MOOBE’S BUBAL NEW-YORKER. 
JAN. 24 
too often the case the majority of farmers 
must admit. It is a practice very injurious 
and detrimental, not only to the cattle but 
to their owner. No definite time can be 
given, but the stables should be in readiness, 
and the iirst cold, stormy night the cattle 
should occupy them. If the stable is old and 
the cracks open, improve the first spare day 
in battening and making it as close and warm 
as possible, allowing a chance for proper 
ventilation, needed in mild weather. All cat¬ 
tle when fastened in stables, and especially 
daily cows, should stand upon a raised floor 
with an inclination sufficient to prevent 
liquids from accumulating under them. By 
this means they can be more easily kept in a 
healthy and tidy condition. 
I am fully aware that the modes of feeding 
stock and the theories relating thereto are 
varied and numerous, and that my opinions 
will conflict with mnny, if not a majority of, 
farmers. In the first place, regularity in 
feeding is ot vital importance, and no one 
who expects the greatest profit from a 
given amount of feed can afford to feed at 
irregular intervals. 80 far I trust we shall 
agree. But upon the quantity to be fed at a 
time and the number of times per day we 
shall probably differ. 
Allow me to go a little further back and 
take up fora time the feeding or soiling of 
dairy cows during the summer month*. It is j 
held by many, and among the number Mr. ' 
Harris Lewis, that) our most common soil- , 
lug crop, “sowed corn / 1 is nearly valueless 
for milch cows when fed iu a green state, i 
He says “Sowed corn is of some value as 
a winter feed when well cured, but its quali- ; 
ty as greeu food is greatly overrated, being 
about as good for produei ng milk us buss wood 
shavings. His cows would not eat the stalk 
butts. Has tried feeding sowed corn for five 
years, and Is satisfied it is nearly worthless 
compared with hay or grass.” 
I cannot agree with Mr. Lewis that sowed 
com is nearly worthless. On t he contrary, I 
think the crop is of very great value — I 
might say almost indispensable to dairymen, 
especially in seasons when we experience 
severe drouths. The reason why so many 
pronounce green sowed corn worthless, is 
because of the maimer in which they com¬ 
mence feeding. Instead of waiting until the 
cows have fallen off in quantity of milk to a 
considerable extent (as is tlio practice of 
dairymen) und then feeding from (lie first in 
large quantities, thereby causing fever uud 
further diminishing the flow of milk, the 
feeding should commence while the postur 
age is yet good and the flow of milk nndi- 
minished, feeding in small quantities to avoid 
any tendency to fever; increasing gradually, 
taking care not to feed so much at a time 
that any will be left in the manger. This 
can only be accomplished by feeding in very 
small quantifies and repeating as often as it 
may be cleanly eaten up. If by over-feeding 
a few com but ts should be left in the man¬ 
ger, sweep them out before putting in the 
next feed. In this way you get fl our cows 
iu the habit, from the first, of eating the 
whole of the fodder instead of neglecting the 
most •aluable portion of it. If Mr. Lewis, 
and others of the s^me persuasion, will try 
feeding sowed corn iu this manner, they 
will have no further trouble in getting their 
cows to eat the corn butts, nor will if be long 
ere they arc convinced that wilted, green 
sowed corn, as an auxiliary food, is not 
“almost worthless.” 
For early fall feeding, cured sowed corn, 
or, in its absence, early cut corn fodder from 
the field, with a few of the small ears left 
unhusked and the feeding commenced in the 
same manner, will be found much more 
valuable for milch cows than most kinds of 
hay. Cows should always be fed in such 
quantities that they will eat tho whole 
amount,provided the quality is such that they | 
will thrive upon it. If so poor that, they can 
only eat a portion of it, the refuse should be 
removed from the manger at least once a 
day—better still, to remove it as often as 
fresh feed is given. 
By the common method of feeding, which 
is to give as much at one time as the animal 
is supposed to need for half a day, at. least 
one-half of the com fodder by weight, and j 
that the most valuable portion, i& wasted. 
The number of cattle in the State of New 
York, according to the last census, is 2,US0,- 
230. Now, suppose that the com fodder 
raised in the State is equal in real value to 
one-tenth the fodder required to feed that ; 
number of cattle. If judiciously fed, it 
would supply 208,(523 head of cattle for the 
comming winter. But if, under the present 
system, one-half is wasted, then we shall 
throw away feed enough this winter to keep 
101,311 head of cattle; and calling hay worth 
the nominal price of $10 per ton, and allowing 
one and a half tons to each animal, we have an 
aggregate amountof $1,5(54,005 thrown away 
by the farmers of the .Slat-; of New York on 
this one item of corn fodder. It is not .vision¬ 
ary to assume that. Lilly as much is wasted 
in other kinds of fodder, to say notliing of 
the loss in the condition of animals occa¬ 
sioned by injudicious feeding and lack of 
proper care and treatment, thus swelling 
the amount to $3,127,350 as the annual loss to 
the farmers of the Empire State. 
