THE CULTIVATOR 
131 
choose the stanchion directly opposite their own calf, 
which will habituate them to occupy the same place 
through the season. This may be considered by some as 
small change, but I know of no better way to make large 
profits with small prices, than to save the whole, and im¬ 
prove the facilities for producing the same amount. M}'' 
barn being 30 feet wide, gives me 8 feet between the 
stanchions, and a floor each side of them 11 feet wide, 
which leaves plenty of room to pass and repass behind 
the cows, and to clean after them. My stanchions are 
constructed to confine and relieve t|ie whole number of 
cows in a stable with one motion, by a shaft being at¬ 
tached to the top of the stationary standard which pass¬ 
es through the top piece or plate 8 or 10 inches, and at¬ 
tached to each latch; and a shaft extending the whole 
length of the plate, running parallel with and attached 
to the movable stanchion or slide, which will raise eve¬ 
ry latch at once, by bearing upon a lever at one end of 
the stable, and confine every cow at once by operating 
the lower shaft in like manner. They may with the 
same fixture be relieved or confined separately, without 
interfering with the general arrangement. The stan¬ 
chions are set 4 feet apart, including 7 inches space for 
the neck, which affords room to pass into the hall be¬ 
tween each cow and plenty of room to milk them. A 
light half inch board with hinges fills the space between 
the stanchions, which standing aslant, will keep shut 
without latch or button, and make cheap convenient doors 
between the hall and stable. When it is intended to feed 
whey to cows, it should be commenced while feeding 
hay, before they get a taste of grass, for if they are not 
accustomed to it, a difiiculty will be found in making 
them drink it. 
The whey should alwaj'^s be soured before it is fed, 
which seems to lessen the cathartic qualities, and not so 
apt to cloy the new beginners. A few quarts only should 
be fed at first, with a little provender or bran, until the 
stomach is accustomed to it. The quantity may then be 
increased at discretion, care always being taken to feed 
a regular quantity, and not so much as to scour or cloy. 
If it should have a tendency to scour, (which is often 
the case with cows before they become accustomed to 
it,) ttiey should be fed wheat bran sufficient to prevent 
it; this should be prevented in the same way at all times, 
when occasioned by any other treatment. Each cow 
should have 4 quarts of provender per daj', with whey, 
until the grass gets its full heart, which will carrj^ the 
system into the heart of the season in full vigor and 
fluency* 
(To he continued.') 
CANADA THISTLES—ABORTION IN COWS. 
Messks. Gaylord & Tucker— Our friend. Dr. 
Thomson of Wilmington, Del., has given you, in the 
last number of the Cultivator, an account of two evils 
that have invaded our neighborhood, which seem to 
call for the serious consideration of your readers in 
evej-y part of the country. Unfortunately, I have suf¬ 
fered in the same way, and would therefore record my 
experience for public benefit. 
