the horse 

 remain in the stable in summer aliout six days, 

 presenting great attractions to the flies that escape 

 me and those of my neighbors. They will soon 

 produce countless tlioiisands of maggots. We then 

 heat about six pails of scalding water, and while 

 one rakes over the heap another dashes on the wa- 

 ter, which literally straightens them out. Pitching 

 the scalded mass into tlie pig pen we pemiit the 

 pi'ocess to be repeated. It is not a particularly 

 pleasant operation, hut far better than to light them 

 after they are in the house. The women will be 

 glad to heat the water if the men will apjily it, and 

 botli will be pleased with the success of the plan, 



if well followed up. Hereafter we hope to bring 

 up the subject of horse flies. 



TIGHT barns. 



We see that Mr. J. W. Brown brings up this sub- 

 ject again. All appear to overlook one thing, viz. : 

 the fact that a small body of hay will not keep, no 

 matter how made, iniiny barn, while a large lot of 

 hay, rapidly got in and thoroughly stowed, will 

 keep good either in a tight or an open barn. If air 

 can have the least circulation thiongh hay it will 

 spoil ; if it cannot peneti-ate, it will t-poil a little on 

 the outside, and the rest will remain good. It 

 wants a very large mow to keep coarse hay, for it 

 is very hard to prevent coarse kinds of fodder from 

 becoming musty, for the reason tliat we cannot get 

 it close enough. Should like to give my experi- 

 ence in detail, but must close. Caleb Bates. 



Kingston, Mass., Dec. 11, 1866. 



Tor the New England Farmer. 

 BENTIlfG FARMS. 



Althougli the practice of rentintj farms is 

 sadly in disrepute in this country, there are im- 

 portant advantages to be derived from a wise 

 system of farm tenancy ; and could suoTi a 

 system be made popular, our agricultiu-al in- 

 terest would be promoted thereby. I would 

 not for a moment, advocate that men should 

 never own the land they till, as in many parts 

 of Europe, which is but the natural result of 

 a land monopoly. But here v:e are going to 

 the other extreme, and owner-.nip is regarded 

 as necessary to success. Suoh is the ambitious 

 spirit to possess land for ovie's self, and the ease 

 with which it can be gT-aiitied amid our liberal 

 institutions, that yoking men rather scorn the 

 idea of beginning u pon hired farms ; it does 

 not accord with a prevailing notion of inde- 

 pendence. And it is difficult to find tenants 

 who will occupy leased land for any length of 

 time, or tveat it fairly Avhen so occupied. A 

 more popular way is to run into debt for a farm 

 at the outset, and exercise the riglits of propri- 

 etor at all hazards. Consequently a heavy 

 burden is assumed at a critical period of life. 

 I say critical, for success depends partly upon 

 the manner a man- begins. All fair sailing 

 may not be desirable, but frequently heavier 

 burdens are assumed by the active an<l ambi- 

 tions, than can be well sustained, and they either 

 break down or struggle until a large share of 

 the courage and enterprise of earl}- manhood 

 i is lost, and they never attain that success they 

 could have reached under more favorable 

 circumstances. This mode of begiiniing is a 

 fruitfid source of much of our poor farming. 



The same principle carried into trade or 

 maivufacturing would be attended with similar 

 dithcultics, but mechanics and merchants are 

 generally content to hire a store, or shop, and 

 power, until they have established themselves 

 in business and have a surplus of capital. To 

 divide their capital at commencing between 

 stock in trade and purchasing real estate only 

 weakens their credit, — cripples and embar- 

 rasses their operations. Successful copartner- 

 ships are formed by one party furnishing capi- 



