1870. 



NEW ENGLAND FAEIMEE. 



559 



tered it from a junk bottle. Business then called 

 him away for a short time, and on his return he 

 found that the ox had been re-yoked, and the 

 team driven on with its load. A little laudanum 

 could have been added to the solution of pearlash 

 if it had been at hand. 



• This alkali (pearlash) stopped the fermentation 

 of the clover in the rumen (stomach) of the ox; 

 and from the immediate relief afforded, it may be 

 inferred that the gas generated by the fermenta- 

 tion was carbonic acid, and that it iumediately 

 combintd with the alkali of the solution by which 

 its volume was reduced to nothing, virtually, as 

 this comiiination would not increase the volume 

 of the ^olutIou in an appreciable degree. 



While pen is in hand let. me add that a farmer on 

 line of the Western railroad ( Worcester to West 

 Stockoridge,) when that road was building, had a 

 sheep so badly poisoned that it was given up as 

 lost. A civil engineer, boarding with the farmer, 

 knowing that many poisons were acids, proposed 

 to make an experiment with an alkali. The prop- 

 osition was immediately acceded to, and a dose 

 of saleraius was given, with immediate relief and 

 complete cure. f. j. c. 



Upring field, Mass., Oct. 12, 1870. 



TO CLEANSE BARRELS — WINE FILTER. 



How can I cleanse old cider barrels so that they 

 will be perfectly sweet .> Hosv shall I make a filter 

 for elderberry or tomato wine ; and how coarse 

 should be the gravel used. Subscriber. 



Heath', Mass., Oct., 1870. 



Remarks. — Musty barrels cannot probably be 

 made "perfectly sweet" by any process. Put in a 

 pint of unslacked lime and a commou trace chain, 

 with a string attached for pulling it out, then add 

 three or four gallons of hot water, and roll and 

 , shake the barrel about until the mould is worn 

 off, then rinse well, and it will probably be con- 

 siderably sweetened. 



We find the following directions for making "a 

 filter," but whether it is suitable for the purposes 

 of wine-making we do not know. 



Take a flower-pot, or any other vase having a 

 hole in the bottom, fill the bottom with large 

 round pebbles, cover these with small pebbles, 

 then widi coarse sand or fine gravel, and finally 

 with four inches of pounded charcoal. The char- 

 coal may be placed in a bag and broken with a 

 mallet or hammer, then sifted and the finest dust 

 rejected. Lay a clean flannel over the charcoal, 

 held down by stones on the corners. 



GAME LAWS, AND aVOTATIONS OF PARTRIDGES. 



I would like to inquire through your valuable 

 paper why birds called partiidges are quoted in 

 the pi ice current ? As I understand the Bird- Law 

 no one can take, kill or destroy any of the so-called 

 biids l)fcf )re the firs-t day of October in each year, 

 without ^'eing liable to a fine of twenty-five dollars. 



Shrewsbury, Vt., Oct. 3, 1870. A Reader. 



Remarks.— W^e understand that our market- 

 men are subject to a similar law against selling. 

 We commenced our quotations Sept. 24, at which 

 time they were on sale at this market. 



STEAMING FEED FOR COWS AND HORSES. 



I with to ask you, or some of your contributors, 

 for iniuimation in regard to the increased value 



of feed for cows and horses by the use of steam to 

 cook it with ; also, the best and cheapest apparatus 

 for steaming the feed for, say, fifteen cows and 

 four horses ; also, the best grain or meal for milk 

 and beef combined ? H. B. Canfield. 



Stanstead, P. Q., Oct. 20, 1870. 



Remarks. — The economy of cooking feed for 

 stock has been considerably discussed, both in this 

 country and in England, but onr impression is 

 that this plan of preparing food is not gaining 

 favor rapidly with practical feeders. We shall be 

 pleased to publish the experience of any who have 

 tried the experiment of steaming or cooking in any 

 way, cattle or horse fodder. 



DOG WITH sore EARS. 



What is the matter with my dog, a large one 

 not yet two years old, whose ears are sore, and he 

 is continually scratching them until they bleed ? 

 He has been troubled thus some six months. I 

 should say he had got the itch. Is there any such 

 thing that does have ? AVhat will cure him ? 



Ashfield, Mass., Oct., 1870. Reader. 



Remarks. — Why should dogs be exempt from 

 the ills to which other animals are subject ? Try 

 an ointment of lard and sulphur. For mange on 

 dogs, Frank Forrester's Dog- book gives as a cure, 

 "one ounce of salts for a dog of qioderate size. 

 Then rub well with one quart of train or tanner's 

 oil, a wine glass of spirits of turpentine ; sulphur 

 sufiicient to let it just run off a stick, — all well 

 mixed." 



water-proof cement. 



I would like to ask through the Farmer for a 

 receipt for water-proof cement. Any one that can 

 give it will greatly oblige e. f. G. 



Marlboro', Mass., Oct., 1870. 



Remarks. — Will not hydraulic cement answer ? 

 la Haswell's Engineers' and Mechanics' Pocket 

 Book the following is given for cisterns and water 

 casks : — Melted' glue, 8 parts ; linseed oil, 4 parts ; 

 boiled into a varnish with litharge. He says this 

 cement hardens in about 48 hours, and renders the 

 joiuts of -wood cisterns and casks air and water 

 tight. Who knows of a better water proof cement ? 



WEANING lambs. 



I believe it is the common practice for persons 

 having lambs that they intend to winter, to allow 

 them to run with the ewes without weaning them ; 

 thus keeping the ewes poor, without much ben- fit 

 to the lambs. Perhaps it is cot generally known 

 how easily they may oe weaned. All you have to 

 do is to separate them about thirty-six hours, and 

 the v/ork is done. Thei'e is no patent on this re- 

 ceipt, and all who huve latnbs are advised to try it. 



Wilminyton, Vt., Oct., 1870. B. 



WATER-PROOF BOOTS. 



To have dry feet, and durable and water- 

 proof boots during winter, I set them in a 

 shallow pan or dish, in which is just enough boiled 

 linsed oil to cover tue bottoms without touching 

 the upper leather, and let them set t-heire two days. 

 If the oil gets into the upper leather, it makes 

 them hard. 1 then put on ihe boots, wet the up- 

 pers, and let them dry ou my feet, which g" es 

 me a perfect and easy tit. I then take tar, wa' ~ 