Some years since, a neglected farm came into my 
hands, where was an orchard of 1| acres, of which the 
Canada thistle had taken possession. As my wish was 
to go to the root of the evil, I determined to cut every 
thistle below the ground, just as they had attained the 
height of about fifteen inches, and apply a teaspoonful 
of salt to the bleeding root; conceiving, if the remedy 
had been sooner applied, some of the distant fibres 
might have escaped and set up for themselves. They 
were now in full vigor, and bled profusely; so the salt 
being taken into circulation, the result was total extir¬ 
pation, root and branch. True, it was a laborious busi¬ 
ness, and the neighbors thought it would “ never pay;” 
but it did, most amply, for not a thistle has since made 
its appearance, nor was the herbage at all injured by 
the application; nay, I have no doubt it was benefltted 
ultimately. Dr. Thomson has a small patch of these 
pests in a low meadow, the grass of which is peculiarly 
vigorous: I was grieved, the last time I passed, to see 
that he had dug a trench around the spot, about two feet 
wide and deep, throwing the earth on the sides, so as to 
isolate the circle, and was told he intended to cut the 
grass, and then cover the spot with salt so thickly as lo 
destroy every vestige of vegetation. Now here again 
my experience has taught me: I once owned a small 
field of Lucerne, and finding that the natural grasses of 
the soil had begun to usurp the land, I made several 
experiments to ascertain the quantity of salt necessary 
for the destruction of the grasses, without injuidng the 
deeply rooted Lucerne; this I found, but after the 
finer grasses had been annihilated, the land became filled 
with those of a coarse and deeply rooted species, which 
totally ruined my Lucerne patch. And will not this be 
the*result on the Doctoi’ts fine meadow? The bank of 
earth thrown up will be covered with weeds of gigantic 
growth, the present season; and long after it has been 
returned to the trench from whence it had been dug,will 
it require the greatest care and labor for their eradica¬ 
tion; while, or I am much mistaken, the finer herbage 
within the circle will be totally destroyed by the salt, 
and its place, filled with the coarser grasses, will remain 
an unsightly gall for years. Now all this might have 
been avoided, and the destruction of the thistles accom¬ 
plished, by a boy with a sharp knife and a box of salt, 
in the space of an hour, if taken at the proper season, 
and the herbage eventually benefitted by the operation; 
but so true it is, a man can manage the business of his 
neighbor better than his own, and one would almost 
suspect that it is in this light the injunction of holy writ 
is to be understood, when we are told, “ Let every one 
look upon the things of his neighbor.” 
Dr. Thomson has suffered greatly from abortion 
amongst his dairy cows. It is fortunate that he did not 
go deeply into the improved breeds, else the loss would 
have been grievous. He considers it safer to change 
entirely his stock of milch cattle, many of which are 
excellent; but is he sure this will remedy the evil? It 
is perfectly right to advise the removal of the foetus, &c. 
with the cow herself from amongst the herd; but abor¬ 
tion is the effect of a cause that must have its origin 
elsewhere. What does the Doctor think of the conjec¬ 
ture that it arises from the nature of the pasture and the 
surrounding atmosphere?—a damp, low, rich soil en¬ 
gendering, so it is confidently asserted, the growth of 
ergot on the luxuriant herbage, and producing a state 
of malaria which is believed to be the fruitful source of 
disease and abortion, amongst cattle as well as the hu¬ 
man species. These situations are generally destitute 
of fresh and living springs of water; the drink of the 
animals must therefore be contaminated with putrid ve¬ 
getable matter, and be rendered peculiarly unwhole¬ 
some.* 
The observation that the cows were in good condi¬ 
tion and had wintered well, and that no ill conditioned 
health in the animals had been detected, is no argument 
against this hypothesis; for I would ask, whether the 
evil is not generally experienced in such situations and 
Under similar circumstances? And can any of your 
readers give us instances of the prevalence of the dis¬ 
ease on upland districts, where the herbage is short, dry 
and sweet, the air dry and healthy, and the water pure 
and ever-flowing? For myself, I have observed that 
the evil has been alarmingly prevalent amongst dairies 
where the cattle have been in high condition, upon rich 
and rank pasturage; and I would venture to ask the Doc¬ 
tor—than whom I know of no one more competent to 
answer the question—whether, in his professional capa¬ 
city, he does not much oftener meet with cases of abor¬ 
tion among his rich and luxuriously living patients, than 
among those who are accustomed to be abroad in 
wholesome air, and constrained to take exercise, with 
perhaps spare diet—the evil arising from a too soft and 
relaxed habit of body? But now to the remedy. 
