420 



NEW ENGLAND FARIVIER. 



Sept. 



large families— the great prevailing sin of the 

 ' murder of the innocents" is to a great degree un- 

 known among them, and they are well instructed 

 in the great principles of freedom. As your cor- 

 respondent, aoove alluded to, did not assign the 

 causes why many of our young men leave the 

 farm, it may not be amiss in this connection to 

 briefly state them as they occur to the mind of the 

 writer. Many are dissatisfied with the quiet hum- 

 drum life of the farm, a feeling too often engen- 

 dered, we apprehend, from the cheap, sensational 

 works of ficcion too much afl )at. Others are tired 

 and sick of the many hours of farm labor required ; 

 of the utter lack of improvement everywhere visi- 

 ble, — the scraggy walls and fences, &c. ; while 

 others, stimulated by a purer and higher ambi- 

 tion, carve out a new destiny on the Western prai- 

 rie, carrying New Englana thrilt and enterprise 

 with them, giving character and tone to the new 

 country. It is not impossible that the time is com- 

 ing when the avenues of railway travel will open 

 communication to that extent between the East 

 and West, which shall make mechanical pursuits 

 paramount here, and agricultural products the 

 principal business there, just as we see in cities 

 particular Ijranches of business cluster in the same 

 neighborhood. Caleb Russet. 



Barre, Mass., July 4, 1870. 



"WHEAT OK RYE FOR GREEN FODDER. 



I have reserved a piece of ground on which I 

 intended to raise a crop of winter rye, to cut 

 green, for mikh cow feed in spring. Now I would 

 like to inquire what kind of a substitute winter 

 wheat would be ? 



The soil is so lich that it would produce heavy 

 straw, but the grain would be light, and the straw 

 lodge, if not early cut. 



I believe it is usually the case that the richer 

 the grain, the richer the stalk, from whose juices 

 the former obtains much of its marerial. 



Thus, sweet corn fodder i-i sweeter, better, and 

 more nutritious than any other. 



If there be no particular oljection, I shall 

 sow the piece with some of boili rye and wheat, 

 putting in very early. I have apiece of my own 

 now, looking finely, with plump heads of ripening 

 grain. John. 



Franklin, Mass., July 1, 1870. 



Hemarks. — We have never fed wheat straw in a 

 green state to cattle, and cannot, therefore, speak 

 from actual experience. No reason occurs to us 

 why winter wheat would not be a good substitute 

 for rye. The sowing of both wheat and rye will 

 be an experiment worth trying. Let us know 

 the result. 



YOrNG TURKEYS DYING. 



I wish to inquire the cause of the death of young 

 turke} s. They live and are smart until about six 

 weeks old, when they droop and die. At first I 

 thought it imglit be lice, but conclude it U not. I 

 have given th'tm evcrj thing I could think of, but 

 to no purpose. If you or any of the poultry men 

 can tell the cp.use and remedy you will confer a 

 tavor on a reader. J. a. 



Houth Beiwuk, Me., July 11, 1870. 



Remarks. — Will our correspondent, "A Far- 

 mer's Wife," of Hj de Park, Vt., reply to the fore- 

 going inquiry, as many other turkey raisers are 

 every year troubled in a manner similar to that 

 described by ''J. G." The cause, we have little 

 doubt, is in the nature of iho turUey. Mr. Bement, 

 in his work on Poultry, says, at two periods of 



their lives turkeys are very apt to die ; first, about 

 the third day after they are hatched ; and, second, 

 when they throw out what is called the "red 

 head," which they do at about six weeks old. 

 The latter is a very critical period in the life of a 

 turkey — much more so than the period of moult- 

 ing. A shower, even in warm weather, or damp 

 ground, will often carry oflF half a large brood. 

 The food should be increased at this time, and 

 rendered more nutritious by adding boiled eggs, 

 wheaten flour, bruised hemp seed, or a few bruised 

 beans. 



Mr. H. A. Sumner, of Brandon, Vermont, in 

 an article in the Farmer of June, 1867, says that 

 young turkies should not be allowed to ramble 

 until the dew is off, be returned to the coop nights, 

 and not allowed out on rainy days. 



STRAWBERRY CULTURE. 



It is my intention to start in the strawberry 

 business, and would inquire through your valua- 

 ble paper, which is the best time to transplant the 

 plants, — whether in the fall or spring; and also, 

 which kiod of berry does the best on sandy soil 

 in iSouthern Massachusetts ? If transplanted this 

 fall should I be able to get any fruit next season 

 from the plants so set ? Is it best to mulch straw- 

 berries in the spring to keep the sand from the 

 berries during rain storms ? t. h. m. 



New Bedford, Mass., July, 1870. 



Remarks. — The spring is usually supposed to 

 be the best time to set strawberry plants, though 

 we have been successful in setting the plants early 

 in August. If dry weather follows, they must be 

 plentifully watered, especially if on sandy land. 

 In field culture, there would be less risk in spring 

 setting than in August. 



It is not usual to take much fruit from the plants 

 the first year, as it is supposed to be more profit- 

 able to let the plants get thoroughly rooted before 

 they produce fruit. 



The Wilson's Albany is said by one of our largest 

 cultivators to be "the best for market and the 

 poorest for the table!" When thoroughly ripe, 

 however, it is spirited and excellent, although still 

 too acid for some tastes. 



It is a good plan to mulch the plants, as it not 

 only keeps the fruit from the ground, but keeps 

 the soil moist. 



The strawberry plant will bear high manuring, 

 and be all the better for it. 



butter making and pig growing. 



I would like to inquire through the Farmer, of 

 some good butter maker, if it is best to wash but- 

 ter, when it comes very hard and can be worked 

 without the use of water, so as to get all the but- 

 termilk out before putting the salt in, and if best 

 to finish it that day, or let it stand till the next; 

 ali-o, whether small pigs will do best on thick or 

 thin food. 0. M. T. 



Island Falls, Me., June, 1870. 



—It pays well to clip over pasture land with a 

 scythe at coarse places left by the cattle, and cart 

 and stack near stables for bedding. 