Ktables in a climate like ours should be 
constructed in the best maimer possible to 
exclude cold ; if warm enough to prevent 
freezing, better still. Cattle may be kept in 
tlte stable in severe weather 23 hours out of 
34, without injury, turning them out at least 
once a day to obtain water, which should be 
supplied in abundance in the yard adjoining 
the bam. If the weather is mild, it is, per¬ 
haps. better that cattle should be out three 
or lour hours each day; but the practice of 
keeping rattle out of doors from morning till 
night, regardless of cold and storm, freezing 
more flesh off than can be fed on ; scattering 
their feed upon the ground to be blown away 
by the wind or tramped into the snow or 
mud and wasted, is one that properly be¬ 
longs to the past, and should be discarded by 
every one in this age of improvement 1 If 
hay is scarce, good st raw may be fed with 
profit in steady cold weather, by feeding in 
small quantities and often. Feed nothing 
but straw during the day, giving a bountifi 1 
feed of bay the last thing at night, pursuing 
the same method until the coarse fodder is 
exhausted or a change of feed is thought de¬ 
sirable. A small allowance per day of ground 
feed to each cow, especially when fed on 
straw, will pay a good per cent. on cost. 
Cutting coarse fodder may be beneficial, 
but I question whether it will pay the cost if 
fed without, steaming. If we had machines 
driven by some cheap power, that would cut 
and grind the feed at the same operation, 
the quality would no doubt be greatly im¬ 
prove!. Steaming food of different kinds 
for <rattle is being practiced in various locali¬ 
ties, and if we may credit the reports of 
actual experiments it has proved a successful 
and paying operation and worthy of thor¬ 
ough investigation. 
Cattle should be well carded as often as 
once a week during the time of stabliug. 
There is nothing that can bo done for them 
that pays 1 letter for the outlay in time than 
tills. By using absorbents (either muck, 
leaves or sawdust) tin- air in the stable i 
kept purer, the floor more cleanly, and the 
extra amount of manure saved by absorbing 
the liquids, more than pays for the trouble 
in using, if you would keep cattle for profit, 
never allow any one to take care of them 
that will not treat them with the utmost 
k i i iiluess. 
I hope what I have said may at. least pro¬ 
voke discussion or awaken thoughts which 
may, perchance, ultimately aid, to some ex¬ 
tent, in improving the methods of manrging 
and l'eediug farm stock. W. C. Gifford. 
Jamestown, N. Y. 
RAISING CALVES AT AN AGRICULTURAL 
COLLEGE. 
The London Milk Journal tolls how stock 
is raised at Hohenheiw. The rules laid down 
at this great agricultural college are, t hat it 
is best to rear calves entirely by hand, so as 
to have less trouble with both cow and off¬ 
spring ; and the quality and amount of food 
must be regulated as follows ; 
let week, daily, 12 lb. milk, 0 lb. oatmeal, 0 lb. fine hay 
2.1 “ “ 10 “ 0 “ 0 “ 
Sil “ *• 20 “0 “0 
•lth “ “ 22 “0 “0 •' 
till to 7th M 22 “ " X u 
8th week “ 21 “ >4 “ X “ 
8th “• “ 20 “1 “1 
10th “ “ 10 “ 2 “ ft •• 
11th •' “ 12 “2 “ 3 
isth •• “ 8 “ 2 “ HI 
In the ninth week the milk is first mixed 
with water and a little fine oatmeal. The 
meal is afterwards mixed with dry fodder. 
After three months the milk is withheld, and 
then the young animals receive daily, till two 
and a half years old, from twenty to twenty- 
two pounds of hay or its equivalent. But the 
calves never after receive, even in summer, 
any dry food till they are nine months old. 
The average feeding is so divided that the 
younger portion receive less, the older more, 
till two and a half years, when they begin to 
receive the regular rations of the older cat¬ 
tle, including the regular grain fodder, as in¬ 
dicated above. The growth with this treat¬ 
ment is so remarkable that it is only a little 
surpassed by the rapidly - maturing Short- 
Horns. 
Heifers. Bulls, 
Average w’t of calves at 3 mos— 232 lbs. Mai lbs. 
