1871. 



2TEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



631 



then a terrific flood. The consequence is our crop 

 prospects arc gloomy enough. Our cotton has 

 been one-third, at least, destroyed by the rush of 

 waters and beating rains. And now the grass and 

 weeds are getting the masteiy, it being impossible 

 to plough or even, in many places on the low lands, 

 to walk through the fields without bogging a foot 

 in the soft, mushy land." He closes with the re- 

 mark "still raining !" 



— A correspondent of the Sotitkland objects to 

 the introduction of the Chinese on the ground that 

 they are a race of people whose moral principles 

 are not only dangerous to society, but would tend 

 to the multiplicity of infinite social disorder. Much 

 of their doings and habits will not admit of publi- 

 cation, and would not long be permitted to exist in 

 any civilized community. It is nonsense to talk 

 about the Chinese living on cheap rations and low 

 wages. When in "Home they will soon do as Ro- 

 mans do." 



Colorado Potato Beetle in MASSACiirsETTs. 

 — Hon. M. P. Wilder informs us that this long 

 dreaded scourge of the potato field has been found 

 in the town of Worcester, whither it probably 

 either stole a ride on the cars of the Western rail- 

 road, or was introduced by some carpet-bagger. 

 We understood Mr. Wilder that the State Board of 

 Agriculture were contemplating the adoption of 

 some action with a view to "stamping out" the pest. 

 We are not informed as to the extent of the foot- 

 hold the insect has secured, but we should cer- 

 tainly advise a most earnest endeavor by hand 

 picliing, by poison, by fire, and by every means in 

 their power, to check its further extension in our 

 State. 



Tall Grass. — We have recei->'ed from Mr. E. 

 Richardson, of Fitchburg, Mass., a bundle of herds- 

 grass from five feet to six feet two inches high, with 

 some blue-joint or fowl meadow and witch grass 

 nearly as tall. It grew on a river intervale, on to 

 which the streaan, in the great flood of 1869, carried a 

 covering of earth, and from which it washed away 

 an acre or' two to enrich some other meadow. Un- 

 fortunately we have mislaid the note accompany- 

 ing the grass, and therefore are unable to make a 

 fuller statement of the particulars of the mam- 

 moth crop of which we have a specimen. 



A Farmer's Pile Driver. — A con-espondent of 

 the Toronto Globe saw a fanner at the West driving 

 fence posts Mith a home-made pile-driver. The 

 ram was the butt of an oak log, six feet long and 

 sixteen inches in diameter and was banded at the 

 lower end by an iron hoop. Grooves were cut in it 

 on each side so as to admit of guides. The frame 

 in which the ram was raised so as to fall about 

 twelve feet, was of scantling only 2x6 and 3x3 

 inches, with the exception of the sills, which were 

 stronger, and made of hard wood, to facilitate 

 moving about— an operation which was performed 



by the same oxen that raised the ram. About 

 three blows drove the post nearly four feet into 

 the earth, and almost all went quite straight. On 

 the whole, it was considered a great success, and 

 saved an immense deal of labor. 



EXTKACTS AND BEPLIES. 



SrMMER CARE OF STOCK. 



Our fami stock is now at pasture, and I have 

 thought that some suggestions from my experi- 

 ence with cattle while at pasture, might be accept- 

 able to some of your readers. Much has been 

 written about the winter care of stock, and but 

 little of its summer management. 



When 1 l)egan farming, nearly forty years since, 

 I had but one cow and a yoke of oxen. I had one 

 lot only for their pasture. Afterwards I made an 

 addition to my fann and to my stock also ; and 

 then I thought 1 would make different arrange- 

 ments in regard to pasturing. I went to work and 

 divided my pasture into several small lots, by 

 fences. 



TRIED CHANGING PASTURES. 



I thought this would be an improvement, for 

 several reasons. I could turn in to the low land 

 coarse feed first, believing stock would eat it better 

 when it was tender, and I should also save my 

 better feed until it got Avell started, by which the 

 good feed would be better all summer. 



I had as many as five separate pastures. I could 

 let down my bars at the Ijarnyard, and send the 

 stock into whichever lot I desired. I generally 

 changed them from one lot to another weekly. 

 This allowed each lot a growth of four weeks. Of 

 course the feed would get a good start, generally 

 quite rank. But I soon found that this plan did 

 not work well. My cattle having the fresh feed of 

 a new lot every week became un^casy after the first 

 few days, and if I went near them tliey would run 

 and bellow for a new lot; for thcv remembered 

 that I had been in the habit of letting down the 

 bars once a week and turning them into new feed. 

 On noticing this habit, I adopted the policy of 

 letting down the bars to a new lot when the cattle 

 could not see me. By this means they became 

 more quiet. 



I think my pastures did produce rather more 

 feed, managed in this way, Inn I found there were 

 disadvantiges attending its practical operation. 

 After four week's growth the feed would be rank 

 and abundant, and on being turned into a fresh lot 

 the cattle would eat too much, and so overload 

 their stomachs as to cause scouring. As a preven- 

 tive and remedy for this I couinieneed feeding 

 them old dry hay. They took it with a relish and 

 I thought it was very beneficial to them. 



After a few year's experience in managing stock 

 in this way, and in keeping in repair the fences 

 necessary to divide my pasture into five lots, I 

 abandoned the plan, removed the division fences 

 and for several years past have kept all my cattle 

 in one lot. 



GONE BACK TO ONE PASTVSE. 



My pasture ground embraces a variety of soils, 

 from the sandy knoll, where the sweetest grasses 

 gi-ow, to the muck-bed, where the vegetation is 

 coarse and rank. Enjoying a range of three- 

 fourths of a mile, my cattle can lie in the shade of 

 pine trees over one hundred feet high and ten feet 

 in cu-cumfcrence ; or browse the young sapling of 

 a great variety of trees and bushes, which are so 

 thick on about an acre of the pasture that it is 

 almost impenetrable, yet the cattle go through it 

 and seem to enjoy the currying their hides get 

 from the interlocked branches, and the shade the 

 dense foliage affords. In this lot a spring of pure 



