Proceedings of the Farmers' Club. 469 



the eggs. The grubs or maggots feed upon the living flesh, and by 

 the next spring, when they have become large, cause protuberances 

 like boils, many times causing great irritation, especially when the 

 grub is about to emerge. I have seen cattle with heads and tails 

 erect tearing over pasture-fields as if perfectly beside themselves. 

 It is from these frantic capers, caused by the irritation of these mag- 

 gots, that men who become unusually excited are said to have a maggot 

 in the brain. The cell in which these grubs live has a slight covering- 

 like a little scab. Cow doctors, or even bogs on farms, can so pick 

 off this scab as to withdraw the grub ; this can be done with quiet 

 cattle. As to other treatment, I find our unprofessional members go 

 at once into the bottomless pit of quackery. One would oil their 

 backs, but he does not tell us when or how often ; another would 

 daub them with tar (he is from North Carolina). Another, carbolic 

 acid — one part to one thousand of alcohol — and still another would 

 use snuff. But neither of these gentlemen tells us who are to catch 

 or hold these cattle. Let us imagine the cow doctors of the Club on 

 a visit of mercy to a herd in an Illinois prairie, where there are no 

 fences — the cattle frantic with maggots, each doctor with his carpet- 

 bag, filled with his favorite cure, all in full pursuit, the Chairman 

 leading at the rate of 2.40 — I hope I may be there to see. 



Long Island Lands. 

 Mr. A. J. Hinds, Patchogue, urged that persons in pursuit of 

 cheap farms need not go so far from home as some have supposed. In 

 the vicinity of the town named there are heavy loams at light prices. 

 Near the margin of streams the soil is sandy, but manure is cheap ; 

 oyster-shells in any quantity for three or four cents per bushel ; 

 bunkers, one-half cent per pound, etc. There are several improved 

 water-powers lying idle, where saw-mills flourished in former 

 days ; splendid spring brooks, all having more or less trout in 

 them. They can be bought cheap, and it strikes him very forcibly 

 that, with brook-trout selling at one dollar per pound, and feed for 

 fish at one-half cent per pound, there is money in pisciculture at 

 Patchogue. 



Abortion in Cows. 



Mr. K. Emerson, Coopersville, Mich. — I wish to inform the 



Farmers' Club that I have no ax to grind, nor am I anxious to get 



into print, but have noticed in last week's proceedings of the Club 



the subject of abortion among cows is again called up, discussed and 



