64 
these companies are also extensively engaged 
in the raising of cattle upon the Plains. It is 
fair to presume that parties so conversant 
with the Western cattle business had excellent 
reasons for locating in Iowa. Let us see what 
inducements there Bre in this State for such 
enterprises. There are a few counties in Iowa 
where excellent prairie lands, on good lines of 
railway, can be purchased at prices ranging 
from six to ten dollars per acre. The lands 
are rolling, well watered and superb for wheat, 
oats and corn. By going seven or eight miles 
from a station they can be purchased at the 
lower price named. In tracts of four sections 
they can be fenced with wire at less that 40 
cents per acre. Allowing that the land costs 
eight dollars per acre fenced, at a less dis¬ 
tance from the railroad, the annual increase 
in value for ten years will more than equal 
the interest at 10 per cent. To say that such 
lands would bring from $20 to $30 per acre 
withiu a decade would be considered a mod¬ 
est estimate by such as are acquainted with 
the history of Iowa lands. Upon this basis 
we can. practically, have free range in Iowa, 
except that it requires capital to hold it. 
After fencing, the additional improvments 
for wintering cattle are very simjjle—general¬ 
ly little more than sheds built iu the form of 
au L upon the north and west side of yards lo¬ 
cated on a south eastern slope. The better class 
of sbeds are 24 feet wide and open to the south 
and east. The bay is stacked at the ends of 
the sheds in the form of ricks extending east 
and south. Sometimes the ricks of bay form 
almost a complete inclosure of the yards. The 
entire yards are then inclosed with a fence, 
which, in the rear of the sheds, is made high 
enough to answer for a wind-break and snow- 
fence. Another plan is to construct a skeleton 
barn. Bet two rows of posts 24 feet apart, the 
posts to be 20 feet high aud eight feet apart in 
the line. Upon these posts, properly braced, 
construct a roof, and around them on all sides 
build a lean-to 10 feet wide and 12 feet high at 
the eaves. By omitting one post on each side 
about the center of the barn, space is left for a 
drive-way. 
The hay is unloaded from the wagon 
with a horse-fork. When filled and ready 
.for winter use, the barn presents a block of 
hay 2-t feet, wide, 20 feet high, and as long as 
the central portion of the barn, with closed 
sheds on all sides, into which the cattle run 
loose, assorted for different barns, according 
to size and age. 
The cost of keeping a two-years-old steer one 
year upon this plan would be: from May 1st 
to Dec. 1st., 75 cents; wintering upon bay, 
$5; total, $5 75 per animal. This supposes a 
large herd and plenty of open range till 
Sept. 15th, when they are turned into inclosed 
fields upon Blue-Grass pasture till Dec. 1st. 
Hay costs from 80 cents to $1 25 per ton in the 
stack; labor may be placed at 50 cents per 
animal for the Winter. The basis of estimate 
is $20 for each animal at three years old. It 
can be done for less; it may cost more. This 
includes price of the calf when dropped, but 
does not take into account interest upon in¬ 
vestment in lands, as that is met by increase 
in value. Good steers, three years old past, 
have been selling from $50 to $70 per head on 
pasture in November. 
Ames, Iowa, 
NOTES BY A STOCKMAN. 
I suggested three or four years ago a meth¬ 
od by which the great Plains could be utilized 
for the feeding of cattle with justice to other 
stockmen who necessarily own their own 
lands and invest large sums iu them, thus 
charging their business with a heavy burden 
from which the free graziers on the Plains are 
free. The method suggested was a lease of 
the lands, or really the lease of pasturage 
rights and the use of water, for a certain rea¬ 
sonable sum paid to the Government. This 
sum would go into the public Treasury, and 
become a relief as far as public burdens are 
concerned, and would tend to restore the bal¬ 
ance in favor of the farm stockmen. 
The justice and necessity of some such ar¬ 
rangement are apparent; and it has been pro¬ 
posed on the part of the W est-eru stockmen to 
enter into such a lease, the consideration offer¬ 
ed beiDg a yearly sum of $25,000,000 for a 
certain range, the boundaries of which can be 
easily known and recognized. This is a large 
sum, but not at all adequate for tbe bene¬ 
fits received. The enormous proportions of 
the Western stock business, however, may be 
realized by this great sum proposed to be paid 
for the use of the grass, which is probably 
worth four times as much, it is equal to four 
percent, upon $625,000,000; and thisvastsum, 
even at this modest valuation, represents the 
value of tbe grass upon the Plains. At its 
actual value of four times this sum, it would 
provide a fund which would more than clear 
the Government of debt, and pay off all the 
bonds and retire all tbe greenbacks. Such 
is the value of the humble, lowly grass. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
The fence question will thus be put out of 
the way. All the stock of the associated 
cattle men will run on the range as at present, 
the number in each herd being proportioned 
to the payment made by each proprietor. A 
man of small capital, with only a hundred or 
a thousand head, could then have equal rights 
with the owners of a million, and the business 
would be carried on upou free, democratic 
principles as consists with our system. 
