18 



NEW ENGLAND FAEIMER. 



Jan. 



1. He says it renders mouldy hay, straw, 

 and corn-stalks sweet and palatable. 



2. It diffuses the odor of the shorts, cojc- 

 meal, oil-meal, carrois, or whatever is mixed 

 with the feed, through the whole mass. 



3. It softens the tough fibre of the dry 

 corn-stalk, rye-straw, and other hard material, 

 rendering it almo3t like green s-j:cculent food, 

 and easily masticated and digeSted by the 

 animal. 



4. It enables the feeder to turn every thing 

 raised into food for the stock, withojit lessen- 

 ing the value of his manure. Indeed, the 

 manure made from steamed food decomposes 

 more readily, and is therefore more valuable 

 than when used in a fresh state. Manure so 

 made is always ready for use, a'id is regarded 

 by those who have used it as much more val- 

 uable, for the same bulk, than that made from 

 uncooked food. 



5. It cures incipient heaves in horses; ar- 

 rests a cough, alleviates constipation, and 

 seems to have all the good influences of grass, 

 — the natural food of animals. 



6. It produces a marked difference in the 

 appearance of the animal, at once causing the 

 coat to become smooth and of a brighter 

 color; regulates the digestion, so that the 

 animal is more quiet and contentsd ; ecables 

 fattening stccb to eat their food with less 

 labor, and to fatten them in one-third less 

 time than on uncooked food. It gives work- 

 ing animals time to eat all that is necessary 

 for then in the intervals of labor, which is 

 important with working horses. 



7. It saves, he says, at least one-third of 

 the food. He found two bushsls of cut and 

 cooked hay to satisfy cows as well as three 

 bushels of uncooked hay, and the manure in 

 the case of the uncooked hay contained much 

 tho most fibrous matter. 



In the case of the Messrs. S. & D. Wells, 

 of Wethersfiild, Ct., they think the steaming 

 adds one-.half to the feeding value of fodder. 



Governor Boutwell, — now Secretary of the 

 Treasury, — has for several years practiced 

 cutting the fodder, at his farm in Groton, 

 Mass., throwing it into a large chest made for 

 the purpose, and letting boiling water upon 

 it ; then cover tight, stand twelve hours and 

 feed it out. In this way he found the cattle 

 ate all clean, as meal of some kind had been 

 added, and Lad flavored the whole. The 

 cows yielded milk freely, and large quantities 



of the finest butter were made from it, extend- 

 ing, we are informed, far into the winter 

 season. 



Boilers are now constructed well adapted to 

 steaming food for stock, so that the whole 

 apparatus may be set in motion at a very 

 moderate cost. Prindle's is one which we 

 have seen in use. It is compact, easily man- 

 aged, requires but little fuel, is safe, and its 

 coit so moderate as to come witl^in the means 

 of most farmers keeping a dozen head of 

 cattle. 



It will be economical for those about setting 

 up a steamer, to visit some already in use, 

 and spending a day by it to learn how it is 

 constructed, and how to "run it" when ready 

 for use. 



The present high prices of hay may prove 

 an opportunity to thousands of farmers to 

 turn some portion of it into cash, and at the 

 same time keep the usual amount of stock in 

 good condition, by being more careful and 

 systematic in feeding out less valuable fodder. 



Nothing, short of actual experience, will 

 convince the farmer of the great saving which 

 may be effected by resorting to some of the 

 modes detailed above. Numerous experiments, 

 we hope, will be made in these matters, and 

 the results reported to the Farmer, to be 

 published for the benefit of others. 



OHOWTH OF CEBBALS. 



At the last meeting of the British Association, 

 Mr. F. F. Hallett read a paper on the '-Law of De- 

 velopment in Cereals." His experience showed him 

 several years ago, that grain and especially wheat, 

 was injured by being planted too closely. He 

 found a wheat plant would increase above the 

 ground in proportion as its roots had room to de- 

 velop, and that the roots might be hindered by be- 

 ing in contact with the roots of another plant. 

 He continued a series of experiments, planting one 

 Kernel of wheat only, and succeeded so well in 

 improving the method of cultivation as to raise 

 wheat whose ears contained 123 grains. In the 

 course of his investigations Mr. Hallett made other 

 discoveries with regard to the growth of cereals, 

 which he sums up as follows : — 



1. Every fully developed plant, whether of wheat, 

 oats or barley, presents one ear superior in pro- 

 ductive power to any of the rest on that plant. 



2. Every such plant contains one grain, which 

 upon trial, proves more productive than any other. 



3. The best grain in a given plant is found in its 

 best ear. 



4. The superior vigor of this grain is transmis- 

 sible in diflerent degrees to its progeny. 



