1899 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
523 
Ailing Animals. 
ANSWERS BY DR. F. L. KILBORNE. 
Loss of a Foot on a Cow. 
My three-year-old cow got lame in one 
of her front feet last February, and in 
April, it began to crack around about one 
inch above the hoof. Last week, the foot 
came off. What is the trouble? Is it con¬ 
tagious? What should the treatment be? 
Colorado. w. l. f. 
Since the trouble is confined to one 
foot, it was, probably, due to some in¬ 
jury, possibly a quittor. A surgical opera¬ 
tion, followed by antiseptic dressing, 
would have been the proper treatment. 
Had the other foot been more or less af¬ 
fected, or other cattle on the same feed 
been similarly diseased, the symptoms 
would indicate ergotism, a disease due 
to the poisonous effect produced by feed¬ 
ing upon a fungoid growth known as the 
ergot. If due to ergotism, treatment 
would have been unsatisfactory. The 
disease is one to be prevented by avoid¬ 
ing, as far as possible, the feeding of the 
ergot, which is easily recognized by the 
black spur, one-fourth to one-half inch 
in length projecting from the heads of 
grasses on which the fungus has grown. 
It was not contagious in either case. 
Foot Rot in a Cow. 
My cow has the foot rot, wc call it. The 
foot seems to rot between the claws. What 
will cure it? I have used spirit of salt on 
it, and it seemed to kill it for a few days; 
then it would come back. o. M. v. 
Pennsylvania. 
The muriatic acid, or spirit of salt, 
should have cured the foot-rot if you 
were thorough in your treatment. You 
should first clean the foot between the 
claws by drawing a strip of cloth or piece 
of untwisted rope back and forth between 
them. If there is any detached or dis¬ 
eased horn under which the disease has 
burrowed, it should be carefully pared 
away with a sharp knife. Then apply the 
acid to the diseased surface, using a 
small swab for that purpose, so as thor¬ 
oughly to cauterize all diseased tissues. 
Finally apply a dressing of pine tar. 
Repeat the treatment about every 10 
days as long as any signs of the disease 
remain. Even after the feet have been 
entirely cured, it is well to examine 
them, at least once a month for a few 
months, as the disease is liable to reap¬ 
pear. During treatment, the cow should 
be kept in a clean, dry pasture, or con¬ 
fined where she cannot get into mud or 
filth of any kind. The stable should be 
thoroughly cleaned. Moist dirt or filth 
may harbor the disease for some time. 
Warts on Hens' Legs; a Kicking Horse. 
1. My hens have small warts on their legs, 
which they pick, and soon lose so much 
blood they finally die. What causes them 
and what will cure them? 2. Why does a 
horse begin to kick up when on the road? 
She never did it before. We boarded her 
three weeks with a farmer, and ever since, 
she has had a notion to kick. m. f. d. 
Connecticut. 
1. Cauterize the sore with a stick of 
lunar caustic. If a hen persists in pick¬ 
ing at the sore, tie a bandage around the 
leg so as to cover it. 2. The horse has 
formed the habit of kicking up from 
want of exercise, or through misman¬ 
agement in handling. The best thing to 
do would oe to place the horse in the 
hands of a competent horseman, with in¬ 
structions to use the animal and try to 
correct the habit. It is very difficult to 
give satisfactory instruction for hand¬ 
ling such an animal, so much depends 
upon the disposition of the horse and 
the tact of the person handling him. If 
the horse is otherwise gentle and safe, 
you mignt drive her with a kicking 
strap. This is a strong strap made to 
pass over the hip, where it is fastened 
to the harness to keep it from slipping 
off, the ends of the strap being looped 
or buckled around the thill on each 
side. Any competent harness maker 
could supply you with the strap, and 
direct you how to use it. With the use 
of the strap for a time, and plenty of ex¬ 
ercise, the habit may be soon forgotten. 
GOING TO BEEF CATTLE. 
It seems probable that the dairymen 
who have been keeping Jerseys will be 
likely to change them for Short-horns or 
some of the larger breeds of cattle. If 
the ones they are already keeping are 
not profitable they will be very likely to 
choose a breed which will produce good 
steers for beef purposes. This change, I 
do not think, would be likely to make 
much difference in prices for several 
years; yet should western dairymen 
abandon the business, and turn their at¬ 
tention to producing beef instead of 
butter, there might soon be very much 
less butter and cheese produced, thereby 
encouraging better prices. Land being 
cheap in the West, and taking into con¬ 
sideration the cheapness of feed, the 
vastness of the resources, the eastern 
farmer can never compete with him suc¬ 
cessfully. It does not seem very prob¬ 
able that good cattle can be very plenti¬ 
ful for several years to come, because 
they can be increased only about so fast 
any way. It matters not whether I sell 
my cattle or not, there are only just so 
many, unless they die or are killed. 
The western farmers were practically 
out of the beef cattle business a year or 
two ago, but now they arc stocking up 
with these cattle as fast as they can, 
which is not very fast, because they 
must wait for them to be born. 
