1213 
THE FIELD. 
is being made on this important subject. It seems as though 
this subject ought to have been treated before this time by 
those who keep cows to produce milk for market. In a former 
number of the Farmer you make the following remarks 
That beets, carrots, and parsnips are all excellent to produce 
milk ; but you say you prefer carrots, not only to produce 
rich milk but rich butter ; and you ask if there in a 
better vegetable that can be grown for milch cows, all 
things considered ? Let us hear from those who are in fa- 
vour of its cultivation. There are a great many kinds of feed 
usod for cows, such as slops or swill, and malt from distil- 
leries; but this cannot be had by every one who keeps cows 
for the production of milk. I hope the day is not for dis- 
tant whon such feed cannot be had for cows or any other 
animal. Before the blight came on the potato, that tuber 
was more extensively grown to feed cows, in ordor to produco 
large quantities of milk, but not of good quality. I do not 
tliink it would do to raiso potatoes to feed cows, at 
present prices. The vegetable I wish to recommend as the 
best, nil things considered, is white fat turnips. Some, 
perhaps, will object to the turnip, becauso it will 
affect the taste of the milk and butter. So it does if fed 
raw ; this can be avoided by boiling. For each cow boil half 
a bushel of turnips soft ; while hot add five or six quarts of 
shorts, which will swell, and you will get the full worth of it. 
A mess like this fed to a cow once a day will produce more 
milk of a good quality than any other feed at the same cost. 
Turnips fed in thus way do not taint either the milk or 
butter. One thing in favour of turnips as feed for cows is, 
they can bo sown in August, or as late as the 1st of Sep- 
tember. I sowed some as late as September last year, which 
were very fine. Turnips are also very profitable feed for 
pigs whon boiled in the same way as for cows. — Northern 
Fanner. 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 
What is the best locality in New Zealand for a sheep farm, 
with a good run for sheep near by ? Hubert. 
the mmim house 
HOUSEHOLD MATTERS. 
To Annihilate Bugs.— Empty tho place of everything 
moveable. Scrape off all paper or other loose material, and 
t'lrow it, as thejwork proceeds, into a brazier of live charcoal. 
Then fill in all the cracks in plaster with a mixture of corro- 
sive sublimate and plaster of Paris. Also prepare a sufficient 
quantity of soft soap, well mixed with corrosive sublimate 
and with it fill, with a putty-knife, all cracks in wood-work, 
and every crevice in the floor. Burn old carpets, &c. As to 
the furniture, fill every joint, or crack, in which it is possible 
for bugs to harbour, with the same mixture of corrosive sub- 
limate and soft soap. By this means, if the work is 
thoroughly well done, and by no other means, you may dear 
any house of these vermin. — Gardener's Chronicle. 
To take out Grease from Leaves of Books. — After 
having warmed the paper, take as much of the grease or oil 
out as possible by means of blotting-paper. Then dip a small 
brush in well-rectified essential oil of turpentine, heated 
almost to ebullition, and draw it gently over both sides of 
the paper, which must be kept warm. This operation must 
be repeated as often ns necessary. Then dip another brush 
in highly -rectified spirits of wine, and draw it over the place 
which was stained, and particularly round its edges. The 
Bpot will thus totally disappear, and the paper assume its 
original whiteness; and though written on or printed, no 
harm will ensue. 
Preservation of Oak Doors. — After the doors have 
beeu freed from the dirt an.d old varnish, by washing and 
scraping, give one coat of boiled linseed oil, covered with a 
little prepared asphaltum ; allow three days for the oil to 
penetrate the wood and dry ; then give two coats of copal 
varnish, allowing three days between each coat for the varnish 
to dry. This will restore the doors to their original colour. 
To Keep Bread Moist. — Put about two inches of water 
in the bottom of a bread-pan which has a cover, and fit into 
the pan, just above the water, a board pierced with holes, on 
which she bread is to be placed, so as to prevent either the 
board or the bread from touching the water. Then put on 
the lid of the pan. 
A “ Shopping" Secret for Husbands. — Archdeacon Paley, 
in one of his familiar discourses, touching upon the expenses 
brought upon husbands and fathers, in the way of cambrics 
and satins, says — “ I never let my women (be it understood 
ho spoke of Mrs. Archdeacon Paley and the Misses Paley), 
when they shop, take credit. I always make them pay ready 
money. Sir; ready money is such a check upon tho imagi- 
nation. ’’ 
LIBRARY. 
