THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



47 



prevails. It may be assumed as a safe calcula- 

 tion, that at least one-fourth of the fodder may 

 be saved by the use of the straw-cutter ; and 

 yet, how few of these machines are in use. But 

 as arguments rather than mere assertions will 

 be expected, we will enter into an estimate, for 

 the purpose of showing the actual saving in 

 dollars and cents ; for this, after all, is one of the 

 great objects of the farmer. Let us suppose, 

 then, that a farmer has thirty head of cattle, 

 which at a moderate estimate, will consume one 

 and a half tons of hay each. Judge Buel and 

 others, who have given the experiment a fair 

 trial, estimate a saving of one-third, or half a 

 ton to each cow in one winter. But for fear of 

 being considered extravagant, I will suppose 

 that eleven and one-fourth tons, or one-fourth, 

 would be saved by the use of the machine. — 

 Eleven and one-fourth tons of hay at six dollars 

 per ton, which would perhaps be less than the 

 average price for a term of years, amount to 

 sixty-seven and one-half dollars. The extra la- 

 bor in taking care of the stock would be worth, 

 say thirty dollars, which, deducted from sixty- 

 seven and one-half, leaves thirty-seven and one- 

 half, a sum sufficient to pay for two good ma- 

 chines. With this view of the subject, then, it 

 will be seen that in a course of years, a consi- 

 derable saving would be made ; but this is the 

 most unfavorable view which can be taken of 

 this subject. Hay in many parts of the country 

 will average ten dollars per ton, and is frequently 

 worth that price in nearly every part of the 

 State. It is, however, in feeding straw and corn 

 stalks, that the greatest saving is effected by 

 cutting, and so great is my confidence in the 

 propriety of this method of preparing coarse 

 fodder for stock, that it is my firm conviction, 

 that it would be better for any farmer who has 

 not the means at command, to sell a sufficient 

 quantity of fodder to pay for the machine and 

 extra labor, than to feed in the old-fashioned and 

 slovenly method, without cutting. Every far- 

 mer knows that in feeding stalks whole, about 

 one-half of the value of the fodder is wasted, 

 while stalks properly cut with a machine, will 

 be entirely consumed. 



Straw properly cut, may be mixed with hay 

 or stalks, when the necessity or the convenience 

 of the farmer may require it, and will be more 

 readily eaten by cattle than when fed whole; 

 for every farmer has found some difficulty in 

 making cattle eat straw, in any considerable 

 quantity, unless, (as is the practice with some,) 

 a considerable quantity of grain is left in the 

 straw. Taking into view all these advantages, 

 it appears to me that the saving in the winter's 

 keeping of a cow, cannot be less than half a 

 ton of hay, which in the stock of thirty cows, 

 would make a saving of fifteen tons, or ninety 

 dollars, from which deduct thirty dollars for ex- 

 tra labor, and we have a saving of sixty dollars 



for the use of the machine in a single winter. 

 There is, however, another point which ought 

 not to be overlooked, and which is second in im- 

 portance to no other branch of agriculture. In- 

 stead of selling the fodder which would be saved 

 in the way we have pointed out, the farmer may 

 keep a greater number of cattle, and conse- 

 quently, the quantity of manure will be so in- 

 creased, as to aid materially in the renovation 

 of the soil. This cannot fail to have its proper 

 weight with every calculating farmer. But as 

 I may hereafter touch upon the subject of ma- 

 nures, it is proper to abstain from a discussion 

 of this branch of agriculture. 



A Mountaineer. 



REPORT OF THE VIRGINIA BOARD OF 



AGRICULTURE. 

 We are indebted to the politeness of the Pub- 

 lic Printer for a copy of this valuable document. 

 W T e have no space for extracts, hardly for com- 

 ments in this number, but this we will say, that 

 the practical character of the report will recom- 

 mend the Board from which it emanates to the 

 regard of the agricultural community, and will 

 put to shame those gentlemen of the Legisla- 

 ture who could wiih difficulty be brought to vote 

 for the printing of 1,500 copies of a document 

 which they ought to have taken pride and plea- 

 sure in placing in the hands of every farmer in 

 Virginia. 



REMEDY FOR COLIC IN HORSES. 



Take two quarts of cold water in a hand ba- 

 sin, add with your fire-shovel say a pint of hot 

 wood ashes or embers, and stir. Cut off an 

 inch and a half from a common hand of tobacco 

 and shred in the mixture — stir all up and let it 

 stand fifteen minutes and settle. Pour off a 

 common black bottle full of the fluid and drench 

 your horse — in half an hour he will be well. 



Rationale. — The gas which bloats the horse 

 is probably carbonic acid gas and light-carbu- 

 retted hydrogen, the product of the vegetable 

 decomposition which is going on in the intes- 

 tines—at any rate it is a gas which is immedi- 

 ately absorbed by its combination with an alkali. 

 The tobacco is a powerful anti-spasmodic and 

 cathartic — it, therefore, prostrates the nervous 

 sensibility, checks the inflammation and increases 

 the action of the lower intestines. In a critical 

 or extreme case it will be well to give an enema 

 of a strong decoction of tobacco with a common 

 syringe. Out of more than one hundred in- 

 stances in which I have seen this remedy used, 

 I have yet to witness the first failure. It also 

 has an advantage over very many remedies, viz ; 

 it cannot injure a horse in perfect health. Feed 

 light for a day or two. 