OllO, WiS. A. C. SANFORD. 
Millet Hay or Stalks for Cattle. 
Are millet or Hungarian grass safe feeds 
for horses? I shall be obliged either to 
raise something for my teams, or buy hay 
this Winter, and as we have had a very 
dry season so far, hay is likely to be very 
high. Is fodder corn a practical feed for 
working horses? l. j. w. 
Summit, R. I. 
Ans. —We do not advise the use of 
millet hay in feeding horses. It does 
well to supply a large share of the 
roughage for cattle, but is quite sure to 
cause trouble when fed to horses. In a 
number of cases, it has caused disease 
of the kidneys and stiffness of the joints, 
especially when it stands too long be¬ 
fore cutting. We find corn fodder, well 
cured and handled, a complete substi¬ 
tute for hay. During the Winter, our 
own horses have practically no hay, but 
are fed entirely on sweet-corn stalks. 
No Gapes so Far.— There have been no 
gapes in my broods so far this season. I 
have followed the same plan I began last 
year, which was to keep the hens and their 
broods in coops on a clean barn floor, feed¬ 
ing and watering them three times a day 
with cracked corn and only pure water. If 
the cause of this disease is infection 
through earth worms, this method will 
reasonably appear to be what is needed. 
During the brooding period, the hens kept 
in a brooding house without any access to 
worms may possibly become disinfected, 
and so have, as may be said, a clean bill of 
health when the chicks are hatched. I have 
tried many kinds of feed in my life, but 
so far, find the best and most satisfactory 
in every way rather coarsely cracked corn 
with pure water and skim-milk to drink. 
Milk is equally good, sweet or sour, for the 
young chicks. h. s. 
Poultry Experiments.— Bulletin No. 6 of 
the Utah Experiment Station (Logan) con¬ 
tains some very valuable facts about the 
feeding and care of poultry. For example, 
an effort was made to compare the relative 
value of keeping pullets, yearlings and old 
hens. As we all know, there is a general 
belief among most poultrymen that the pul¬ 
let is the most profitable bird for the aver¬ 
age farmer to keep. There are people, how¬ 
ever, who claim that the yearling is profit¬ 
able, and that a hen, even at the age of 
three or four years, will continue to give 
good returns for her feeding. Briefly 
stated, Prof. Dryden found that it cost, 
on an average, 64.3 cents per head for 
Brown Leghorns one year old. During the 
first three years, the cost was 61.7 cents per 
head. As pullets, these birds averaged 175 
eggs per fowl during the year, these eggs 
being worth JUS. As yearlings, they aver¬ 
aged 13214 eggs, worth $ 1 . 3914 . The pullets 
gave one dozen eggs at the cost of 4.3 cents. 
The yearlings charged 6 cents a dozen 
for their eggs. Counting in another 
way, the pullets paid a profit of 188 per cent 
on the cost of their food, while the hens 
paid 118 per cent profit. These and other 
interesting facts are given with consider¬ 
able details in this bulletin, which is well 
illustrated and ought to be studied by 
every man who keeps poultry. We hope to 
give other extracts from it from time to 
time. 
Dairymen, Don't You Know 
That you are losing cream and doing work 
That might be saved if you were using the 
IMPROVED U. S. SEPARATOR 
It has been proved often that it not only 
SKIMS THE CLEANEST, 
but is the Easiest to Operate and Clean, therefore 
IS THE BEST TO BUY. 
Write for our free illustrated catalogues for full information. 
VERMONT FARM MACHINE CO., Bellows Falls, Vt. 
Why the Best ? 
Because the most simple ; 
Because the most durable; 
Because neatest lookiDg; 
Because the best material 
is used; 
Because the most perfect 
in workmanship; 
Because the cream is the 
finest; 
Because they skim clean 
forever, and 
Because they are safe. 
No other farm separator equals the Sharpies 
In a single one of these particulars We say it 
advisedly and deliberately. A free trial. Send 
for Catalogue No. 25. 
The Sharpies Co , P. M. SHARPLES, 
Canal A Washington Sts , West Chester, Pa. 
CHICAGO U. S. A. 
Branches : 
Toledo, O. Omaha, Neb. 
Dubuque, la. San Francisco, Cal. 
Cream Separators. 
De Lanai “ Alpha " and “Baby ” Separators. 
First—Best—Cheapest. All Styles—-Sires 
Prices, $50 to $800. 
Save 110 per cow per year. Send for Catalogue. 
THE DE LAVAL SEPARATOR CO., 
Randolph and Canal Streets, I 74 Cortlandt Street, 
CHICAGO I NKW YORK. 
A Cream Separator 
need not cost from a hundred dollars up- ^ 40 ’'* A. 
wards to be thoroughly 2? —T, ZT, • 
EFFICIENT and RELIABLE. 
NEW PROCESS 
PHEW PROCESS! 
