1-16 
A.MERIOAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[April, 
Another Inside Door Fastening. 
Last month we published three forms of inside 
fastenings for double bam doors, all of which were 
constructed of wood. H. Minton, Morris Co., 
N. J., hands us a sketch o4 another fastener, that 
is constructed of iron, and is highly recommended 
AN IRON INSIDE DOOR FASTENER. 
by Mr. M., and others, who have it in use in his 
neighborhood. The long iron rod running the 
whole length of the door, is £-inch in diameter, 
and fastened to the inside of the door by three 
Iron strips, as shown in the engraving. The ends 
of the rod are so bent that they act as hooks, pass¬ 
ing around i-inch iron pins, driven one at the bot¬ 
tom, and the other at the top of the door frame. 
The rod is turned by a small lever near the center, 
which acts on a pivot, and is put in a rest when the 
door is fastened. Any blacksmith can make the 
rod for this very convenient barn-door fastening. 
What Shall We Raise? 
The question aboje given interests every farmer, 
but especially those of us who live in the older por¬ 
tions of the country, where “ farming don’t pay,” 
is so often asserted, and so often illustrated by 
those who assert it. The State Board of Agricul¬ 
ture of Massachusetts, held its winter meeting in 
December last, at Greenfield, in Franklin Co., in 
the N. W. part of the State. Those of us who at¬ 
tended from other States, found much to interest 
and instruct. The excellent dairy show held at that 
time, has been described in “Among the Farmers.” 
A most interesting part of the proceedings, was a 
paper on the Agriculture of Franklin Co., founded 
upon the U. S. Census of 1840, and the State Cen¬ 
sus of 1875, and pointed out the changes that had 
taken place in the farm production, during35 years. 
I wish that this paper could be read and considered, 
not only by every New England farmer, but by 
every farmer in all of the older States, where the 
farming of 50 years ago no longer “pays.” The 
experience of the farmers in Franklin Co. shows 
that if “the times” change, we must change with 
them, and if one crop does not pay, we must then 
grow another that will. It appears from the paper 
referred to, that there are only five crops cultivated 
in Franklin Co., that show any substantial increase 
in the interval of 35 years. These are poultry, which 
rose from $9,678, to $31,155; hay increased from 
43,853, to 61,056 tons; tobacco, from 600 lbs to 
1,997,091 lbs.; daily products, from $165,765, to 
$424,042. Broom corn is a new crop in the county, 
and only amounted to 13,579 pounds. Besides 
these crops which have increased, neat cattle, 
horses, and com, show but a slight falling off, and 
may be considered fairly paying crops. There is a 
great falling off in the number of sheep, but the 
large increase in their value per head, and in the 
value of lambs sold for market, would probably 
make sheep raising a paying industry. In nearly 
all other farm animals and crops, there is a large 
falling off in production, showing that farmers do 
not consider it profitable to raise them. Swine, 
wheat, and rye, have fallen off nearly 200 per cent, 
oats more than 300, and potatoes, 100 per cent. 
The increase in poultry is about 300 per cent, dairy 
products about 400, orchard products 500, and 
tobacco still larger. Franklin County is in the heart 
of the New England dairy region, and probably 
shows as fairly as any county, the drift of eastern 
agriculture. The fair inference is that farmers 
are abandoning these crops which show so large a 
decrease, because they are unprofitable. Agricul¬ 
ture in the older States, is in a transition state, and 
we are slowly feeling our way to a better husbandry. 
The progress is very slow, but we are confident it is 
very sure. So much light is breaking out from our 
agricultural journals, our State and County Fairs, 
and our Farmer’s Conventions, that we can not al¬ 
ways grow crops that run us in debt, because our 
fathers grew them. We must inevitably get out of 
the ruts. Nothing could show more clearly than 
these statistics, the folly of raising crops that do 
not pay. Pork raising for the general market, does 
not pay, and it has fallen off 200 per cent in 35 years. 
Why, then, should we undertake to raise any more 
pork, than will supply the family? The raising of 
poultry does pay, for it has increased 200 per cent. 