You must know, Messrs. Editors, I am such an advo¬ 
cate for the use of salt, even to profusion, that, to be 
consistent, I believe I may say I take myself about a 
pound a week. We know that sheep may be fed with 
impunity on soils confessedly unsound, if allowed salt 
in their troughs, and are removed to higher lands for 
the night; and I have no doubt the evil of abortion 
might be prevented by such a course of treatment. It 
is contemptible to hear some of our agricultural friends 
recommend salting their stock once a week ! Were I 
thus to be restricted, I have an idea I should be dead in 
about that time. Parker, in his Treatise on Salt, says: 
“ A person who kept sixteen farm horses, made the fol¬ 
lowing experiment with seven of them, which had been 
accustomed to take salt with their food. Lumps of rock 
salt were placed in their mangers, and these lumps, pre¬ 
viously weighed, were examined weekly, to ascertain 
what quantity had been consumed; and it was repeated¬ 
ly found that whenever these horses were fed on old 
hay and grain, they consumed only from 2^ to 3 ounces 
per day; but when they were fed with new hay, they 
took 5 ounces per day!” Now cannot we apply the 
reasoning of these animals to the case in point, and by 
allowing them as much salt as they require—they being 
the best judges of how much that ought to be—reduce 
the catalogue of diseases about one-half; and amongst 
these, abortion and the Canada thistle? 
P. S. It is refreshing to see in the pages of the Culti¬ 
vator, which is in such repute amongst us, an article 
from this part of the country. Many of my neighbors 
consider that the publication of a work so far north, is 
out of their latitude: could it not be contrived to bring 
us nearer together, by the establishment of an office 
about midway, for receiving communications and trans¬ 
acting the business of a publication confessedly at the 
head of the agricultural periodical press of the Union? 
Newcastle co., Del., Ylth July, 1843. D. 
* A dairyman writes : “ When I came to the farm which I 
now hold, I found the stables built under large trees, w'ith a 
northern aspect. My horses were soon in poor condition, with 
long and rough coats, and almost always lax in their bowels; 
nor could I get them up with extra feed or lighter work. 
But my cows suffered most, for they were always sick; their 
milk fell off, their butter was poor, and of a bad color and 
flavor, and four of them slipped their calves before their time. 
On inquiry, I found that the person tvho had left this larm 
had always been unfortunate in his horses and cattle, and 
from that cause, had not been able to make both ends meet. 
The truth flashed upon me in an instant, and in very little time 
longer than it has taken me to tell my story, 1 had commenced 
pulling down my stables, the unhealthiness of which had been, 
I was now convinced, the cause of all the evil and all the loss. 
I erected others on higher ground, removed from standing wa¬ 
ter and the shade of trees, with a southeast aspect, and dry, 
capacious yard, and 1 have had neither sickness or sorrow in 
my outdoor household from that day to this. My horses live 
on less food, and are in good condition, and my cows are a 
credit to their keep. Our butter brings two cents per lb. more 
in the market, and no more premature calves. Instead of wa¬ 
tering my cattle, as heretofore, at the pond under the trees— 
the water cold, with a deadly taste and bad colour—I sunk a 
well and put in a pump; and at along trough, under shelter, 
they slake their thirst, wdthout setting up their coats and 
shaking all over, as they used to do, even in warm weather, 
after drinking at the hole under the trees ; and to this water, 
and the bad aspect of the stables, I attribute all the sickness 
and misery which I once experienced amongst my cattle and 
horses.” 
THE WHEAT CROP OF WESTERN NEW-YORK. 
Messrs. Editors —In the summer of 1842, there was 
about the same quantity of ground prepared for wheat as 
there was the previous year. On the 1st of September, 
many had their fallows ready for seed, and the fine 
weather induced them to commence seeding the first 
week of the month. The second week and part of the 
third were so wet that there was but a small part of the 
wheat sown till the third and fourth weeks, and then it 
was unfavorable for seeding; so much so, that in many 
instances the ground was too wet and heavy for the seed 
to vegetate. Under these unfavorable circumstances for 
a crop, cold weather came on earlier than usual, with 
more snow and more severe cold than had been experi¬ 
enced for many years. 
The early sowm has been injured by the fly, (Hessian) 
and choked by the Shepherds sprout, or purse, so much 
that it is very light. That sown after the rains, was 
very much thinned for want of root to withstand the 
hard winter, and in many instances there cannot be half 
a crop, if the weather should prove favorable. The 
harvest will be several days later than usual, and it is 
feared that the rust will affect it; indeed, if all should 
favor us, we cannot realize much over half a yield. 
