148 



NEW ENGLAND FAEiVfER. 



IMabch 



as several have been published. Mr. Quinby's is 

 the latest work we have in our office, and we think 

 it a good work. Its price is $il.50. Some bee- 

 keepers prefer one hive, some another. 



CLARKSBURG, MASS. — CONCENTRATED FERTILI- 

 ZERS. 



In acknowledging the receipt of my first num 

 ber of your paper, I would say that I am glad 

 your agent got strayed into this county, as I un- 

 derstand he got a goodly number of subscribers. 



Clarksburg is a small town, three by six miles, 

 in the northwest corner of the Commonwealth of 

 Massachusetts. It is identified with North Adams, 

 as the south line of the town runs very near the 

 village. On the east, towerg the lofty range of the 

 Green Mountains, called the Hoosac. This town 

 has a nice view of Greylock mountain, and the 

 unevenness of the surfiice of the town makes it 

 rather unpopular for agricultural purposes, except 

 when stimulated by some other business that will 

 produce more than one crop in a year. 



In these fast daysof stoam and electricity, man- 

 kind, and particularly Young America, have be- 

 come electrified, and they must "get up and get," 

 or there is no enjoyment. Live fast and die young 

 is the principle. For farming it on a large scale, 

 and with machinery, and to make it profitable and 

 popular, the West offers great inducements. But 

 we who are attached to New England, and to Berk- 

 shire County, who love the mountains, the hills 

 and valleys, the springs of pure v.'ater and an un- 

 surpassed climate, are reluctant to leave. 



And now, Mr. Farmer, and ye learned agricul- 

 tural chemists, we look to you and ask, is there 

 not a concentrated fertilizer, of which one load on 

 an acre of these Berkshire hills will produce the 

 like efiect of one hundred loads of barn yard ma- 

 nure ? We have tried the superphosphates of Coe 

 and Bradley, and we think there is not much profit 

 in them. As an assistant fertilizer on chesnut and 

 oak lands. Nova Scotia plaster pays the best ; but 

 on our hemlock, spruce, beech and maple lands, it 

 is not worth near as much. Please let me know 

 the best concentrated fertilizer there is, and I will 

 promise to try it and report the result, o. w. b. 



Clarksburg, Mass., Jan., 1870. 



Remarks. — By and by we hope to be able to an- 

 swer such questions. Farmers' clubs, agricultural 

 colleges, and agricultural newspapers are all at 

 work on the problem, and who can doubt that the 

 time is coming when he who runs may read just 

 what he wants to know ? 



GREEN AND DRY CORN FODDER. 



Though my cxpeiience may not b3 as extensive 

 as many others, in the use of corn fodder, I would 

 say that I have been led to somewhat similar con- 

 clusions with t'hose stated by Asa G. Sheldon and 

 Dr. Nichols, in a late number of the Farmer. I 

 have planted sweet corn for green fodder for ray 

 cows, and have sown it broadcast, and drilled it in, 

 but have got better results from planting about 

 three feet one way, and putting the liills one foot 

 apart, with three or four kernels in a hill than any 

 other way. I liave commenced to cut it up and 

 feed green as soon as the pastures began to fail, but 

 it would make the cows scour, and I thought injured 

 them. So I would cut and stook round a hurse, 

 and let it cure two or three and sometimes four 

 days, and then give it to them, and it had a very 

 different effect. Hence, I prefer to have it thor- 

 oughly wilted before I give it to them. I have fed 

 green clover and green oats, but I prefer the 

 sweet corn to cither, cured in the way I have 

 named. I have sometimes had more sweet corn than 



I wanted to feed before putting my cows into the 

 roweu. In such cases I cut and cure as other corn. 

 I then pack it away for winter use. I had quite a 

 lut this year, and my cows have given a large 

 flow of milk, and we have made butter up to 

 the present time from cows that come in the 

 first of March next, but for two weeks I have 

 given them half a bushel of sugar beets and carrots, 

 equal parts, each per day. Were I to feed clover 

 or oats I should wilt them before giving them to 

 the cows. 



I have one cow now that I took of one of my 

 neighbors last fall, that was spoiled last summer, 

 as I think, by giving her green corn. 



Earlford, Vt., Jan. 25, 1870. R. H. Simonds. 



CATTLE CHEWING BOARDS, &C. 



One lot of my cattle, consisting of three cows, 

 two yearlings, and one calf, have a habit of gnaw- 

 ing boards, stanchions, sticks, &c. They are in 

 good condition, and have been fed on early cut 

 hay, and have been salted regularly. My other 

 stock, kept in the same barn, are free from this 

 habit. What shall I do for them. A Reader. 



Simonsville, Vt., Jan., 1870. 



Remarks. — It is generally supposed that this 

 taste results from the lack of phosphate of lime in 

 their food, and many farmers buy ground bone as 

 a medicine for this complaint. Prof. S. W. John- 

 son says that superphosphate sowed on old pas- 

 tures will prevent this trouble while increasing the 

 amount of grass. If you cannot get the bone meal, 

 try a change of hay, with browse of evergreens or 

 other trees. If the ground is not covered with 

 snow let them out on to ploughed ground and see 

 if they will not lick the earth ; or give them some 

 clean soil to eat, if they will. Some farmers have 

 pounded up bones fine with a sledge hammer for 

 their cattle. 



MAKING butter IN WINTER. 



Being a farmer's wife, and having had over 

 thirty years' experience in butter making, a few 

 hints as to my method may be of use to some of 

 your readers. 



As soon as the weather becomes frosty, I begin 

 to scald the milk. There are various ways of do- 

 ing this, but as my milk pans are stone, I set them 

 on the stove after the milk is strained and let it 

 get quite hot. The cream rises quickly. I skim it 

 in three or four days ,at most. After 1 get enough 

 cream for a churning, I set the churn by the stove 

 a short time, turning it occasionally so it may be- 

 come slightly warm all through. I never have to 

 churn more than an hour, and often not over 

 thirty minutes before the butter will come as nice 

 and sweet as one can wish, and if the buttermilk 

 is all loorked out and plenty of the best salt used, 

 it will keep well until warm weather. c. s. B. 



Somerset, Mass., Jan. 25, 1870. 



COMMISSIONER S REPORT. — LICE ON HENS. 



In a late editorial you spoke of the report of the 

 Commissioner of Agriculture. How and where can 

 I obtain this work ; What will be the expense ? 



Will some of your corrrespondcnts state the best 

 way to kill lice on hens ? C. C. Fuller. 



houth Gardner, Mass., Jan. 19. 1870. 



Remarks. — For the Report, write to the mem- 

 ber in Congress from your district. The expense 

 will be the cost of postage, only. These reports 



