134 



NEW ENGLAND FAKMER. 



Maech 



water stands within reach of the roots of such 

 crops. When the water can be taken off from the 

 low places and pond holes, in such an intervale as 

 you describe, at a reasonable expense, it is cer- 

 tainly poor farming to allow it to remain. 



When land is subject to such annual flooding, it 

 is important to get the water off as soon as possi- 

 ble. We have sometimes thought that such land 

 might be treated as they treat salt marshes, — cut 

 deep, narrow, open ditches in the direction of the 

 out-fall, which shall take off the water as fast as 

 the river falls, and not allow it to filter through the 

 soil, and be weeks in getting off. Evaporation 

 carries offbeat as well as water, and the land is 

 kept cold a long time, and nothing but water 

 grasses and bushes will grow on such soil until it 

 becomes warm. We know a large tract of meadow 

 on which the water is kept near the surface by 

 means of a dam, and the good grasses which for- 

 merly grew there have been killed out, and only 

 flat meadow grasses grow now ; and the value of 

 the land has been reduced from one hundred dol- 

 lars to fifteen per acre. 



BAKLEY — WINTER VS. SPRING. 



The statements of "E. R. S.," Cornish, N. H., 

 in the Farmer for January 22, were doubly inter- 

 esting to me, from the fact that I intended for the 

 first time, to sow a piece of barley. As I sell milk 

 (not butter) such food as will produce a good flow 

 of milk is necessary. For this purpose I have 

 heard barley highly recommended. But the bar- 

 ley crop is not a common one in my vicinity ; and 

 I wish to inquire of "E. R. S.," or of any one else 

 who may be posted, which is the most profitable 

 to raise for fodder to be cut green, the winter or 

 the spring varietj' f Several farmers of whom I 

 have inquired never heard of a winter variety be- 

 fore. Winter rye does much better here than 

 spring. Winter wheat when not winter killed, 

 does better than spring wheat. Winter grains 

 sowed early, usually spread out and make several 

 stalks. There is also more time to attend to such 

 business in fall than in spring. b. a. f. 



Franklin, Mass., Jan. 24, 1870. 



Remarks. — While handing over the above in- 

 quiry to "E. R. S.," or to any one posted on the 

 subject, we will remark, that an Orleans County, 

 N. Y., correspondent of the Country Getitleman, 

 says that winter barley was raised in that section 

 to some extent a few years ago, but there is very 

 little sown now. It gives a very good yield when 

 it does well, but is very apt to winter kill, and sel- 

 dom does well unless sown on good, dry, rich 

 land thfit is well protected from cutting winds. 



In his essays on soiling cattle, Mr. Quincy speaks 

 of sowing barley for green feed in April for an 

 early, and in June, from the 15th to early in July, 

 for a late crop, but we see no mention by him of 

 experiments with the winter variety. 



PURGING OR SCOURING IN A COW. — BUNCHES ON 

 A COLT. 



I have a cow that has been troubled by scouring 

 for some time, and am unable thus far to check 

 the complaint, or to assign a satisfactory cause 

 therefor. I have also a two-year-old colt that 



has bunches on its feet, which have somewhat the 

 appearance of spavins. Aryin Wood. 



Cheshire, Mass., Jan. 2, 1870. 



Remarks.— Give the cow the following, and re- 

 peat the dose every twenty-four or thirty-six hours : 

 Pulverized rhubarb, saleratus, extract of logwood, 

 and cinnamon, of each one large tablespoonful. 

 Mix well in a pint of milk, and administer; or 

 the medicine may be formed into a ball with 

 dough. If a more powerful astringent is needed, 

 omit the saleratus, and in its stead add the 

 same quantity of tannic acid, or gum kino. 



For the colt, we would recommend that the hair 

 be shaved off, and the bunches painted twice or 

 thrice a day, with tincture of iodine. If that does 

 not prove effective, apply the following : — Binio- 

 dide of mercury, two drachms ; lard, one ounce. 

 Mix, and form an ointment, and apply two or 

 three times a day. 



A heifer with a COUGH. 



Can you or any of your readers tell me of a 

 cure for a heifer that coughs bard ? She was pur- 

 chased last March, and coughed till she was turned 

 tu grass, but coughed butvery little if any through 

 the summer, but began again as soon as she began 

 to eat hay this winter. Geo. D. Barton. 



Chester, Vt., Jan. 16, 1870. 



Remarks. — This heifer has a chronic affection 

 of the lungs, consisting in an irritated, and per- 

 haps slightly inflamed condition of the mucous 

 or lining membrane of the bronchial tubes and 

 cells. The dust arising from hay and other dry 

 feed, is inhaled, and by coming in contact with the 

 diseased surface, causes the cough above de- 

 scribed. 



Medicines will be of little use so long as the ex- 

 citing cause is continued. Discontinue the hay 

 entirely, or else wet it thoroughly, and feed 

 chopped corn stalks, moistened, and a little meal 

 sprinkled on them, — also, roots, meal and bran 

 mashes, &c. It will be better to steam the hay, 

 stalks, or straw that may be fed. 



ORCHARD GRASS. 



I would like to inquire if the "orchard grass" is 

 what some call "witch grass ?" and how much it 

 takes to seed an acre ? how it yields ? if it is profit- 

 able on dry land ? and if it will stand a drought 

 better than Timothy ? 



SCRATCHES ON HORSES OR CATTLE. 



I have found the following remedy for scratches 

 on horses or cattle to be excellent: Take a piece 

 of alum the size of a robin's egg, dissolve in half 

 a teacup of hot water, add half a teacup of strong 

 vinegar and a tablespoonful of saleratus just before 

 using, — and apply warm. Thomas Roby. 



North Sutton, N. H., Jan. 5, 1870. 



Remarks. — The orchard grass is the Dactylis 

 glomerata, or cock's-foot. It grows in tufts or 

 bunches, and is tall and coarse on good soil. It is 

 not profitable for hay. On poor pasture land it is 

 of some value, as it starts early. It does best in 

 moist land, and in shady places. It docs better 

 on clay lands at the south and west than in New 

 England. It is said to do well to sow with red 



