42 



NEW ENGLAND FARRIER. 



Jan. 



Yankee hoe. We admit that either process 

 would be to slow and too laborious. We re- 

 member of once meeting a bright English boy 

 who had left his father's farm in Ohio, be- 

 cause, as he said, the old gentleman insisted 

 on his performing the back-breaking opera- 

 tion of dibbling in each kernel of corn, while 

 their Yankee neighbors over the fence prac- 

 ticed a much easier and more rapid process, 

 and raised equally good crops. 



But the next question, Is there any other 

 mode of planting wheat that can be adopted 

 by farmers of small means ? cannot be dis- 

 posed of in the same way. Except where 

 the land is too rough, or too full of roots and 

 stones, we believe there is another mode by 

 which it may be accomplished, and that mode 

 is by drilling. Machines are made and sold 

 in this country, we understand, at prices rang- 

 ing from sixty to three hundred dollars. Our 

 idea of "planting wheat" is realized by the 

 successful operation of these machines. With 

 them the seed is placed in rows at such dis- 

 tances apart, and covered at such depth, as 

 the operator desires. He can also regulate 

 the distances between the plants in the rows. 

 To some of these drills rollers may be at- 

 tached, so that not only may the seed be planted 

 and covered, but the land rolled at the same 

 time. The plants when thus standing in 

 straight rows may be cultivated by horse- 

 power, with a suitable implement, — complet- 

 ing several rows at a time. Toe usual dis- 

 tance between the rows in drill-planting is from 

 nine to twelve inches. But in all cases, we 

 believe, an important saving of seed is gained 

 by drilling over that of sowing by broadcast. 



Our idea of the cultivation of crops has 

 been that we should aim to get the largest 

 amount of grain, not straw ; but there may be 

 something worth considering in our correspon- 

 di ni's ^uggebtions on this point. He seems so 

 thoroughly acquainted with the whole matter, 

 that he may show us reasons why a certain 

 amount of each, may be more profitable than 

 a larger amount of one than of the other. 



We shall be glad to hear from him again, 

 not only on this point, but on the advantages 

 and di.^advantages of drill husbandry, which 

 we understand is extensively practiced in his 

 part of the old country. 



— The Michigan Agricultural College graduated 

 ten young men on the 10th of November, 



For the Xeiv England Farmer, 

 MILK OR PUERPERAL FEVER. 



Can you, or any of your readers, give me a 

 name for a disease in cattle, which 1 will de- 

 scribe as well and briefly as possible. A 

 friend of mine had a valuable cow that 

 dropped her calf on the 14th of the present 

 month, and, to use an expression common 

 with farmers, "she did well," in every parti- 

 cular. She calved in the morning. At even- 

 ing her calf was taken from the stable and tied 

 on the barn floor, the cow being tied up in 

 her usual place. 



The morning following, she could not get 

 up, even with help, and never got up again. 

 Several so-called cattle doctors saw her, and 

 thev varied considerably in their opinions re- 

 garding the disease. One said milk fever, 

 another internal hemorrhage, another stop- 

 page, &c. The cow lingered till this morn- 

 ing, when, seeing no hope of recovery, she 

 was killed and opened. Found the liver of 

 unusual size, and the gall four times as large 

 as it should be ; the liver was darker colored 

 than usual, and was brittle or rotten, that is, 

 you could easily break or crack it between 

 your thumb and finger. The manifold (I 

 think they call it) was full and hard to the 

 touch. 



On cutting it open, found it full, and the 

 contents perfectly dry, hard and on the outer 

 edges a slight scale or crusting that was black. 

 The lun::s I did not see, but they said they did 

 not look badly. 



The cow's food for six months past has 

 been one quart of corn meal per day, and 

 grass from the pasture. She did not seem to 

 be in any pain at the first, but in thirty-six 

 hours, perhaps, was in a good deal of pain, 

 groaning with every breath. She did not 

 want 'to lie with her head straight or natural, 

 but inclined it backward and would turn her 

 head over so as to rest in on both horns, with 

 her nose in the air. She swelled some, though 

 not very much, and was entirely blind a great 

 portion of the time. Her body did not feel 

 as warm to the touch as when in health, and 

 would perspire freely when covered with a 

 blanket, or when any warm drinks were given. 

 Should be glad to hear from some one posted 

 in such matters. I will add that her flow of 

 milk did not cease any more than it would 

 have done in ordinary sickness. Senex. 



Cumberland, R. I., Nov. 1, 1869. 



Remarks. — We think the disease was what 

 is called among farmers, milk fever, — more 

 properly, puerperal fever, or inflammation of 

 the worn!), attended with fever. The secre- 

 tions of the intestines ceased, and (he contents 

 of the manifold became dry in consequence ; 

 the liver became gorged with blood, and its 

 texture softened. Such cases are usually 



