1870. 



KEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



37 



should be stated, would it be right for them as 

 law-n:akers to become law-breakers ? 



The best rules and the best laws may seem to 

 operate unjustly in individual cases. It certainly 

 seems unjust that, as in the case of our correspon- 

 dent's butter, the poorer article should have worn 

 the "blue ribbon," but under the "rules" imposed 

 on the awarding committee, we do not sec how 

 they could have done otherwise. As farmers 

 make little pretentions to skill ia drawing up legal 

 documents, might there not be a provision by 

 which, as lawyers sometimes do, they could 

 amend their statement so as to meet any require- 

 ment that might have been overlooked in writing 

 it out. 



With the exception of the omission which our 

 correspondents admits, his statement is full and 

 clear. Even the temperature of the milk room is 

 given, and, as he says, we think the details which 

 are stati'd would enable any one who followed 

 them out to make premium butter. And v;e sym- 

 pathize with him in his disappointment in finding 

 that the omission of a statement of the tempera- 

 ture of the cream when put into the churn should 

 have given to another the honor which otherwise 

 was so justly due to him. And we venture to ex- 

 press the hope that next year he will exhibit not 

 only the best butter but the most complete state- 

 ment of any dairyman in the county. 



TO HIM WHO BUILDETH A BAKN. 



I wish to make inquiry, 1st. Have you decided 

 on a plan for its construction ? If so, let me ask 

 you to reflect much upon that plan and be sure 

 that it is the best one possible for your location. 

 You will build for the use of yourself and coming 

 generations, and how important that it be so ar- 

 ranged that you and they may accomplish the 

 greatest amount of work in the least possible time. 

 At times you will have to "pitch ofiF and mow 

 away" a load of hay or grain when a quarter of an 

 hour may save the wetting of a ton of hay or a 

 load of grain, and a consequent loss. Is that plan 

 of yours so arranged as to save the most time 

 and labor in unloading? If so, you will have 

 an atd'c floor or drive way in the roof. It is the 

 cheapest help a man can have to "mow away" 

 crops, and will save you a large interest on its cost. 

 No man ever regretted making this labor-saving 

 •machine, who had used it two seasons. Such a 

 floor way in the roof is also the cheapest and the 

 best store-house for carts and wagons in winter. 



You also will have to spend many hours during 

 the told winter days in "doing chores." Does 

 ycjur plan arrange your stables and feeding pens 

 for all kinds of stock so as to be got at with the 

 least waste of time, strength, fodder and comfort ? 

 If so, you will be able to review your whole regi- 

 ment of animals almost at a single glance. 



Of course you have a cellar for manure, &c. 

 But is It an atlic cellar, — a cold frozen space above 

 ground, — or a warm cellar, mostly below surface, 

 where manure will not freeze nor pigs nor poultry 

 suflFer ? 



Think well, my dear sir, on the plan of the barn 

 you are to build, being careful not to copy the 

 commonest size, or the exact arrargement, of all 

 the old barns in your neighborhood, if it is possi- 

 ble to do better. Do not be afraid to strike off on 

 on anew style of your own, if satisUed that it is 

 an improvement. Never forget that it costs no 



more to shingle a tall barn than a low one ; that 

 it is much less expensive to keep in repair one 

 large barn than two or three small ones, and that 

 it is much easier to pitch hay and grain "tcith 

 gravitation than against gravitation." 



It in debt, you cannot alford to build without an 

 upper drive way, even on level land. c. f. n. 



Randolph, Vi., Xov., 1869. 



THE THOUSAND-LEGGED WORMS. 



Some two years ago Mr. George B. Hale, of 

 Dover, Mass., sent us specimens of these worms, 

 known as the American Myriapoda, Centipedes, 

 Millepedes, &c., and stated that they were greatly 

 injuring his crops, having in one case destroyed a 

 field of turnips, in which they were so numerous 

 that he had counted no less than five hundred on 

 a single turnip. The annexed cut of 

 these worms is copied from Prof. Ten- 

 ncy's late work on Natural History. 

 Though we had occasionally found them 

 on potatoes and turnips, we had sup- 

 posed, as taught by such scientific men 

 as Professors Harris, Tenney, &c., that 

 they were comparatively harmless, as 

 they were said to feed on dead, decaying, 

 or diseased vegetable matter, and not 

 on that which was live and healthy. A 

 similar reply was made by Prof. Asa 

 Fitch to a communication in the Country 

 Gentleman, by a man in Pen.'tylvania 

 who complained that these worms had 

 almost totally destroyed every thing of a vegetable 

 kind in his garden for the last three years, includ- 

 ing strawberries, cucumbers, radishes, beans, 

 onions, &c. 



Prof. Fitch has, however, since that time paid 

 particular attention to the habits of the Millepedes, 

 and he now says : — 



"Within a few years past, I harve had these 

 worms under particular examination, and can now 

 present most conclusive evidence, showing that 

 they are not hanuless and inolfensive, as writers 

 have taught us to believe, but that they attack and 

 devour with avidity tender succulent vegetation 

 which is in a perfectly healthy and growing state, 

 and that they are liable to become so multiplied ia 

 our gardens as to be one of the very worst pests 

 with which we have to contend." 



BVRSAL SWEELINQ. 



Sometime since I wrote you in relation to a. 

 swelling upon a cow's knee, which you termed a 

 bursal swelling, and directed me to open it and 

 bandage with a compress bandage. I did so, 'wice, 

 but it tilled again in twenty-four hours. Ii you 

 know of any other remedy please inform through 

 the Fakmek. J. H. Bovkne. 



Grolon, Mass., Oct. 23, 18G9. ♦ 



Remarks. — Such swellings will often fill up, as 

 this has. Surgeons sometimes make a small open- 

 ing, squeeze out the contents, and inject with a 

 syringe, a solution of sulphate of zinc, half aa 

 ouuce to a pint of water, retain it a lew uiiuutes 

 aud then empty it out and apply the bandage. 

 Repeat this several times if it fills up. But we 

 think it would be better to consult your fauiiiy 

 physician, if there is no iutiUigcnt veterinarian in 



