1870. 



NEW ENGLAOT) FARIVIER. 



863 



And now, Messrs. Editors, can you or some of 

 the readers of the Farmer give me information as 

 to what ails my stools, and what can he done to 

 cure the disease ? d. k. w. 



Rockingham, VL, June 7, 1870. 



Remarks — A disease known as the Foot and 

 Mouth Disorder has been quite prevalent and fatal 

 in various parts of England for a year past. It is 

 described by some as attacking the hoof first which 

 gets sore, is licked by the animal, and thus the 

 disease is communicated to the mouth. Others 

 think the disease commences at the mouth, teats 

 and foot at the same time. This dangerous disease 

 is highly contagious. But from the account given 

 of it, we think it is quite different from that de- 

 scribed by our correspondent. 



Mr. Allen recogaizes two different forms of the 

 Fouls in cattle, which he calls the Soft and the 

 Horny. Dr. Dadd says the disease is analogous 

 to foot rot in sheep, and is caused by a stoppage 

 of the natural evacuations usually thrown off from 

 the system through the vessels or outlets that ex- 

 ist between the cleft. The object of treatment is 

 to restore the lost function. The part should be 

 cleansed, relaxed, and warmed first by water and 

 soap, then by a poultice, of half a pound of marsh 

 mellows, bruised ; a handful of powdered charcoal ; 

 a few ounces of powdered lobelia, and a teacupful 

 of meal, with boiling water sufficient to soften the 

 mass ; or equal parts of powdered lobelia, slippery 

 elm, and pond lily, bruised. Mix with boiling 

 water and put in a bag and secure it above the fet- 

 lock. Give the animal a dose of half an ounce of 

 sulphur, one ounce powdered sassafras bark, and 

 two ounces of any part of the burdock plant, 

 steeped in a quart of boiling water, strain and cool. 

 "Whenever any fungus excrescence makes its ap- 

 pearance, apply powdered bloodroot or burnt 

 alum. If there is a fetid smell wash with a table- 

 spoonful of salt, and a wine-glass of vinegar, in a 

 quart of water. 



In reply to an inquiry about a similar disease by 

 a farmer who says that out of a dairy of thirty 

 cows, one-half are affected. Prof. Law says, in the 

 New York Tribune, that the disease is Dry Gan- 

 grene, and is caused by an excess of Ergot in the 

 grasses and grains of last year. He says the feed 

 must be changed, and sound hay, steamed straw, 

 bran, shorts, roots, &c., used. He recommends 

 poultices of bran or oil meal, and if there is any 

 unpleasant smell add a few drops of carbolic acid. 

 To each sick animal one ounce of powdered gen- 

 tian should be given internally, each day. 



Will the readers of the Farmer give our corres- 

 pondent the benefit of their knowledge and expe- 

 rience with the disease which affects his stock. 



FATTENING TURKEYS. 



It is very easy to fatten turkeys where there is 

 plenty of corn, but it often costs nearly as much 

 as they are worth, where corn is scarce and high ; 

 and people are apt to think so much of their corn 

 and feed so sparingly, their turkeys are just about 

 as fat after they suppose they have got them ready 



for market as they were when they begun. I will 

 give the best and cheapest mode, in my opinion, 

 from my own experience; and if any of your 

 readers have any better and any cheaper way, I 

 would like to have them publish it in this paper, 

 for the benefit of myself and many others who 

 would like to know. 



When 1 commence to feed my turkeys in the 

 fall, about three or four weeks previous to killing 

 them, I begin to feed them potatoes boiled and 

 warm, two or three times a day. After I have fed 

 them a few days, I begin to put in a little corn 

 meal, and mix well together, — a little at first, and 

 increasing in quantity as the turkeys grow fatter, 

 always giving it to them warm, until they have all 

 that they want to eat. I feed them in this way 

 until they are fat. 



The time that it will take to fatten them will 

 vary according to the condition they are in when 

 I begin, their age, &c. Early turkeys will fatten 

 much easier and quicker than late ones, and will 

 look better when dressed. 



I think the value of potatoes and their fattening 

 properties are not generally understood as they 

 should be, either for poultry or pigs. I feed them 

 to hens, turkeys and pigs with good success. I 

 do not like the way of feeding potatoes raw or of 

 boiling enough to last a week, and feed them cold 

 as many people do, and tht n- say that potatoes are 

 good for nothing to feed. By taking a little pains 

 I can get turkeys as fat by feeding in this way, as 

 with corn, and much cheaper. If I have a large 

 flock, and not a very good chance for them to gleaa 

 harvested grain fielas, I feed a few potatoes to 

 them during the fall. A small flock will usually 

 get their living in the fields till the first of Novem- 

 ber, after which they should be well fed. 



A Farmer's Wife. 



Hyde Park, Vt., June 3, 1870. 



"WINTERING BEES. 



As you wish the experience of bee-keepers on 

 wintering bees, I would say that for wintering on 

 summer stands, the following is a cheap and safe 

 way. Make a box without top or bottom, set id 

 on over the hive, having a space of three or four 

 inches around the hive, and about six inches 

 higher than the hive after the cap is removed. 

 Then fill in around with shavings or cheap hay, 

 leaving a passage to correspond with the'entrance 

 into the hives, and lay a board over the top to 

 keep out snow, rain and mice. Keep them shaded 

 after the first of December, except about twice a 

 month, when the temperature is 47° or higher, so 

 that it will be safe for the bees to fly. My bees, 

 wintered in this way, consumed but very little 

 honey, and cameout l-n fine condition, and swarmed 

 as early as the 26ch of May to the 4th of June. 



For wintering a large number of Wves a build- 

 ing like the following would be better: build a 

 house eleven by twelve feet, and six feet six inches 

 between floors, make the walls with ten inch space 

 filled in with sawdust, clap boarded outside, and 

 sealed inside. Have a double door in one end, 

 with shutter and window in the other. The upper 

 and lower floor to be covered with sawdust. Both 

 upper and lower floor to be ventilated by a six 

 inch stove pipe. The cap should be slightly raised, 

 and the room kept dark and still. A. Green. 



Amesbury, Mass., June 6, 1870. 



FRUIT AND OTHER CROPS IN MICHIGAN. 



This is one of the great fruit growing sections 

 of the United States. For miles and miles it is a 

 wilderness of fruit trees and vines and beds. Tbe 

 prospects are of a medium crop, but no surplus 

 to be wasted, as was the case last year. The peach 

 growers are making a vigorous fight with the cur- 