Many books have been published since we last advised 
upon the additions that should be made to the library of 
the country-house, cither through the bookseller, the book- 
club, or the circulating library. But though in number they 
are manv, in importance they are trifling ; the absorption 
of the public mind by the war — the meeting of Parliament 
— still operating to deter publishers from bringing out ex- 
pensive works, and making authors desirous of deferring 
their ventures to a season when fame is not so likelv to be 
eclipsed by military renown. The most remarkable book 
that has appeared is entitled “ Twelve Years of Foreign 
Policy,” from the pen of a gentleman said to be in the 
foreign-office, who has already distinguished himself by a 
severe attack on Mr. Disraeli, but now has undertaken the 
less congenial duty of defence— the object of the work 
being an elaborate vindication of the foreign policy of Lord 
Aberdeen. It is temperately written ; it has been laboriously 
compiled from documents not accessible to the public, and 
it is therefore extremely interesting and apropos to the time. 
Every book-club should have it. Only one new novel has 
appeared, and that is of high merit. “Herbert Lake” is 
the production of Miss Douglas— a lady who has made 
some stir in the literary world by two fictions that preceded 
this one — “ Annie Dysart,” and “ The Heir of Ardennnn ;" 
both of which were very successful. She is remarkable for 
truthful portraiture of everyday people. She paints the 
World about as just as it is, without exaggeration, and with 
the minuteness of a daguerreotype. In this new adventure 
she has exhibited still more exalted powers, for “ Herbert 
Lake ” is pervaded by a fine tone of philosophical reflec- 
tion, and a depth of thought that marks the progress of a 
reflective mind improving by experience, and turning to 
account its keen capacity for observation. We recommend 
" Herbert Lake ” to every country house. It will be de- 
lightful fireside reading. 
Poetry is “ the rage" just now among writers, although 
we fear that it receives very little encouragement from 
readers. There are floods of volumes every week, the 
greater part of them the vilest doggrels; the rest, with rare 
exceptions, mere mediocrities, of which the best that can 
be said is, that they have no glaring faults. But poetry is 
an art, and mediocrity in it is ns unendurable as positive 
badness. It must be good, or it is worthless. One volume 
of a better cluss has nppenred since we last chatted with our 
readers. Mr. Matthew Arnold, who was so extravagantly 
lauded by the Times some twelve months since, has pub- 
lished a second volume, precisely in the manner of the 
first. It is an attempt to revive the classical style. The 
expression is more subdued than the thought ; there is 
much play of fancy, but very little of imagination. The 
structure of the poems is copied from the classical writers, 
and consequently is not in accordance with the tastes and 
tendencies of the times. Hence Mr. Arnold cannot hope 
to become a popular writer. But he will be read and en- 
joyed by a select circle, to whom be will recal the shadow 
of their youth, and all its pleasant associations, and to such 
we commend him. He is, at least, a pure, wholesome, and 
right-minded poet, which cannot be always said of more 
passionate and impulsive writers. 
These are all the books of something more than merely 
temporary interest which have lately appeared — all that 
can properly be ordered in your book-club. We hope our 
next report will be more fruitful, for there are many 
promises in the book lists, that wait only a lull in the news 
from the Crimea to make their appearance. 
BOOKS. 
Pippins and Pies. By J. Stirling Coyne. Illustrated by 
Wm. M'Connell. London: G. Routledgo & Co. 
Odds and Ends from an Old Drawer. By Werdna Retnyw, 
M.D. Illustrated by Wm. M'Connell. London : George 
Routledgo & Co. 
Mr. Stirling Coyne has long bold among us a high position 
as a dramatist, and he now appears before us a writer of a 
Christmas Book. “ Pippins and Pies” is evidently meant for 
the younger branches, though there is much in it which can- 
not fail to prove attractive to older boys. Tho adventures 
and misadventures of a "young plague, ” yo’lept Master 
Frank I’ickleberry, are set forth in the pleasant little volume, 
which fully narrates the mishaps that befel a thoughtless, but 
by no means a wicked boy. A good moral may be extracted 
from tho work, for the youthful perusers, which will 6erve to 
show the inestimable value of obedience and thoughtfulness 
concerning tho feelings of others. The artist, in his freely 
executed illustrations, has caught the author's spirit, aud 
gives us a capital idea of the dramatis pcrsoncc. 
The gentleman with the peculiar patronymic has, in 
“Odds and Ends,” as the title serves to indicate, got toge- 
ther a number of fugitive sketches, which arc not put for- 
ward with any flourish. “ The Aristocratic Rooks," “ Old 
Things by New Names,” “Human Hair," and “The Wed- 
ding Bonnet,” are among the best things in tho collection, 
which, we should remark, is a republication. M'Connell is 
happy in his illustrations, to which justice has been done by 
engraver and printer. 
