472 



NEW ENGLAND FARRIER. 



Oct. 



tressing symptoms may be greatly relieved by 

 judicious medical treatment. It is desirable 

 that, as early as possible, the fecal contents 

 of the colon and rectum should be effectually 

 removed, in order to prevent their continued 

 passage over the inflamed surface or seat of 

 the disease ; therefore the first point in the 

 treatment is to ascertain if the bowels have 

 been spontaneously relieved by large and 

 free evacuations at the outset of the disease. 

 If therei is reason to believe that accumulations 

 of feces still exist in the bowels, an effective 

 purgative should be given. Castor oil has 

 been in much repute for this purpose ; but 

 Epsom salts, Rochelle salts, Seidlitz powder, 

 citrate of magnesia, &c., are preferred by the 

 best physicians of the present day. After pur- 

 gation, opium, in some form, is the best rem- 

 edy. A combination of opium and ipecacu- 

 anha in the form of Dover's powder, is one of 

 the best opiates in this affection. The elixir 

 paregoric is an excellent remedy for children. 

 Opium, in powder or pill, laudanum, by mouth 

 or by rectum, and morphia, may be adminis- 

 tered advantageously, but this should be done 

 by the advice and under the supervision of a 

 competent physician. The subnitrate of bis- 

 muth, tannic acid, gallic acid, rhatany, kino, 

 catechu, logwood, blackberry root, white oak 

 bark, and various other astringents, are some- 

 times used as auxiliaries. 



The treatment of epidemic dysentery should 

 be simdar to that of the sporadic form, except 

 that more caution is needed in the use of ca- 

 thartics, and there is a greater demand for 

 supporting and stimulating measures. Qui- 

 nia, brandy, and opium are the most reliable 

 remedies in the malignant form of this disease. 



During the early stages of dysentery, the 

 diet should be restricted to a small quantity of 

 the blandest articles of food. After the first 

 few days, milk, mutton broth, beef tea, &c., 

 may be given in small quantities. It is an 

 object, throughout the disease, to have the 

 food as purely nutritious as possible. Drinks 

 should be used sparingly. Small quantities 

 of iced water, or bits of ice placed upon the 

 tongue may be allowed occasionally, and a 

 little toast- water, rice-water, &c., may be 

 taken at proper intervals. 



The pat'ient should be kept in bed, with the 

 knees drawn up, and a wet compress, covered 

 with a dry girdle, or a dry flannel compress 

 should be worn upon the abdomen. Enemas 

 of cold water are often very grateful, and a 

 piece of ice, wrapped in cloth and applied to 

 the anus, will frequently greatly relieve the 

 tenesmus. 



For the New England Farmer, 

 AW OLD RYE-FIELD — FODDER CORN. 

 Mr. Editor : — You will remember that two 

 years ago, when you were at my place, I 

 showed you an old worn-out pasture, covered 

 •with moss and hardback, with an occasional 



white birch or white pine. At that time we 

 had a consultation as to the best method of 

 improving it. Now this lot was in a worse 

 condition than most worn-out pastures, be- 

 cause years ago rye was raised upon it year 

 after year, without manure, till it would bear 

 rye no longer, then it was turned to pasture, 

 and the last skinning process applied. 



This spring I fenced off about half an acre, 

 to which, after ploughing, I applied about 

 three barrels of fresh-slacked lime, which was 

 harrowed in. The ground was then furrowed 

 out into rows about three feet and a half 

 apart, and manured in the furrow. Upon one 

 half of it a small quantity of Bradley's super- 

 phosphate of lime was sprinkled. Corn was 

 liber lly sown for, what Dr. Loring terms "the 

 meanest and cheapest of fodders." 



The corn on the part to which phosphate 

 was applied came up first, and grew the rank- 

 est. On the 15th of July it was eight feet 

 high. That on which the phosphate was not 

 used was about seven feet high. It entirely 

 shadowed the ground, and was of a very dark, 

 rich color. Now, Dr. Nichols says, corn 

 ought not to be so planted, for if the light 

 does not have free access, it will be yellow, 

 and not near so nutritive. 



Ever since a boy, I have known that light 

 is an important element in the production of 

 vegetation. Without it carbon cannot be as- 

 similated, and vegetables grown in the dark 

 are colorless, and consist of little but water. 

 I have also noticed that when manure was not 

 freely applied, plants were very yellow, though 

 blest, in consequence of their small growth, 

 with a bountiful supply of light, while wher- 

 ever there was a bountiful supply of manure, 

 the plants would be large, many of them, and 

 closely crowded ; but still they would be of a 

 very rich, dark green. 



The latter was just the condition of my corn, 

 which I find to be a very cheap fodder ; so 

 (hat I can agree thus far with Dr. Loring. 

 While others are complaining of being short 

 of feed on account of dry weather, I have an 

 abundance ; and I see no falling off on ac- 

 count of the change of feed, or the "mean- 

 ness" of the fodder. My young heifers are 

 growing as fast, and are in as good condition 

 as when the pastures were at the best. My 

 cows give as much milk, and their condition is 

 equally good. If it was not for this patch of 

 corn, which Dr. Loring designates as the 

 "meanest and cheapest of fodders," I should 

 now have to do as many others are doing — 

 draw upon the haymow. As it is, I have a 

 good supply of fodder till next October, with 

 half an acre of improved pasture upon whi^h I 

 shall put more manure this fall, and sow with 

 rye and grass. The rye I shall mow in June, 

 and feed green, and thus be able to keep more 

 stock, and thereby increase the manure for 

 this or other parts of the farm. 



Tnos. Whitaker. 



Needham, Mass., August 6, 1870. 



