PHILOSOPHY OP FARMING.-EFFECTS OF CULTIVATION. 
97 
fowls, like those of other farm stock and even those 
of the whole human race, are somewhat varied, (a) 
Notwithstanding I provided everything in my 
power that I thought would contribute to their com¬ 
fort and health, my Dorkings were soon affected 
with a disease, the like of which I had never seen 
before. I immediately referred to several publica¬ 
tions on the diseases of animals, &c., from which 
I gathered enough to suppose that the malady might 
be the gapes ; for they are continually gaping, with 
a kind of hiccough or catch, in the throat, when 
they attempt to make a noise • their eyes and nos¬ 
trils are constantly running 5 in some instances 
their eyes are so swollen as to be quite closed up • 
and they appear to have no disposition to eat, but 
are rather inclined to droop. ( b) 
At first, I tried to free their windpipes of any ob¬ 
struction by the use of the feather end of a quill, 
dipped in spirits of turpentine, but with no effect. 
I then made some pills of powdered charcoal, lard, 
and Cayenne pepper, with no regard as to propor¬ 
tions, but when mixed, of about the consistency of 
putty. The size of the pills was as large as the 
throat of a hen is capable of receiving, three of 
them being a dose for each fowl a day. This inde¬ 
finite prescription, I met with, in a book by S. W. 
Coles, entitled the 44 American Veterinarian,” which 
compels me thus openly to disclaim against the al¬ 
most universal want of definiteness in some writers. 
Too much is left to be taken for granted, and is 
sent forth to the world as a mere skeleton, leaving 
the reader to fill it out as best suits his fancy. 
While doctoring my fowls, I had a call from 
:a real farmer’s 44 gude wife,” to whom I men¬ 
tioned this disease, and inquired whether she 
had ever seen or heard of it before. She said, 44 In¬ 
deed I have, and scores of chickens have I lost by 
it; but I know not what to do for it—neither do I 
know the cause.” 
It may be interesting to add, that I have been 
feeding all my fowls for some time past on mouldy 
•corn ; and that I saw nothing of the disease before 
the arrival of the Dorkings; but at present, my 
Polands and other breeds are afflicted in the same 
way. I have now changed their feed, giving them 
Indian meal, mixed in hot water, with a tea-spoonful 
of salt to each quart. As to the success of this 
treatment, time alone will determine. 
Another disease, with which a few of my Dork¬ 
ings are afflicted, is here called the “big knee.” 
I had never heard of this complaint before, and con¬ 
sequently had known of no cure. I applied, how¬ 
ever, some liquid opodeldoc to the affected parts, 
and I think the fowls are gaining upon the disease. 
Any light that can be given on this interesting- 
subject by some of your generous correspondents, 
will be considered of great importance to our Jersey 
farmers, by whom and myself, it will be gratefully 
received. W. D. 
Morristown , N. /., Dec. 1 6th, 1847. 
(a) The wants of poultry are very clearly shown 
hy a correspondent of the Boston Medical and Sur¬ 
gical Journal, in the following amusing sketch :— 
“ A most pleasing illustration,” says he, 44 of the 
want of lime, and the effects of its presence, came 
under my notice on my voyage from South America 
do 4 sunny France.’ We had omitted to procure 
gravel for our poultry, and in a few days after w T e 
were at sea the poultry began to droop, and wound 
up their afflictions with the pip, or as the sailors 
term it, the scurvy. Their feathers fell from their 
bodies, and it was perfectly ludicrous to see the 
numerous imfeathery tribe in the most profound 
misery, moping away their time in an utter state of 
nudity. Amusing myself one day, hy fishing up 
gulph weed, which floated in immense fields upon 
the surface of the ocean, I shook from it numerous 
small crabs, about the size of a pea. The poultry, 
with one accord, aroused themselves from their tor¬ 
por and seemingly, as if by instinct, aware of the 
therapeutic qualities of these interesting animals, 
partook of them with greater avidity, than any 
invalid ever swallowed the 4 waters’ of the e springs.’ 
After a few hours the excellence of the remedy was 
apparent; the roosters bpgan to crow, the hens to 
strut and look saucy, and in a few days all appear¬ 
ed in quite a holiday suit of feathers, derived from 
the lime, the constituent part of the crab shells.” 
(b) By referring to p. 222 , of Allen’s “Domestic 
Animals,” our correspondent will perceive that his 
fowls were affected with the roup , catarrh , or 
swelled head, where, it is stated that the disease 
“ is shown by feverish symptoms, swollen eyelids, 
frequently terminating in blindness, rattling in the 
throat, and temporary strangulation. These are 
accompanied with a highly offensive watery dis¬ 
charge, from the mouth and nostrils, loss of appe¬ 
tite, and much thirst. They should he placed near 
the fire ■ their heads bathed in warm Castile soap¬ 
suds, or milk and water. Stimulating food, as 
flour or barley meal, mustard and grated ginger, 
mixed and forced down the throats, Boswell says, 
has been effectual in their speedy restoration. 
This, like many other diseases, is contagious, and 
when it appears, the bird should be at once sepa¬ 
rated from the flock.” 
Philosophy of Farming.— Here is the secret of 
good farming. You cannot take from the land more 
than you restore to it, in some shape or other, with¬ 
out ruining it, and so destroying your capital. Dif¬ 
ferent soils may require different modes of treatment 
and cropping, but in every variety of soil these are 
the golden rules to attend to : Drain until you find 
that the water that falls from heaven does not stag¬ 
nate in the soil but runs through it and off it freely. 
Turn up and till the land until your foot sinks into 
a loose, powdery loam, that the sun and air rea¬ 
dily pass through. Let no weed occupy the place 
where a useful plant could possibly grow. Collect 
every particle of manure that you can, whether 
liquid or solid. Let nothing on the farm go to 
waste. Put in your crops in that course which ex¬ 
perience has shown to lead to success in their 
growth, and to an enrichment and not impoverish¬ 
ment of the land. Give every plant room to spread 
its roots in the soil, and its leaves in the air 
Effects of Cultivation.— Buffon asserts that 
wheat is a factitious grain, and that there is scarce¬ 
ly a vegetable, whatever its present character on our 
farms, that can be found growing naturally. Rye, 
rice, barley, and even oats, cannot be found wild ; 
that is to say, growing naturally, in their present 
perfect state, in any part of the world. 