Flax and Hemp : their Cidture and Manipulation. By 
E. B. Delamer. London : Routledge & Co. 
This is a valuable little manual on a subject which has been 
too much neglected. Flax and hemp — once much growu at 
home — have gradually been thrown out of cultivation. This 
volume will, perhaps, aid iu resuscitating our failing re- 
sources in these indispensable plants. Mr. Delamer gives 
a good account of the growth, qualities, preparation, and 
uses of the plants on which ho treats, and illustrations 
assist the reader to comprehend the whole subject. 
Mr. Glover’s quadrilles are spirited, and makes us danco 
whether wo would or no. The music is particularly adapted 
to our younger friends, from the fact of its lying easy to tho 
fingers, and a moderate proficiency on the piauoforto 
ensuring it a successful achievement. There is a beautifully 
coloured portrait of “ Pretty Polly " ou tho titlo page, which 
enhauces tho attractions of tho quadrille. 
History for Boys. By J. G. Edoar. London : D. Bogue. 
The old “ history books,” which the present generation 
thumbed and blundered over to no profit but that of the 
schoolmaster, have of late years beeu well superseded by 
lighter and more readable books — not the less instructive 
because they are more entertainiug. The present i3 a book 
of the latter class. It is admirably adapted for a prize or a 
present. The narratives are arrauged under the heads of 
the European countries ; the principal features and great 
leading incidents of each country’s history being taken as 
the topics. The volume is nicely illustrated and got up, as 
such a book should be. 
Remarkable Sieges. By Henry Ottlet. Londou : 
Ingram & Co. 
A book for tlio time. Mr. Ottley epitomises a narrative of 
tho most memorable sieges, from that of Constantinople, in 
1453, to Sebastopol — we need not say in what year. Would 
that the latter were a fait accompli. There are also some 
appropriate observations on fortifications and siege opera- 
tions. The sieges narrated are those of Constantinople, 
Rhodes, Vienna, Haarlem, Antwerp, Lisle, Maestricht, 
Gibraltar, Algiers, St. Sebastian, and (last, though not least) 
tho apparently interminable Sebastopol. Tho book Is well 
compiled, as might be expected from Mr. Ottley’s long con- 
nection with the press. 
A Bofs Adventures in the Wilds of Australia. By William 
Howitt. Londou : A. Hall, Virtue, & Co. 
One of the mauy good books “just out," ready for Christ- 
inas. It would be a capital present for a boy seekiug infor- 
mation as well as amusement. It is written in a lively, 
familiar style, and gives a good account of the natural 
history of a country, in this respect, one of the moat 
suggestive on our globe. Mr. Howitt’s actual residence in 
the scenes he has described, with a practised pen, and a lovo 
of natural history, have combined to make a very readable, 
sketchy, and instructive volume. 
MUSIC. 
Excelsior. Words by Longfellow. Music by Miss M. 
Lindsay. London : Robert Cocks and Co., New Burling* 
tou-street. 
LcPcrroquet Quadrilles. By Stephen Glover. London: 
Robert Cocks and Co., New Burlington-street. 
The undying words of Longfellow have been set to music 
by Miss Lindsay, with a skill which shows her to be a com- 
plete mistress of her art. The music is simple and unosten- 
tatious in its composition ; but yet it contains iu its strains 
an indescribable beauty that must arrest the atteution of the 
auditor, and excite the enthusiasm of the executor. Words 
and music were never more happily wedded than in the case 
of “Excelsior.” 
PO ULTRY . 
FOWL HOUSES. 
In directions for building tho fowl house, so much depends 
on the locality, iu respect to aspect, and building materials, 
that no rule can ho laid down ou thoso points. If possible, 
tho house should bo facing, or as near as poasiblo facing, tho 
south ; it should stand ou u piece of rather elevated ground, 
or at all events not in a hollow whoro it would be damp. If 
it can bo built so that tho wall of tho dwelling-house cau 
form any part of it, so much the better ; and if that part be 
tho back of tho kitchen fire-place, a great point is gainod ; for 
warmth has much, very much, to do with makiug liens lay 
well. Having settled tho site of tho house, it is next to bo 
considered of what it shall be built. In some parts of tho 
country Btouo is ns cheap as anything else, and much moro 
durable ; if stono walls are used they should not be less 
than eight inches thick, or they will not keep out the cold. 