CREAM 
M separator 
%jM»lfUF»C7UPfO •' 
JJfLECTRIC "MHI * 
HyiNCT ILLylj 
Our 
CREAM 
SEPARATOR 
thoroughly separates cream and costs hut 
a fraction of the price of a maehiue sepa¬ 
rator. That’s why agents are making 
money selling them. They save time, 
luhoruud money and increase the pro-, 
duct of the dairy. WE WANT AGENTS 
in every locality. Write at once for 
terms and catalogue of the full "Electric Line.” 
Electric Wheel Co., Box 309, Quincy, Ills, 
HAMMOND’SLi 
“Cattle Comfort” 
“CATTLE COMFORT” keeps off Horn F.ies, 
Gnats, Mosquitoes, etc. In use three years, and 
seems to do good work. 
Solti by Seedsmen. 
HAMMOND’S SLUG-SHOT WORKS, 
Flshkill-on-Hudson, N. Y. 
SUCCESSFUL DAIRYMEN use 1 cent's worth 
SHOO-FLY 
Saves 3 quarts inilk daily if used in time. 
NO FLIES, TICKS, VERMIN OR SORES ON COWS. 
Thousands duplicate 10 gallons. Be ware of imitations. 
‘‘I have used several so-called ‘ Cattle Comforts,' 
none equal to 'SHOO-FLY. It Is effective and 
cheap. Used 100 gallons.” II.W. Comfort. Falls- 
1 ngton, Pa., President Pennsylvania Dairy Union. 
Send 25c. Money refunded If cow is not protected. 
SHOO-FLY MFC. CO., 1005 Fairmount Aye., PHILA, PA. 
East 
op west 
These are best 
Smalley 
(utters 
for silo 
work 
CUTTERS, CARRIERS and POWERS. 
SMALLEY MFG. CO., Makl”., Manitowoc. Wis 
Oil rt O Are Fi "ed 
| Im Quickly and 
Economically with ‘‘New Hero” 
ENSILAGE CUTTERS 
BECAUSE THEY 
EXCELL 
in rapid 
work, 
strength, dur¬ 
ability and 
simplicity. 
Two gears only 
■ I i " on the com- 
plots cutter, 
v ^ Sizes to suit 
all needs. STRONCEST CUARANTEED. 
onMFTUlNR WPW- our universal swivel 
OUMCimnU NEW- CARRIER, runs at any 
desired angle, andean be changed from one angle 
to another without stopping cutter. Mew 160 pnge 
catalogue mailed FREE. Tells all about Hero 
Rnsilage and Fodder Cutters. Corn Huskers 
Sweep and Tread Powers, Feed Mills, Goodhue, 
Wind Mills, Shelters, Peck’s Corn Thresher, etc, 
APPLETOH MfG. CO. Batavia, Ills. 
m mss 
ENSILACE 
MACHINERY 
cuts ensilage, corn fod¬ 
der, hay and other rough- 
V4/ Y w age ami shred fodder for 
teed and cut straw for baling and bedding. They 
have a reputation for high quality In material, con¬ 
struction, capacity and working ability Send for 
Catalogue No. 18 The E. W. Ross Co., Springfield, 0 
Top Price Butter. 
The kind that a fancy private 
trade demands, is colored with 
Thatcher'8 Orange Butter Color — 
the color that does not contain 
any poison. Send for a sample. 
THATCHER MFO. 00., Potsdam, H.Y. 
DiRecno/is. 
Poui ;d» tired amount 
i*>to lhr retervoirof i nf 
Kl«< t*ic Sunn a. «< 
rordint *o the ourat»c> 
of cow. to be treated 
Work tha pi.tun rod. 
when the Euctmc will 
throw a An* aprae It 
'equireaonly a few mo 
nenta to •[»»« a herd 
■' thirty to fifty row» 
When Ar.t atartinc it« 
ft I. detirable lo 
• pray the row. once a 
day. and il dieaarn very 
«ev*re. twice- rtinrnmg 
and n.ght Thereafter 
V» every other day 
kilfly i. alao uaed on 
Itillii 
KILFLY. 
More Milk, More Money, More Comfort 
for Cows and Milkmen. 
A Liquid Mixture of Untold Value. 
Applied with Childs’ Electric Sprayer. 
Protects cows from the torture of flies, thereby increasing the 
amount of milk„ Absolutely harmless to man or beast. 
Put up in one gallon cans. 
Once Tried, Always Used. 
ELECTRIC SPRAYER 
Patented January 26,1898. 
Convenient and Practical in Every Particular. 
Throw* a very fine spray of any of the liquids and mixtures usually 
used for destroying insects, hugs, etc., and for keeping cattle free front flies 
during the summer weather. Can he thoroughly cleaned after using a poisonous mixture, 
which is conveniently done by removing the cover. Especially recommended for spraying potato vines 
with Paris green, also all kinds of plants, hushes, vines, trees, and interior of henneries, with any desired 
formula. Sample Lot— One gallon can K1LFL Y and one Sprayer, securely paeked, expressed to any 
address (except in State of Maine) charges prepaid, upon receipt of $2.00. Special prices for quantity 
Agents Wanted Everywhere. CHAS. H. CHILDS & CO., Utica, N. Y. 
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