1871. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



39 



the business, till he has become familiar with 

 the various grades of cement. 



B. LlVERMORE, 

 Cement Water Pipe Layer, 

 Eariland, Vt., Nov. 20, 1870. 



EXTRACTS AND KEPLIE8. 



FOULS OR FOOT-HOT IN CATTLE. 



I have three cows that have the fonls or foot-rot 

 80 badly that the disease has got up ou the ankle, 

 causing the leg to swell considerably. How shall 

 I treat the disease when it first appears ? how 

 when it has got above the hoof and is of four 

 weeks or more standing ? and how shall I prevent 

 its spread among my other stock ? Any informa- 

 tion on these points, or on the nature of the dis- 

 ease will oblige a young farmer. 



Stotoe, Vt., Xov. 19, 1870. H. J. Hakris. 



Remarks.— If the good people who are sufla- 

 ciently "interested" in agriculture to talk and 

 write eloquently of the exemption of the farmer 

 from anxiety and care, were to take upon them- 

 selves the management for a single season of a 

 flock of sheep or a herd of cattle with the foot-rot, 

 or with any other of the numerous diseases and 

 sicknesses to which stock is liable, such an experi- 

 ence would probably evaporate the poetry of the 

 thing amazingly. In England the stock and dairy 

 men have been much alarmed by a disease among 

 cattle known as foot and mouth disease. It is re- 

 garded as contagious, and is characterized by 

 pustules or blisters on the mucous membrane of 

 the mouth, on the corners of the hoof, and in those 

 places where the skin is tender or thinly covered 

 with hair, as on the bags of milch cows. The 

 symptoms are moderate fever, rumination ceases, 

 and eating and swallowing appear to cause pain. 

 But we do not suppose that your cows have this 

 disease, still we apprehend it is something differ- 

 ent from the old fashioned fouls. This disorder 

 was treated by cutting away all the soft and spongy 

 parts and applying a caustic liquid, much as is 

 usually done with the foot-rot in sheep, and after- 

 wards covering the parts with a mild ointment, or 

 wrapping and tying on a piece of fat bacon, and 

 keeping the animal clean and quiet. To do this 

 it is often necessary to cast the animal, A rope is 

 frequently drawn back and forth between the 

 claws to clean them ; but all this is much easier 

 said than done. 



Since the discovery of carbolic acid, it has been 

 used as a wash for this and a great many other 

 sores and eruptions. In England in the treatment 

 of the foot, and mouth disease, a wash of eight 

 grains of lunar caustic to an ounce of water is 

 used, as well as lime water, and a solution of car- 

 bolic acid, after the use of the knife, as above 

 directed. A poultice of linseed Hour is also used. 



We have made these genoral remarks rather to 

 draw out the experience and management of those 

 familiar with the disease than with the hope of 

 answering your inquiries satisfactorily. We are 

 in doubt as to the nature of the disease. The 



books tell about the Foul in the Foot being the 

 result of feeding in wet pastures, or standing in 

 filth. This docs not satisfy us as to the disease 

 among us, either with cattle or sheep. May it 

 not result from causes similar to those which 

 produce Black-leg ? For this disorder Prof. Law 

 recommends the use of carbolic acid internally 

 and externally. And with our present informa- 

 tion we should be disposed to use a wash of this — 

 perhaps a strong suds of carbolic soap would 

 answer, as the first remedy. When one animal in 

 a herd has had the black-leg, Prof. Law advises 

 that each animal should have two drachms of car- 

 bolic acid diluted in a pint of water thrown over 

 its food. 



We have thus fVankly confessed our ignorance 

 of the disease and of its proper treatment. Who 

 will favor our correspondent with his knowledge 

 of the subject ? 



LATINO LAND TO GRASS. 



I have a piece of land of about two acres. lu 1868 

 about 28 loads of manure were spread on to an 

 acre, making about fifty-six loads on the piece. 

 It was planted to corn with from one-third to one- 

 half shovelful of manure in the hill ; then, when 

 manure failpd, a table spoonful of phosphate to 

 the hill. The result was a good piece of com. I 

 sowed the wheat in 1869, and seetied down to 

 grass, but the clover proves to be Southern. Now 

 if I should, next spring, say the Gth or 8th of 

 May, plough in the cfover and plant to com with- 

 out any manure, except a little in the hill, would 

 the clover enrich the ground sufficiently fur a cood 

 crop and would it leave the soil richer after taking 

 off a crop of com than now ? 



I have some acres of land that after mowing a 

 few years runs into June or white grass. Would 

 not lime, slaked and sown broadcast, when re- 

 seeding, be beneficial in keeping out the white 

 grass, and if so, how much to the acre ? m. 



Corinth, Vt., Nov., 1870. 



Remarks.— Undoubtedly, the roots and stubble 

 of the clover would enrich the soil, but it is ques- 

 tionable whether it would bring a good crop of 

 corn. If you do not like the Southern clover, 

 why not top-dress as liberally as you can any 

 time this winter, and early in April sow northfra 

 clover seed and go over the field with a brush 

 harrow? This will save ploughing, levelling and 

 harrowing, and if the land is not weedy, will give 

 you a crop of clover next summer. If weeds and 

 clover should come together, cut enrly before 

 weeds ripen their seeds, and if the season proves 

 a moist one, you may cut two or three times. 

 This last summer we mowed a field four times 

 where weeds seemed determined to take posses- 

 sion, and now, Nov. 9, the surface is covered with 

 vigorous grass roots and not a weed to be seen. 



With regard to your second inquiry, concerning 

 the use of lime, there can be no doubt, we think, 

 that the lime would be useful to the soil, especially 

 if the soil has licen cultivated for many years- 

 Wc do not think, however, that it would prevent 

 the appearance of what you c.ill the "Jut;c grass." 



The probable reason why the erass "rims out," 

 is, that the fertility of the soil is not kept up by 



