330 
TO ECONOMISE FOOD FOR STOCK, ETC. 
ed with snug dry sheds around the windy sides, so 
as effectually to protect them against the rains, snows 
and sleet, and the rough cold blasts. It is better that 
these should also be provided with substantial plank 
floors, descending towards the centre of the yard, so 
as to drain off’ whatever liquid falls upon them. 
These floors should always be kept clean, and they 
will consequently be much dryer and more com¬ 
fortable. If there be any straw to spare, it should 
be appropriated to these open sheds, in preference to 
the stables, as the increased warmth thereby imparted 
to the cattle, is still less than in the well boarded 
building. 
TO ECONOMISE "FOOD FOR STOCK. 
The great scarcity of hay and fodder, owing to the 
excessive drought of the past season, will make it ne¬ 
cessary, on the part of the farmers, to economise their 
food the coming winter to the utmost. In addition to 
procuring cutters to chop up the hay, straw, and corn¬ 
stalks, cooking the food in many instances may be 
resorted to with economy. 
Take a boiler of 50 gallons, into this put 25 lbs. of 
bran, 3 bushels of vegetables (clean washed), and 
sufficient water to cover the whole, stir them well up 
together, and let them simmer four or five hours at 
nearly a boiling heat, and then pour out into tubs or 
barrels, and feed the mixture about blood warm. If 
the food is for work horses or oxen, a little Indian, 
oat, or barley meal should be added to the above to 
make it heartier. 
It is astonishing how well stock will keep on a 
cooked mess of this kind, and how much less hay 
they will eat. Some reckon the hay under these cir¬ 
cumstances at one third of the ordinary ratio of 21 
lbs.; but if it saves one half, at the present high price, 
it will be deserving of practice. For the animals 
which are not at work, cut straw or corn-stalks will 
answer well instead of hay—especially the latter. 
Some go so far as to say that the hay could also be 
simmered with economy; but as this would require a 
very large kettle, we much doubt it. Simmering is 
preferable to steaming, because it preserves all the 
juices of every substance employed in making up the 
mess; this, however, requires a very large kettle, 
which is quite expensive. For steaming purposes, a 
well jointed box, or a tight hogshead, may be em¬ 
ployed, and a small boiler with a pipe to conduct the 
steam into them. We need not describe such, as 
they are to be found in every neighborhood. Mott’s 
stove boilers, holding from 15 to 120 gallons, and cost¬ 
ing from $9 to $40 each, are an admirable contrivance 
for cooKing food, and may be had in this city. We will 
further add, that by supplying horses and cattle with 
looked food, they eat it up in a short time, and then 
lie down to rest, and are thus enabled to do more 
work, and keep in better condition than if fed on dry 
'ood. 
To prevent tools from Rusting. —The surest 
way is to keep them bright by constant use; but as 
,he plow, hoe, and scythe, are not used in winter, 
nor the axe to much extent in summer, some method 
should be devised to prevent rust. This may in all 
cases be effectually prevented by wiping perfectly 
clean, and giving to the tool a complete coating of 
oil or grease, free from salt, and then hang or put it 
away in a dry place. 
LAWS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOX¬ 
IOUS WEEDS. 
There are some legislative enactments, we be¬ 
lieve, for the destruction of weeds; one of which 
requires the path-masters to see that all within the 
public grounds or highways in their districts are ex¬ 
terminated. We wish some of our subscribers who 
are familiar with the statute provisions on this sub¬ 
ject, would give or send us an epitome of the several 
acts relating to this matter, referring to the volume 
and page where they are to be found. We wish to 
bring this important subject to the attention of our 
State functionaries, and farmers, and make them 
aware of their penalties as well as privileges. 
It is a crying sin as well as shame that such pests 
as the Canada-thistle, and other kindred weeds, are 
permitted to grow, and thrive, and seed, and propa¬ 
gate in the highways and byeways, and over one’s 
neighbor’s fields, to the annoyance and robbery of an 
industrious, honest man’s labors. He carefully tills 
his own land, and sedulously exterminates every 
bastard plant from his fields; yet his idle, thriftless, 
and perhaps malevolent neighbors;—or that busy, 
bustling, but generally neglectful, wasteful, profligate 
personage, the public, allow their domains to run to 
unconditional waste. Look, for instance, to whole 
acres of the Canada thistle lining the banks of the 
Erie canal in the neighborhood of Rochester and 
elsewhere, producing seed enough annually to stock 
the entire State of New York. It is a matter of 
special wonder, that the intelligent farmers of old 
Monroe have not had every canal commissioner who 
has held the office within the last ten years, indicted 
fo.r this culpable neglect. We repeat, that we wish 
some of our friends familiar with this subject, would 
give us all the laws relating to it, and if we have not 
such as are sufficiently stringent, let us have them 
at once, that honest industry may not be robbed of 
its dues by culpable neglect. 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 
The regular monthly meetings of this Association 
commenced again at the Historical Society’s rooms, 
on the first of October, Hon. Luther Bradish, the 
President, in the chair. After the minutes of the 
last meeting were read, several articles were exhibited 
which had been received as donations to the Associa¬ 
tion ; among which were several specimens of grain 
from the estate of the late Earl of Leicester, of 
England. 
A communication was read from Mr. Samuel 
Weller, of Brinklyville, North Carolina, upon the 
subject of the vine culture, and detailing his mode of 
making wine. 
A communication was also received from D’Jay 
Browme, Esq., offering his resignation as correspond¬ 
ing secretary of the Association. His resignation 
was accepted, and Mr. Andrew H. Green was elected 
to fill the vacancy. 
W. A. Seeley, Esq., read an interesting paper upon 
the subject of electro-galvanic influence on the 
growth of plants. After some other business relat¬ 
ing to the Society was transacted, the meeting ad¬ 
journed, to meet again on the evening of the first 
Wednesday in November. They have been suspend¬ 
ed since May, in consequence of so many of the 
members being absent in the country. The meetings 
will now be regular during the winter and spring 