Let farmers learn a lesson from this exam¬ 
ple, aud find some way to get rid of their 
fences. I am just now resting myself in a 
Southern locality where there is a great stock 
range with farms scattered through it. A 
great mauy hogs are kept on the range, which 
is finely timbered with oak aud chestnut, and 
the nuts afford fine feed for these enormous 
droves. These animals are of a peculiar kind 
and breed. They might be called the flax¬ 
seed breed from the depth of their sides and 
the thinness of their edge. A sight of them 
removes any doubts as to the existence of 
what are known as “rail-splitters.” The 
name is well bestowed and deserved. I saw 
one go through a t ail fence where I could not 
put my hand, on edge, between tbe rails. It 
darted at the fence, turned on its side, and 
shot through as easily as a pheasant twists 
and worms through the brush. Wherever the 
bell goes the pig can follow. The ono I refer 
to was tbe first hog I ever saw that carried a 
bell. Every farmer, however, has his own 
bell, aud knows tbe sound of it, and can thus 
follow his hogs around. 
But I was going to make a note on fences: 
Here in this pleasant village tbe hogs of tbe 
neighborhood run at large in spite of an or- 
dinace to the contrary. The fences in the 
village have cost considerably over $1,00U,and 
the score of bogs running about are worth 
probably less than $100. The damage done 
by small pigs last Summer to gardens 1 am 
told was much more than the value of all the 
hogs. This is an example of what we may 
see in every place in the whole of the United 
States. The cost of the fences is more than 
the value of the stock which they keep out of 
the crops. A universal fence law is the great 
necessity of the time, and every farmer should 
be educated up to the poiut where he will see 
the advantage of fencing his pastures, and us¬ 
ing movable fences for this purpose, and so 
avoid a yearly tax which is self imposed, but 
which, if levied by law, would lead to a revo¬ 
lution. — 
And a fence must be renewed in about 10 
years! This question comes to me with espec¬ 
ial force when I am considering tbe question 
of fencing in 1,500 acres of land for a stock 
range, which I must do to preserve the crops 
on a few cultivated fields. Nevertheless I see 
the propriety of it and the justice of the owner 
of stock taking care of it, and not casting the 
burden on tbe farmer who keeps no stock,or 
but a few cows which he incloses in a pasture. 
The fence law, so-called, which prohibits the 
range of stock, is fast taking precedence of 
politics in tbe Southern Stales, and is the 
breaking out of the dawn of a coming pros¬ 
perity for Southern agriculture. 
I am more and more impressed with the 
value of the Devon cattle. When I was a 
boy, our home-grown beef was Devon, and 
now that my teeth are dull and loose, I look 
back with reverence to the tender, juicy 
roasts which were cut from these red, plump 
cattle. 1 have heretofore expressed my admi¬ 
ration for this fine old breed, and my regret 
that it was overshadowed by the more popu¬ 
lar kinds. I have recently seen a Devon ox 
brougbt in from the range aud fed for three 
weeks on ooru, that dressed 900 pounds. I 
saw last week a pen of about 40 bead that 
were waiting shipment, that bad just been 
brought in, all the blood-red, smooth, round, 
plump Devons that would turn the scales at 
1,500 pounds each, aud which never had a 
mouthful of corn, but had been running in 
tbe forest range since they first saw the light. 
I don’t think any other breed of cattle could 
scale mountains and get fat on woods’ pasture 
and on the grassy tops of the bald mountains 
5,000 feet above sea level but these active, 
agile Devons, which I have seen on the New 
England roads trotting along down tbe hills, 
with a ton of bay behind them, and keeping 
pace with a horse team which was ahead. 
For farm grazing and stall feediug there may 
be as good, but none better tbau the Devons. 
I was very much pleased to see copied into 
that admirable paper, tbe Scientific Ameri¬ 
can, the fine engraving of Dutch (Holland) 
cattle owned by Smiths &, Powell, and which 
the 8. A. had the good taste to borrow from 
the Rural New-Yorker as a typical illus¬ 
tration of these magnificent, dairy cattle. Your 
artist deserves credit for his faithful drawing, 
which does ample justice to this beautiful herd, 
without an atom of exaggeration or nonsense. 