Wheat will be more impure this year than usual; cockle 
and chess vegetated well last fall, and the thinness of 
the wheat gave them the advantage. Smut is more 
common with those who neglected to brine and lime 
their seed, owing to the unfavorable condition of the 
ground, it being wet, and sowing impure seed. 
The prices of the coming crop, by all that I can learn 
from the different wheat growing districts in the several 
states, must rise from the last year’s rates; so that the 
wheat growers of western New-York may get from one 
dollar to one dollar and twenty-five cents per bushel, if 
the harvest should come in as well as may be expected 
from the present prospect; and if the rust should affect 
it, the price must rise in proportion. 
As for the prospect of my experiment field of wheat, 
my improved Flint surpasses all the other kinds. The 
Bellevire Talavara (English) has been the most injured 
by the winter; the Wheatland Red, White Provence, 
(French) Virginia May, Kentucky White Beard, Medi¬ 
terranean, and Soules wheat, all have stood the winter 
very well, compared with the other kinds raised in this 
vicinity. 
The Virginia May, Mediterranean and Wheatland Bed 
are ripening about alike, and will be ready for harvest 
six or eight days before the other varieties. They will 
not come up in yield to the improved Flint. The long, 
stiff beard and thick bran of the Mediterranean, are 
strong objections to its culture on our fine wheat land. 
Its early maturity’- will make it valuable on lands that 
are late in ripening and subject to rust. My improved 
Flint is the only kind I shall offer for seed this year, 
and that at twenty-five cents per bushel above the mil¬ 
lers’ price. It is very difficult to keep the several kinds 
in my experiment field pure, and in such quantities as 
lo offer them for seed; but I can supply small samples to 
those from a distance that should require it. Yours, re¬ 
spectfully, B. Harmon, Jr. 
Wheatland, N. Y., July 11, 1843. 
RAISING TURKIES. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —I am this year experi¬ 
menting in raising turkies; or rather I am practicing on a 
larger scale, in accordance with experiments of former 
years. If successful this year, I shall feel at liberty lo 
question much that has been said, and some that has been 
written upon this subject. My method is no secret, yet 
I prefer'^o get a little farther “out of the woods,” before 
I say much about it. I have thought, and still think, 
that one hundred turkies can be raised at much less ex¬ 
pense than the same value can be obtained from any oth¬ 
er animal on a farm. Writers upon this subject have said 
much that does not accord with my experience. It has 
been said (by a correspondent of the Cultivator, I think,) 
that “young turkies will not follow the hen, do not no¬ 
tice her call,” &c., and such reasons are confidently set 
forth as the cause of a failure in raising some young tur¬ 
kies which had been hatched out by a hen. And per¬ 
haps some have been deterred from setting turkies’ eggs 
under hens by such communications. But this is all 
wrong. Turkies not only can be raised by a hen, but in 
ordinary cases, if we would have them early, they must 
be so raised. If I should “ obtain eggs from the wild 
turkey,” I certainly shoiild set them under the hen, as the 
only swre-way of domesticating the young ones; and I 
should expect they would notice the cluck and the call 
of the hen as readily as they would the notes of an old 
turkey. I could state facts to demonstrate this. I can 
exhibit living witnesses to put this question at rest. But 
the details would not probably interest the majority of 
your readers: and yet the details are all that is of much 
value to one who wishes lo try the experiment of setting 
turkies’ eggs under hens. Let me add then in conclusion, 
that my first eggs this spring were thus disposed of, and 
they did well. Not one of them thus hatched, has died, 
and some of them mo full feathered, and roost upon the 
fences. They understand the call of the hen too. As an 
experiment, I took a hen which had just hatched out ten 
young turkies, and shut her up, and put the young ones 
to a coop with an old turkey, which I had just taken off 
with twenty-one young ones. They remained together 
twenty-four hours, of course over one night. The hen 
was then let out, and immediately on her going to the 
coop,, ten of the thirty-one left and followed 'he hen and 