Why should we not invest our capital and labor, 
in that which experience shows, pays well. A 
farmer with a good range, can raise a ton of tur¬ 
keys, at much less cost than he can raise a ton of 
pork. The ton of pork would be worth in the vil¬ 
lage market this year, about six cents a pound, or 
$120.00 a ton. The turkeys eighteen cents, or 
$360.00. Why not raise turkeys ? And so, of the 
other things that are proved to be profitable. Let 
us get out of the ruts, and raise those crops that 
are promptly called for. Farmers should keep a 
keen eye on the markets, and see which way the 
popular taste is tending, and plant, sow, breed, and 
in every way plan to meet the demands of the times. 
Racks for Feeding in Yards. 
The season for yard feeding is coming on, and 
some considerations about racks will be useful. The 
form of rack is important, because on that depends, 
in a great measure, the economy in the use of fod¬ 
der. Frequently a large portion of the fodder is 
pulled out under foot and wasted ; it is, therefore, 
necessary to provide against this in making the 
rack. Cows are quarrelsome and selfish, and it is 
instructive to see one filled and satisfied, but still 
remaining in front of the rack so as to prevent her 
hungry sisters from getting a mouthful. This has 
to be provided against, so that each may get a 
share. A rack especially designed for this latter 
case is shown in figure 1. This is made of four 
stout chestnut or oak posts, 5 feet high. Lighter 
cross-bars are fitted in 2-inch holes, as shown in 
the engraving, to a hight of 30 inches, and close 
enough together as to prevent the fodder from be¬ 
ing pushed out. Above these two, other cross-bars 
are fitted for the purpose of preventing the cows 
from pushing each other from the feed. A long 
rack, in which green clover, oats, or hay, can be fed 
is shown in figure 2. This is made of posts at' 
proper intervals, and strips of boards or planks, 6 
inches wide, spiked or bolted to the posts. A 
double rack is made in the middle, in which the 
fodder is placed. A rack for feeding meal, grain, 
Fig. 2.—A LONG RACK FOR FEEDING. 
or chaff, to cows or sheep, is shown in figure 3. 
This has a double slide, or hopper, the bottom of 
which is 3 inches or so above the floor of the rack, 
thus leaving a space for the feed to fall upon the level 
bottom from which the animals can readily eat it. 
An Agricultural Creed. —It may be well to 
put down in black and white just what one thinks 
of any particular thing or class of things, and it 
may lead to good results if we subscribe to some 
Fig. 3.— RACK FOR FEEDING MEAL. 
formulated statement of the importance, and the 
varied demands of the best farming. At any rate 
this seems to have been the view of 6ome of the 
agriculturists of Canada, who met in a convention 
and adopted for themselves the following Agricul¬ 
tural Creed: “We believe in small farms and 
thorough cultivation; we believe that the soil 
lives to eat as well as its owner, and ought, there¬ 
fore to be well manured ; we believe in going to the 
bottom of things, and therefore deep plowing, and 
enough of it—all the better if it is a subsoil plow; 
we believe in large crops which leave the land bet¬ 
ter than they found it, making both the farm and 
the farmer rich at once; we believe that every farm 
should own a good farmer; we believe that the 
fertilizer of any soil is a spirit of industry, enterprise 
and intelligence; without these lime, gypsum and 
guano would be of little use ; we believe in good 
fences, good farm-houses, good orchards and good 
children enough to gather the fruit; we believe in 
a clean kitchen, a neat wife in it, a clean cupboard, 
a clean dairy and a clear conscience ; we believe 
that asking a man’s advice is not stooping, but of 
much benefit; we believe that to keep a place for 
every thing and every thing in its place, saves 
many a step, and is pretty sure to lead to good 
tools and to keeping them in good order ; we be¬ 
lieve that kindness to stock, like good shelter, is 
saving of fodder; we believe that it is a good 
thing to keep an eye on experiments, and note all, 
good and bad; that it is a good rule to sell grain when 
it is ready ; we believe in producing the best butter 
and cheese, and marketing it when it is ready?” 