The Rural ought to be proud of the compli¬ 
ment paid by the S. A., and it richly deserves 
it, too. _ 
Just now, disease is making havoc with the 
herds. Everywhere cattle are dying of 
“strange diseases,” and bogs with cholera. 
The strange disease is the common anthrax, 
black-quarter, or bloody murrain, known by 
the black, foul-smelling, jelly-like appearance 
of the flesh under the skin. Why will not 
owners of stock study a book on the diseases 
of cattle? 
Vetmtianj. 
BLACK-QUARTER OF CATTLE. 
(anthrax fever.) 
HENRY STEWART. 
There is a prevalent disease among cattle 
at this period of tbe year, which may be 
easily recognized from its conspicuous symp¬ 
toms. It is commonly known as bloody mur¬ 
rain, black leg, and black-quarter; but its 
true name is anthrax fever, as given because 
of the black, thick blood, and the black effu¬ 
sion which is found under the skin of dead 
animals. Anthrax is from a Greek root mean¬ 
ing black; our word anthracite (black stone) 
coal is also similarly derived. Tlie French call 
the disease charbon, because of the same black 
appearance It is one of tbe most prevalent 
and fatal diseases of cattle, aud thousands «n 
animals are now dying of this malady, which 
is especially a disease of the Fall, Winter, and 
Spring. It is caused by indigestion, and con¬ 
sequent blood poisoning, and tbe changes of 
green grass and fodder to dry feeding with all 
the unwholesome rubbish which it is the cus¬ 
tom among farmers to compel their cattle to 
consume at this season. Rank weeds in 
swamp meadows, dry corn stubble with all 
the smutty ears and stalks left on the field, 
the weather-worn husks, the frozen herbage, 
and tbe water fouled with the washiugs of 
the soil, and all the gatherings oi' ordure and 
decayed matter of tbe by gone Summer, with 
tbe dead leaves—all these are taken into the 
stomachs of the animals aud produce the in¬ 
evitable x-esult, viz., disease of tbe digestive 
organs, disorder of the liver, impure blood, 
and fevers, and death ends it all. This is tbe 
story of most of the cases. Some others, but 
a few only, suffer from over feeding on dry 
food before the stomachs are brougbt down to 
the change, and this is a thing to be watched 
for and avoided by making the change of 
food gradually. 
The young stock suffer the most from this 
disease. It is especially fatal to the most 
thrifty calves ami yearlings, aud this is so 
because the digestive orguus of young ani¬ 
mals are more easily disordered than those of 
tbe older and more robust. Young calves 
especially are suffering just now, and hun¬ 
dreds of them are dying in some localities. 
The disease appears very suddenly, and ani¬ 
mals which seemed perfectly well in the 
evening are found dead in the morning. The 
first symptoms that are apparent are lameness 
in one of the fore or hiud limbs; Etiffness of 
the neck or shoulders; frothing at the mouth, 
tbe froth being streaked with blood; redness 
of the eyes, aud sometimes profuse diarrbax 
If the disease is discovered at the outset, it 
may be averted by an immediate dose of raw 
linseed oil—from four to twelve ounces, ac¬ 
cording to theage and size of the auimal—and 
this should be followed in two hours by doses 
of one dram of chlorate of potash, given each 
six hours. To prevent it, some precautions 
need to be taken in regard to the feed, mak¬ 
ing changes cautiously aud gradually and 
feeding moderately of rich food, but adding 
generously to the usual poor feed given to the 
young stock. The best supplementary food 
is linseed oil cake meal, and when this 
cannot be procured, an occasional dose of lin¬ 
seed oil may be substituted. When suspicion 
is aroused and care is taken to avoid dauger, 
there is comparative safety; it is tbe neglected 
stock, which appears to be doing well, which 
suffers. 
fl\)t Poulin^Barfr. 
MY LAST YEAR’S EXPERIENCE WITH 
POULTRY. 
We live on a farm, aud I have always taken 
great interest in attendiug to the poultry, not 
only for the profit, but also for pleasure Still, 
1 get very tired sometimes, and as brown as 
any gypsy. I used to be so won led on account 
of gapes; would sometimes lose nearly or 
quite all of my early hatchings. I tried va¬ 
rious kinds of food—corn-meal mixed with 
cold water, and seasoned with salt aud pep¬ 
per: then I would scald it, and when we had 
boiled meat, I would use the liquor to scald it; 
I gave sour milk, etc., etc., but all to no pur- 
JAN 24 
pose; they would gape aud die. Finally I 
ceasedgiving wet food,aud substituted cracked 
corn, fed dry, or nearly so, aud had some bet¬ 
ter success. 
