116 



NEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



March 



yard manure until it seemed to have no eflfect on 

 the crops, because, as I supposed, a small quantity 

 of some material was wanted. My opinion would 

 be that bone simply ground, would not, in most 

 seasons, be likely to be taken up by the plants in 

 the first year. Again a soil may have enough of 

 this material, Init be deficient in something else. 

 Where the white-top flourishes, hcv/ever, I think 

 its effect must be highly i)eneficial. 



In my view, as valuable a material as bone 

 ground fine should not be condemned on a trial of 

 one, two or three years, for plants certainly can- 

 not take it up till it is dissolved and has time to 

 produce its full chemical effect on the soil and 

 crop. H. 



Epping, N. H., Jan., 1867. 



PROFIT OF POULTRY AND PIGS. 



The following is my experience for the year 1866, 

 ending December Slst, in raising in a small way 

 pigs and poultry. 1 have kept an exact account of 

 the expenditures and receipts, as a mere matter of 

 curiosity to myself, and perhaps your readers may 

 be instructed or amused by its perusal, and then 

 judge for themselves between pigs and poultry. 



In Jan., 1866, I purchased 44 hens, at 50c each . . $22.00 

 Fed to them during the year corn amounting to . 48.00 



Total expense $70.00 



I sold eggs amounting to $74.73 



Poultry 49.15 



44 hens and chickens on hand 22.00— $145.88 



Leaving a balance In my favor of $75.88 



My hens had no extra or particular care. They 

 had the run of my stable and yard attached to the 

 same ; that was all. 



Now for the pigs : 



In July, 1866, 1 bought a sow pig and paid for it . $20.00 

 Fed to it and tbe pigs, at the end of 4 mos., corn . 20.00 



Total expense $40.00 



I then killed the sow and sold it for . . $40.00 

 Bold 4 of her pigs in the summer for . . 20.00 

 I have now 4 pigs worth $10 each .... 40.00— $100.00 



Leaving, for the 4 months, balance in my favor . $ 60.00 



1 estimate that the manure made by the pigs is 

 worth the care of feeding them. 



Moses Eaton, Jr. 

 South Hampton, N. H., Jan. 5, 1867. 



Remarks. — The above is a workmanlike state- 

 ment, and we thank the writer for the communica- 

 tion. 



the butter remedy for a film. 



While sitting by my warm freestone stove, this 

 fifth of January evening, what should come upon 

 my tal)lc, with other welcome mail matter, but 

 your enlarged and most acceptable weekly, and the 

 almost forgotten — no ! not forgotten ; for 1 can't 

 forget your Monthly, so long as it is my most con- 

 f^tant book for reference. Staunch friends, both of 

 them, and I only wish you the patronage you de- 

 serve! Tlu'u you would nceil an oflice as large as 

 Faneuil Hall! But I will hot dwell on these top- 

 ics, though pleasant it is to me, and perhaps grati- 

 fying to you. I will say, however, that the Farm- 

 er always comes to me as an old, tried and fast 

 friend. May its shadow never be less. 



Allow me, right here, to make a suggestion. In 

 your caution to discountenance all humbugs and 

 impositions, please l)e cautious how you condemn 

 a good thing. Some things recommended by prac- 

 tical men may ap[)car absurd at first sight, yet 

 there is truth at the bottom. You refer in a note 



to a statement in the Tribune about putting fresh 

 butter in animals' ears, to take a film from the op- 

 posite eye, and characterise it as "one of the bar- 

 barous methods which are sometimes resorted to 

 111 the treatment of cattle diseases." I read the 

 notice in the Tribune with much interest, as I hap- 

 en to know something of the use of the remedy. I 

 should say, myself, considering the quantity there 

 recommended, there was a little look of barbarism. 

 But permit me to step right into the ring and de- 

 fend the fresh-butter remedy, only in a milder 

 way. The remedy was used by my father, as long 

 ago as I can remember. Some thirty-five years 

 ago the pet house dog, old Prince, the pet of us 

 youngsters, got his eye hurt in the woods by a 

 stick switching into it. I remember it well, for 1 

 was then a lover of the dog, as most boys are, and 

 we feared the old fellow would be Ijlind. There 

 being no fresh butter in the house, some cream was 

 put into a bottle and shaken till it produced butter. 

 A piece twice as large as a marrow-fiit pea was par- 

 tially melted and put into the ear opposite the af- 

 fected eye. In a few days the film disappeared, to 

 our great joy. From that time, it became the uni- 

 versal remedy in that vicinity. I have used it 

 many times, and it 7iever has failed. 



Some few years since, the eye of a colt I was 

 driving, got injured, became inflamed, and finally 

 a film appeared, and was spreading rapidly over 

 the eye-ball. Happening to be in the company of a 

 veterinary surgeon, I submitted the case to him. 

 He said it was a serious injury, and he would take 

 the case in hand for ten dollars. I did not engage 

 him, but decided to tiy the butter. 1 did so, and 

 in a few days the eye was all right. A piece as 

 large as a walnut is sufficient for an ox or a horse. 

 I do not remember ever being under the necessity 

 of giving the second dose. Judging from my own 

 experience, it is a mild and sure remedy. 



Weare, N. H., Jan., 1867. Z. Breed. 



WHY the boys dislike FARMING. 



I have seen the question asked in the Farmer 

 several times. Why do our young men have so lit- 

 tle taste for fanning ? I've seen several replies, 

 but no satisfactory ones. Though young and not 

 used to being in print, I venture to offer what, in 

 my opinion, is the true cause. First, a great many 

 boys take no interest in their work because there 

 is nothing to interest them. A farmer's boy is 

 most generally called up l)efore daylight and set to 

 work, hurried through with his meals, and, ap- 

 parently forgetting that he is a boy, he is kept to 

 work year after year till he arrives at manhood. 

 Now, is there any wonder that a boy gets disgusted 

 with farm life, and longs for the time that shall 

 free him from it ? What, then, must be done to 

 obviate this difficulty ? If a boy is happy and con- 

 tented at home, he will never wish to leave when he 

 arrives at manhood ; for, if his home is what it 

 should be, it will be to him tlie hajjpiest spot on 

 earth. To cultivate a love for farming, I)oys must 

 h.ave something they can call their own. Let them 

 have a sheep, a few hens, or a piece of ground to 

 cultivate for themselves, and above all remember 

 that 



All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. 



And now I think if these rules are .well observed 

 our farmers will have no cause to ask why our 

 young men leave for tlic city. 



Shelburne, Mass., Ja7i. 5, 1867- 



Chiel. 



nOO AND ULOOD SPAVIN. 



Bog spavin owes its origin to hard work in early 

 life. It commonly comes in the liam, and is caused 

 by the joint oil of the hock issuing into the mem- 

 brane that surrounds it, and stagnating under the 



