1870. 



NEW ENGLAND FARjVIER. 



485 



the first calf, and another perfect calf about four 

 months along, were found. 



These statements were submitted to a medical 

 gentleman who has furnished the following 



Remarks — Cases of the retention of the foetus 

 after completing the tuU time of pregnancy, in the 

 human subject, have been reported, in which the 

 sort parts have been absorbed, and the bony parts 

 have been retained for years; the mother in the 

 meantime enjoying tolerable health. These were 

 cases in which the ovum was developed in the 

 ovarian instead of within th-e cavity of the uterus 

 in the natural way. A case occurred in this State 

 some years ago, in which a foetus was retained 

 some years, and an abscess forming in the side of 

 the abdomen, the remains of a foetus were removed 

 by a surgical operation. A woman is now living 

 who went her full time, — one child was born and 

 another retained, where it has remained more 

 than fifteen years. She has had tolerable health. 



Personally I have known no similar case in any 

 of our domestic animals, but I know no physiolo- 

 gical reason why it should not occur in them as 

 well as in the human subject. 



The fact of the cow referred to by "B. D. W." 

 becoming again pregnant, while retaining the 

 foetus, is not without parallel in the human sub- 

 ject. In this case, if the facts are correctly stated, 

 I have no doubt that there was an extra uterine or 

 ovarian impregnation. It is to be regretted that 

 there was not a careful dissection by a competent 

 anatomist, when the animal was killed. There are 

 many interesting facts yet to be ascertained in 

 veterinary practice, which can be revealed only 

 by post mortem examinations. 

 "I hope yon will hear again fronoiJilr. Hart. 



3, B. 



MAKING A MARKET GARDEN. 



I have about one acre of warm, sandy land, 

 somewhat run down, which I wish to bring up to 

 a fair state of fertility for a market garden, with 

 the least possible expense. Can you advise me 

 how to do it ? What fertilizers shall I use, and 

 how apply them, and in what quantity ? e. l. 



Lonq Plain, Mass., Aug. 10, 1870. 



Remarks. — For intelligence and shrewdness we 

 presume that the market gardeners of the vicinity 

 of Boston and New York wiil compare favorably 

 with any business men in the country, — whether 

 manufacturers, mechanics or merchants. Hence 

 it is reasonable to suppose that their system of 

 fitting land for profitable use as a market garden 

 is about the cheapest and best that can be devised, 

 under the circumstances. Stable manure, and a 

 plenty of it, is used by them, with but a small 

 amount of commercial fertilizers. We can give 

 you no better advice than to learn how old market 

 gardeners manage, and then follow their example. 

 The richest and best land only is fit for a market 

 garden. "Run down," "sandy land" cannot be 

 put in condition to compete with old market gar- 

 dens on heavy rich soil by any homoeopathic 

 doses of vest-pocket fertilizers. Even with very 

 liberal applications of stable manure it will require 

 some two years to bring it up to the required state 

 of fertility, admitting the soil to be suitable. 



If you are in earnest about making a market 

 garden, we will say plough it pretty deeply and 

 finely early this fall. Next spring harrow it thor- 

 oughly, and put on not less than ten cords, not 



loads, of stable manure and three "Brighton Ar- 

 tillery" loads of night soil. Plant cabbages the 

 first year, cultivate thoroughly so as not to let a 

 single weed go to seed or become established in 

 the soil. The next year apply not less than six 

 Gords of manure, half broad cast, half in the hill, 

 raise squashes, and exterminate weeds again, and 

 your ground will be only in fair condition to begin 

 to raise vegetables. 



The New England Farmer don't know of any 

 cheaper or better way of making a market garden, 

 and perhaps after you have tried the experiment 

 vdth cheaper fertilizers, and a cheaper process, you 

 will be less surprised than now at our lack of in- 

 formation. 



TOUGH chickens. 



Will the New England Farmer tell us, in its 

 next issue, why chickens, after being kept on ice 

 for three or four days, are tongh and stringy ? In 

 the city they are always tender; but here we find 

 them as described above, although bought of reli- 

 able neighbors. An Embryo Farmer. 



East IVareham, Mass., August 13, 1870. 



Remarks. — We are suspicious that your "reliable 

 neighbors" rely a little too much on your embry- 

 onic condition, and that the tough and stringy 

 chicken flesh that has been kept on ice' three or 

 four days, is owing to the fact that the eggs from 

 which they were hatched were laid in an earlier 

 Anno Domini than 1870. The city dealers in poul- 

 try are not "embryo" dealers. Educated to their 

 business, they depend on their own judgment 

 and knowledge in buying their goods, and not oa 

 "reliable neighbors." They know the difference 

 between a small, old hen and a large, young 

 chicken. It is hardly to be expected that a mere 

 "embryo farmer" should be able to distinguish 

 between the two, especially when offered by a 

 "reliable neighbor." 



CENTRIFUGAL THRESHING MACHINE. 



A thorough trial of the Centrifugal Threshing 

 Machine was made at my barn to-day, in the pres- 

 ence of some thirty farmers, representing all parts 

 of the town, several of them 'oeing "old threshers." - 

 The unanimous opinion was, that the machine is a 

 complete failure. Wheat, both that mowed and 

 that reaped, was put through in a like unsatisfac- 

 tory manner, — requiring much time and doing its 

 work in an imperfect manner, — whilst none but a 

 giant could turn it under full feed. Instead of 

 threshing ten bushels an hour, it is doubtful if 

 that number of bushels of wheat could be threshed 

 in a day. 



It was stated at the trial to-day, that one firm in 

 Manchester N. H., had orders for nine hundred of 

 these machines, but not one of them can now be 

 sold in this town at any price. 



The drought continues to "reign" triumphant. 

 Corn and potatoes are feeling it now severely. 

 Pastures are parched, and cows are failing in milk 

 rapidly. P- C. True. 



PiitsMd, N. H., Aug. 10, 1870. 



Remarks.— We saw this machine threshing oats 

 at Manchester last December, and watched its op- 

 erations with much interest. Though well aware 

 that the principle of the old saw "that one swallow 

 does not make a summer" is applicable to machine- 