About four years ago I read in tbe Rural 
that carbolic acid, used freely in the chicken- 
house, would rid it of verniiD. Now, early iu 
tbe Spring, I go over the roosts, and where the 
hens lay, with a bucket of water, iu which I 
have put oue ounce of carbolic acid (the 
pure sort is clear, aud always has a few crys¬ 
tals iu the bottom of the bottle, unless it is 
very warm weather), and early in tbe Summer 
I repeat this. I use coops made of boards, 
with good floors, and slut fronts for the hens 
that have young chicks, and as early as I can 
get fresh lime. I whitewash them inside aud 
out. making the wash strong with the acid. I 
frequently set a good, quiet hen in a coop, 
when I want to set some early. 1 always set 
two or three at a time, and give all the chicks 
to one mother, unless it is very early; then I 
give her ten or twelve, or as many as one ben 
can keep warm. 
Always before putting a family in a coop I 
go over the floor and inside walls with the 
lime and acid wash, and as long as the fowls 
roost in coops, I do this every two or three 
vreebs, aud tbe consequences are I have no 
vermin, no cholera aud no gapes. I allow the 
heus to have their liberty through the day 
when it is pleasant, and I never use any wet 
food. 
I have Domiuiques crossed with Plymouth 
Rocks. Had 50 hens la3t Spring, and raised 125 
young chickens. We used about 50 of them 
in our family aud sold 56. part of them when 
over a year old, the rest young roosters, at 
five cents per pound. They averaged 21 cents 
apiece. 
1 have sold 38 dollars’ worth of eggs since 
the first of March, ’84, besides those we used 
iu our family, and we use a good many, con¬ 
sidering them more healthy than salted meat. 
Now I advise any farmer’s wife who is short 
of pin-money, to turn her attention to poul¬ 
try, not leaviug it for the “good man,” or the 
hired help, as many do, aud 1 think she will 
not regret it. I am sure she will not, if she 
is a careful ^reader of the good Rural. 
“AN ADMIRER OF THE RURAL.” 
(tfxijfvimcHt (Srounib of thr $ural 
$nv-'!yovher. 
THE MARLBORO RASPBERRY. 
As all of our readers should be aware, A. J. 
Caywood & Son, of Marlboro, Ulster Co., N. 
Y., gave us two plauts of the Marlboro Rasp¬ 
berry several years ago, to be tested in these 
grounds. They were planted and looked after 
with due care, and our report was rendered in 
due time—a very favorable report, w’bich the 
originators have used, as it is reasonable to 
suppose, greatly to their advantage. Many 
other reports have appeared in these columns, 
praising this raspberry very highly—iu some 
cases beyond its merits. A few have appeared 
speaking disparagiugly of the quality of the 
fruit; of the snekeriug propensity of the 
plauts, and. perhaps, in other respects. The 
Messrs. Caywood do not think that, in giv¬ 
ing publicity to these strictures, we have 
treated them fairly. In a recent letter Mr. 
Caywood says: 
“ if you continue to publish every man’s 
article derogatory to the Marlboro, it would 
not matter. ****** The vines will 
not sell. In the 40 year? we have been in the 
business, we have never published a word 
against uuy man’s new fruit, as we consider it 
entirely out of place for anyone engaged iu 
selling plants, to do so. We thought you 
ought to have been satisfied with publishing 
Mr. Downing's enmity; but it seems you are 
determined to publish all the outbursts of 
those who are endeavoring to throw discredit 
cm a variety which stands higher in the esti¬ 
mation of all practical men than any ever in¬ 
troduced. We fcbull uot answer any more of 
them. You cut up our article wherein we 
showed thut Mr. Downing is uot a proper 
judge of raspberries; but you allow Mr. 
Hawkins to say that we attack Downing, 
while instead of an attack wo showed that 
men standing as high as he does, simply dif¬ 
fered with him in his entirely gratuitous at¬ 
tack on the Marlboro. You sent Mr. Camp¬ 
bell's letter to him before it was published, 
which gave him a chance to answer it, and 
have his first article appear with it; but no 
such letters are scut to us before publication. 
We never should forgive ourselves if we 
should injure the Rural as much us it has in¬ 
jured us.” 
We print the above, first, in justice to Mr. 
Caywood aud the Murlboi o, and, second, that 
