1867. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



217 



while eating the straw, to keep their courage up; 

 yet what is threshed mea.sures up satisfactorily, 

 averaging from 20 to 40 bushels per acre. 



The berry is not quite so plump and fat as some 

 other varieties, and some thiuk the straw is not so 

 stiff as it ought to be ; but I rather think it would 

 be as stiff as other kinds, if it did not grow any 

 longer, or produce more tons per acre. It is now 

 selling here for $3 per bushel, for flouring, and 

 pure, selected largest kernels only, and cleansed, 

 could i)rol)ably be obtained for $3.50 per bushel, 

 for seed, by the barrel. 



Our mode of culture is almost precisely as de- 

 scribed by Mr. Hutchins, in the same paper. I sow 

 it the second year from the sward. 



RuFus Nutting. 



Randolph, Vt., March 9, 1867. 



CATTLE CHEWING BONES, &C. 



I should like to know if you or any of your sub- 

 scribers can tell what will cure cattle of chew- 

 ing bones and bits of boards ? I have tried salt, 

 ashes, lime, plaster, flour of bone, and pieces of old 

 mortar, l)ut they do not stop the habit. If you can 

 infomi me, you will oblige a subscriber. 



HoUistoii, Mass., Jan. 24, 1867. R. P. 



Remarks. — This bone question is somewhat of 

 a vexed one. It will be easier, we think, to say 

 what will cure it, than to say what causes it. 



Some impute it to a want of salt; that cannot be, 

 for cattle chew bones that have constant access to 

 salt, are fed on salt hay partly, and even live di- 

 rect!}' on the sea shore. We have seen a case re- 

 corded, where alx)ut 40 head of cattle were nearly 

 rabid all winter with this morbid appetite for old 

 bones, pine boards, &c., although the farm was 

 washed by salt water, and the cattle were fed half 

 the time with salt hay. 



The cause of this appetite seems to us to lie in 

 the great change from an abund.ant, succulent and 

 nutritious food, open air and exercise, to dry food 

 and conflnement. 



The remedy must be, first, in cultivating the land 

 with a proper rotation of crops, so that the grasses 

 and grains will prove sufficient to produce, in grow- 

 ing aniuu^ls, all the parts belonging to them, such 

 as hair, horns, hoofs, wool and bones. 



Second, give animals an opiiortunity, at all sea- 

 sons of the year, if possible, to come to the bare 

 ground, for an hour or two at a time. We well 

 remcml)er how eager the oxen were to lick the fur- 

 rows when we first began to plow in the spring, 

 and how voraciously a horse would sometimes eat 

 half a pint of the soil, and if let loose, roll and rub 

 himself in it, with more delight than a group of 

 boys would roll themselves in a lavender bed! If 

 the ground is covered with snow, manage to pre- 

 serve some earth from freezing, and place it about 

 the yard, a quart in a place, several times during 

 the winter. 



Third, where evergreens are abundant and han- 

 dy, it will be economical to lay them before the 

 neat stock and colts, as well as the sheep. 



Cribbing horses, and those that merely gnaw 

 their mangers, maybe cured by allowing them the 

 freedom of a little yard in the open air, access to 

 the ground, and a variety in their feed. 



All our stock need a variety of food in the winter. 



A mess of roots daily, and a little grain, added to 

 hay and corn fodder, would be quite likely to stop 

 bone-chewing. 



At the same time, if an animal will eat lx)ne 

 meal, give it to him, as much as he will take; if 

 the meal is not at hand, break the bones with a 

 sledge or hammer, as fine as you can. Give salt 

 frequently, be regular in the time of feeding, keep 

 the barn clean and sweet, and there will not be a 

 general habit of chewing bones, though occasional- 

 ly a single case may occur with cows in calf, or 

 those who have just dropped them. 



HOW TO DKY BEEF. 



I wish to inquire through the New England 

 Farmer, the best way of preparing and drying 

 beef? A Subscuiber. 



East Abington, Mass., 1867. 



Remarks. — The best dried beef we ever ate was 

 at the table of E. D. Rust, Esq., now of Brandon, 

 Vt., and was prepared as follows : For 100 pounds 

 of beef make a brine of nine pounds of salt, two 

 pounds of brown sugar, one quart of molasses, two 

 ounces of saltpetre, two ounces of saleratus. Mix 

 them well together in water, then boil and skim. 

 When this is cool, pour it over the meat, being 

 careful to have every particle of it covered with 

 the brine. Let the beef remain in the brino until 

 the seasoning has struck through it, then take it 

 out, wipe it dry and h.ang it up. Some persons 

 hang it overhead in the kitchen, for a week or two, 

 and then in some place more out of the way. 

 When sufficiently dried it may be inclosed in bags 

 so tight that no insect can enter, and kept in a 

 cool, dry place. If desired, it can be smoked for 

 a day or two, or longer, as hams are smoked. 



STEAMING FOOD FOR CATTLE. 



Wilt you give me your opinion about steaming 

 food for cattle ? I have more coarse fodder than 

 good hay, and should like to know the best way 

 to feed it. Wm. Rowland. 



North Dartmouth, 2d mo., 20th, 1867. 



Remarks. — Steaming food for cattle is profita- 

 ble, no douljt, if a large stock is kept where fuel is 

 moderate in price, and where one can have a sys- 

 tematic and somewhat skilful person to attend the 

 operation of steaming. 



The next Itest course is described in the weekly 

 Farmer of Nov. 10, 1866, a copy of which we send 

 you. 



WEATHER — SUGAR-MAKING — SCARCITY OF CATTLE 

 PRICE OF HAY — SNOW DUII'TS. 



Another winter has gone, and another spring 

 comes Marching on. Now and then a solitary blue 

 bird is heard sounding its notes on tlie adjacent 

 hills, but the prospect is that we are not yet done 

 with Jack Frost. For a week past the weather has 

 been warm and spring-like, but now it has changed, 

 and winter seems to be struggling once more for 

 the mastery. 



The farmers up here on the hills are making ac- 

 tive preparations for the sugaring season, and they 

 expect a generous flow of saccharine fluid. 



There is a great scarcity of cattle, most of them 

 having been sold the fore part of winter ; many far- 