•* •• “ » « .... Hot “ 472 “ 
“ “ ** lvear.... (iiO ** 726 “ 
" '• “ 2 " ....1,184 “ 1,300 “ 
Daily lnereuso of calves.1.5 1.8 
“ “ *' la 2d year....1.4 1,5 
The college, whose management of young 
stock ip, given above by the Milk Journal, was 
established in ISIS by King William, on the 
Roville estate in Hohenheim, Wurtemburg. 
afield (l'i[ops. 
ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-NINE 
BUSHELS CORN PER ACRE. 
The Washington (Pa.) Reporter, contains 
j the report of a committee appointed by the 
Washington County Agricultural Society, to 
examine a, field of com, which is so extraor- 
dinaiy that we copy it entire : 
The undersigned committee, acting under 
the instructions of your society, would re¬ 
spectfully report that they visited the farm 
of James W. Dickey, five miles north of West 
Alexander, and made a careful examination 
of his com field, which lies very high. We 
added to our committee three disinterested 
persons who measured the field accurately 
(surface measure) and who tiIso selected 1 lirec 
of tho average size shocks in different parts 
of the field. These shocks wo husked, the 
com measured nineteen lialf bushels, or six 
and one-third bushels of cars and a few ears 
over, which weighed seventy-five pounds per 
bushel in the ear. 
The following is the report of those who 
assisted us:—“We, the undersigned, who 
were appointed to measure tho com field of 
James W. Dickey, iiud that it is fifty rods 
square, and contains fifteen acres, and one 
hundred perches, one hundred perches of 
which were iu potatoes, the balance in corn. 
The field contains one thousand one hundred 
and four shocks ; tho corn husked was all 
measured wit h a half bushel measure, three 
heaped for one bushel shelled, one bushel 
numbered eighty-five ears, and weighed m-v 
enty-five pounds. Wlion shelled it measured 
one bushel, one gallon and one and one-half 
pints. The shelled corn weighed sixty lbs., 
the cobs fifteen pounds per bushel. 
(Signed,) Edward Smith, 
David Lefflkr, 
John Me Ad wo.” 
The above is the work of the entire com- | 
inittee except the measurement of the field, 
and the measurement and weight of the 
shelled com. 
From the above we find the product of the 
field by each shock yielding two bushels, one 
peel-, one. quart and one pint of shelled corn, 
mailing in the aggregate 2,535% bushels, or 
one hundred ami si.rly-nine bushels shelled 
corn lo the acre. The highest yield upon 
record appeared in a monthly report issued 
by the Department of Agriculture at Wash¬ 
ington, D. C., which is reported at two hun¬ 
dred bushels shelled corn per acre, which 
was raised in one of the Carolina States. 
In submitting this report we must say we 
were astonished when we entered the field. 
The stubbles were bench high. The shocks 
were remarkably uniform in size Ml over the 
field, and of huge proportions. Though 
made as near os could be from eight hills 
square, we counted many of the hills, and 
found Mr. Dickey correct as to the number 
in a shock, we also measured the width of 
the rows in several places and found them lo 
be two feet live inches by three feet one inch, 
nod the average stocks per iiill three and a. 
half. 
Taking the widths of rows as a basis of 
calculation, we find the same quantity of 
land us the amount given above, so that we 
are correct in the width of rows. 
There are by actual count 1,104 shocks in 
the field. 
The following was solicited from Mr. Dick¬ 
ey : — He superintended the plowing, and 
his sons George W. and Jas Dickey, who are 
practical farmers, have the credit for the 
rest. 
The field was in sod eighteen years ; it was 
plowed as soon as the frost was out, at an 
average depth of two and a half to three 
inches. The sod was well turned over, and 
harrowed six times with a common tooth- 
harrow just before planting. It wus marked 
out both ways at the distance above stated, 
except about three acres on steep ground, 
which was marked but one way. 
The com was planted about the 20th of 
April. When the corn was up in part only, 
and the remainder coming up, they used the 
common harrow, then the three-shoveled 
cultivator, next the double shovel, and for 
the last time the single shovel running twice 
in each row, each working; worked the 
corn in all five times. The corn was up at 
last working to the horse's back. 
Thirty or forty years ago, this same field 
only yielded twenty-five to thirty bushels 
per acre. Mr. D’s opinion at present is, that 
its fertility is owing to sheep husbandry. 
