1871. 



2^W ENGLAOT) FAE]VIER. 



287 



water at night and set it near the fire. In the morn- 

 ing half of this jelly was mixed with two quarts of 

 water for the breakfast and the other half for sup- 

 per. In case of scouring, feed milk with wheat 

 shorts till well checked. 



Mr. J. Bartlett, of Northboro', Mass., wrote to 

 the Farmer that he lets calves suck two days, then 

 feeds new milk six or eight days, then adds a table 

 spoonful of fine feed or middlings, scalded with 

 hot water, mixed with skim milk, and increases 

 the fine feed according to his judgment. 



A farmer in Williston, Vt., wrote that he feeds 

 his calves after well started, on whey, clover tea, 

 and about half a pint of dry oats per day, which 

 they eat as well as horses, which prevents scouring. 



The above are a few of the suggestions that have 

 been made in the Farmer, and which we hope will 

 be of some use to Young Farmer. 



SALT NECESSARY FOR CATTLE. 



There are some things which find their way into 

 our agricultural papers which not only do no good 

 but much injury. 



When Judge Buel was editor of the Albany Cul- 

 tivator, some individual through the columns of 

 that paper, tried to convince its readers that the 

 use of salt for our domestic animals was entirely 

 needless, and that the taste for it was not natural 

 but acquired. This attempt might perhaps be said 

 to have done some good in one respect, viz. : It set 

 the readers of the paper to thinking, and some of 

 them to trying the experiment of doing without 

 salt, and all who tried it very soon grew "wiser 

 than their teacher ;" they very soon knew better, 

 llecently some one else has taken the same view of 

 the case, and published an article on the suljject. 



I am feeding to fourteen cows, twice a day in 

 their bran, two single handfuls of salt, and find 

 that if the salt is withheld for three days there will 

 be a falling otf of at least four quarts of milk each 

 day. In three days more the milk may hQ in- 

 creased by the use of it at least four quarts. 



REDUCING Tors OF TREES ON TRANSPLANTING. 



Another thing went the rounds of the agricultu- 

 ral papers which did untold mischief, and is the 

 cause even to this time of much loss and disap- 

 pointment, viz. : the setting out of young trees 

 without reducing the' tops. "Wh}-," said the ad- 

 vocates of this theory, "you might as well cut off 

 a calf's head as to cut otf the top of a young 

 tree and expect to have it live." 



Now the contrary of this theor.y is true. All 

 trees which are to be transplanted should have the 

 tops reduced very materially, if you would have 

 them live and do well. The maple, especially, 

 should have all the top cut off to within eight feet 

 of the ground, and then if it be well taken up it 

 will be sui"e to live, and at the end of three years 

 will have more top on than if set out whole. A 

 little digging around the roots and then with a 

 crowbar they may be very easily taken up. It is a 

 great wonder that more of our fanners do not fill 

 their highways with these most beautiful shade 

 trees, both for their o^vn profit and the comfort of 

 the traveller. ^ T. L. Hart. 



West Cornwall, Conn., Aj^ril, 1871. 



Remarks. — Questions of the gi-avest importance 

 are suggested by the remarks of our correspondent 

 who never writes an article without saying some- 

 thing to think of. In this case his observations in- 

 volve one of the most difficult problems which edi- 

 tors are called upon to solve, — the disposition of 



opinions and views, offered for publication, which 

 do not harmonize Avith their own. How far are 

 they responsible for the statements of their coitcs- 

 pondents ? To what extent are the experience, 

 judgment and knowledge of the editor to bound 

 and limit the expression of the experience, judg- 

 ment and knowledge of other men ? In other 

 words, how far are they responsible as censors of 

 other people's writing ? How much shall they 

 abridge the "freedom of the press" for the purpose 

 of preventing the injury they apprehend from the 

 promulgation of error ? Wlio will embody an- 

 swers to these questions into a rule for the guidance 

 of editors ? 



As the article against the usa of salt has called 

 out the foregoing statement of the practical experi- 

 ence of Mr. Hart in feeding it to his stock, we think 

 the readers of the Farmer will see at least one 

 good reason for dissenting from his assertion that 

 such articles do wo good. One great ol iject of ag- 

 ricultural papers is to excite thought and reflec- 

 tion. Farmers as well as men of other occupations 

 should be able to give a reason for everything they 

 do, — whether it be feeding salt or trimming shade 

 trees. And if the writings of visionary and mis- 

 taken men shall lead us to investigate and discover 

 the truth, the publication of their articles is not 

 unmixed evil. 



ALL ABOUT EGGS. 



Our hens, thirty in number, laid in January 359 

 eggs ; in February 560 ; in March 672 ; in the first 

 sixteen days in April, twenty-eight hens laid 354 ; 

 making 162 dozen and one eggs in three and one 

 half months. With this note we send you one 

 dozen of our eggs, that j'ou may see tlie size of 

 them. The dozen weigh 1% pounds. That you 

 may have all the particulars, I will just mention 

 that we have kept but one rooster. During the 

 time mentioned we have not lost a hen by sickness. 

 Our poultry are grade Leghorn. E. Cooper. 



Winchester, Mass., April 17. 



Remarks. — Thanks for a splendid basket of eggs. 

 Not only for size, color and quality, but for num- 

 ber of eggs produced, Mrs. Cooper's hens are en- 

 titled to the ribbon. Last year Mr. Farwell, of 

 Harrisville, N. H., said many of his Brahmali hen's 

 eggs would average twenty-six ounces to the dozen, 

 — our dozen weigh twenty-eight ounces, — equal to 

 two and one-third ounces each, — while many eggs 

 sold in market by the dozen will not exceed one 

 and three-fourths ounces. 



SHADE AND FRUIT TREES. 



Nineteen years ago I began to set shade trees ; not 

 forgetting to add to the orchard and garden, apple 

 and cherry trees. Of plums there was already an 

 abundance. There has been scarcely a Spring 

 since, but that I have set out some trees, either for 

 fruit or shade. 



For shade trees, I have set sugar maples princi- 

 pally. I have found the best time to set out maples 

 in this locality is about the tenth of May. I usually 

 leave on a few short limljs, as I think the limbs are 

 not so likely to be broken off by the winds, after 

 the trees have attained a larger growth, as when 

 the branches all spring from a common centre. I 

 have now around my building and by the roadside" 