Wooden houses are much used, tho boards of which should 
be quite three-quarters of au inch thick, each board being 
made to overlap the ono below it about an inch. A very 
warm and cheap house may bo built by having two wattle 
walls about seven inches from each other, forming in fact 
two wattle houses, an outer aud inner house, tho space be- 
tween the two wattles being filled with a mortar mado of 
road scrapings and fresh burnt lime, iu tho proportion of 
five parts of tho former to one of the latter. Such walls as 
those will, however, take sotno considerable time to properly 
dry, which is one of the greatest objections against their 
use. When dry, tho out and inside may bo plastered and 
whitewashed, when it will boar all the appearance of a stono 
wall. With regard to tho form of the houao, every ono has 
his owu fancy, but tho following will bo found tho best sizo 
for one cock aud three hens, which house will, according to 
the table in my last paper, havo to contain thirty-one fowls, 
old aud young, during some part of the year : length seven 
feet, depth from front to back twelve foot, height of the walls 
six and a-half feet. This size supposes that there is a shod 
or some other place where tho chicken con be put on wet 
days, and where the fowls can be fattened. If there he no 
such place, the house must he mado half as long again, tho 
extra length being partitioned off from the rest of the house, 
forming quite a separate apartmeut. An opening at least 
two feet square should he left in ono of tho walls for a win- 
dow (glazed), which should be made to opeu, as it is required 
as much for ventilation ns for light. A row of holes 
should also be pierced about four inches from the 
top of the wall, opposite tho window, ami covored 
with a wooden slide, so that one or more holeB may 
be opened, ns the temperature of tho house may 
require. Each hole should be about one inch in diameter. 
Having thus erected tho walls, tho next point is tho roof, 
which should he made with rafters in the ordinary way, of 
such a pitch that the liighcat part of the roof, iusido mea- 
sure, should be ten feet from tho floor of tho house. Theso 
rafters should then be covered with half-inch boards, as if 
for slating. If the woather bo fine, then cover tho boards 
with hot tar, well brushed over every part ; upon this lay, 
while tho tar is still hot, old sheets or pieces of fino 
canvas ; if more than one piece is utod, care should be taken 
that each piece slightly overlap the ono bulow it ; tho pieces 
should bo then closely nailed, with large headed tacks, round 
the hedges, and tho sheets or canvas well pressed into tho 
hot tar on tho boards below ; a coating of hot tar should 
then bo laid on tho canvas, every part being carefully 
covered. It should then bo left until the finger can bo 
lightly pressed ou it without beiug soiled, which will ho in 
about two days, if the weather be warm. Another coat of 
hot tar should then be laid on, and again in a few days a 
third coat should be applied, and immediately after this 
third coat has been laid on, river sand should ho finely 
sifted over every part of it, to tho depth of about two 
inches ; this should be left for a wreck or ten days, aud tho 
superfluous saml thou swept off with a hair broom, and a 
good, sound, durable roof will be made. Having thus finished 
the walls and roof, we proceed to tho floor, though this of 
course may be gouo on with, while the several coat* ou the 
roof have been drying. The earth should be dug out from 
the floor to the depth of five inches, very fine gravel or 
small broken stone should bo laid into tho depth of threo 
inches, aud beaten down quite firm ; over this should bo 
evenly spread, with ft mason’s trowel, the following cement, 
so as to make up tho remaining two inches : -Fresh burnt 
lime and finally sifted road scrapings, equal quantities, with 
boiling tar enough to make it the consistcnco of soft mortar. 
This should bo laid down immediately, before it has time to 
cool ; this will gradually set until in becomes as hard as 
stone, and is much bettor than stone for the fowls to walk 
on. After it has been spread, it should be left for a fort- 
night before you attempt to walk on it. \Ve have now 
finished building tho house, aud will, ll possible, tit it up 
inside next week- . „ Rustics. 
(To be continued.) 
Kent Poultry Show.— At this show, which took place 
last week, there was no competition iu Cochin-chinas. The 
entries of Spanish were scanty, and for this class only the 
prizes were awarded. The only specimens of black Polands 
iu the show were exhibited by Mr. Cooke, and although of 
pure breed, still had tho defect of black feathers sprinkled 
over tho crest. The gold and silver Hamburghs were plenti- 
ful and of good breed, as also were the bantams. The glory 
cf tho show, however, was, without question, tho Workings. 
Of theso there wore about thirty pens, most of which were 
of a very superior kind. The other sorts of poultry were 
not numerous. The turkeys, geese, and ducks " ore, howev cr, 
altogether creditable, and some of them veiy superior. 
Clevkdon Poultry Show.— The exhibition of birds was 
but small, and the eumpet.t.on U.oref^ 
chinas almost alone figurmg m the collection. 1 he pro 
miunts for the poultry were awarded to Lady Uton. 
The Callington Poultry Show took place on the 14th. 
The specimens were confined mostly in haske , w c k 
not assist in making their good points v,8,bl \ [ore! 
Rouen ducks were very fine ; but a fat goose, shown by Lord 
Ashburton, Bicton, was more especially an ohjectof^m^x- 
tiou. There wore also numerous cockerels, Locma-cuma 