He further says, iu fields that lie out a loug 
time, the rich, and most fertile part of the 1 
soil was on top, and by shallow plowing of 
sod ground the nutrition of the soil is brought 
| direct and immediately to the corn, which 
j gives it a quick and rapid growth, and also 
that the cut-worms and other insects feed 
upon the grass turned under, and do not dis¬ 
turb the corn. Mr. D. lias followed this 
course five l imes with perfect success, while 
hi?, neighbors following the old plan have had 
lo replant what the worms destroyed. 
Weeds arc plenty this season in most all 
corji fields, but this one is clear. 
We also passed through another field of his 
of fifteen acres which was the second crop. 
This was plowed shallow when in sod, and 
the next time very deep. On this field there 
were 985 shocks by Mr. D.’a counting, and 
would from appearance average over two 
bushels per shock of shelled corn. 
We also saw several lots of his sheep, all in 
high condition, especially his ewes. Nine 
hundred and twenty-two fleeces of his wool 
he reports weighed 5.520 pounds. He has 
now' 050 sheep. Everything about him indi¬ 
cates thrift. 
Mrs. D. and daughters have the thanks of 
the Committee for a bountiful supply of the 
good things of this life. 
S. J. Cbothers, 
William Wylie, 
John McDowell, Cor. See. 
J. N. Horn, 
C. M. Reed, 
Joshua Wright. 
Committee. 
. — -- ♦♦♦ - 
PEPPERMINT CULTURE. 
J. W., Palmyra, N. Y., writes on this sub¬ 
ject to the Country Gentleman as follows; 
Peppermint will grow on any land adapted 
lo other crops, but docs best on swale or 
swampy ground free from surface water. 
The land should bo prepared early iu the 
spring tho Kamo us for corn. After being 
thoroughly harrowed, mark out v’ith a 
shovel plow in rows two feet apart one way. 
Scatter tho mint roots in these furrows and 
cover with the l oot or hoe. Tho roots should 
bo obtained from mint of a previous spring’s 
planting, and boing drawn where wanted 
should be placed in piles and covered with 
earth until used. When ready to set un¬ 
cover these piles us needed and separate the 
roots, removing therefrom all grass or 
weeds. Ten rods of good roots will set an 
acre. Tlio mint during its growth should re¬ 
ceive thorough cultivation. A small cultiva¬ 
tor running near the surface is of great as¬ 
sistance in the cultivation. 
When the mint is in blossom, cut and let it 
remain on the ground until wilted, then 
rake into piles, where it must remain until 
dry enough to transfer to the still. The 
mint will occupy the ground tliree years, 
and will produce from 10 to 40 pounds of oil 
each year except the last, when the product 
will be somewhat diminished. To set, hoe 
and cut an acre of mint will require, from 10 
to 20 days’ work, mid even more should the 
land be weedy or difficult to till. Tliis for 
the first crop. The second and third crops 
will require only an amount of labor suffi¬ 
cient to secure these crops. A still with the 
necessary building will cost from $400 to 
$800. One still will accommodate a large 
section of country. It should be placed near 
a spring or running stream, where sufficient 
water can be obtained for the condensing 
vat, and for the use of The boiler. The pro¬ 
cess of distillation in copper boilers has been 
hugely superseded by steam stills. These 
stills will get out from (10 to 100 pounds of oil 
in a day of 24 hours. They are thought to 
obtain a larger amount of oil from a given 
quantity than by the old process. In this 
section the raising of peppermint is a leading 
industry, mid it frequently happens that wet 
and low-lying lands occupied by this crop, 
produce a larger return of profit than the , 
most fertile fields devoted to cereals. 
-♦♦♦- 
CAMPBELL’S LATE ROSE POTATO. 
1 have grown this variety two seasons, 
and like it. The first year I had but three 
potatoes, and wishing to make the most of 
them, I sprouted them under glass, potting 
the sprouts as they grew large enough, and 
transplanting, them to the garden later. I 
think this plan is not the best one if you wish 
to grow good potatoes for the table. 
This last season we cut the potatoes to sin¬ 
gle eyes as nearly a could he, and planted 
tlie first week i « April in the spaces between 
blackberry plants iu?t transplanted for 
fruiting. The field had not proper cultiva¬ 
tion ; no eff ort was made to destroy the Col¬ 
orado potato bug. which attacked* the vines 
in vast numbers. Tho t<>ps were t boroughly 
ripe by Sept. 15, and from about two-tliirds 
of a bushel of potatoes planted, we harvested 
5(5 bushels of superior tubers. We consider 
the quality unsurpassed bv anv kind we 
have ever raised, and intend to grow them 
again. E t y. r. 
Richmond, Ind., Jan. 1., 1874. 
n_l 
