38 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
they are exempt from the cold and wet storms in the spring that 
are so deleterious to their health—especially to old and very poor 
sheep, and to ewes with lamb. I have, I believe, three or four sea¬ 
sons, within seven years, reared from forty-five to fifty lambs in a 
Eeason, without losing one. My actual sales of wool and sheep for 
eight years past, amount to $1,708.13, and the increase of my flock 
is now worth three hundred dollars more. In conclusion, I would 
say to my brother farmers, “ go thou and do likewise.” I must de¬ 
sist from giving a plan and description of my barn, for the want of 
room. 
And now, sir, if you think any of the foregoing is worth puplish- 
ing, you are at liberty to do it, after making the necessary correc¬ 
tions, foe. Respectfully yours, 
ROBERT MILLARD. 
P. S. The wheat crop in this section of the state, has been more 
or less injured, I believe, for twelve years past, by what is here 
called “insects in the head.” “ These insects or maggots prey 
upon the kernel while growing in the field, and before the grain has 
become hard.” In 1824 I had a field, containing five or six acres, 
about ha'f destroyed, and subsequently, for four or five years, my 
entire crop was destroyed. In 1830 I abandoned the idea of trying 
to raise wheat here, and have not since sown any. A neighbor of 
mine wishes me to say, however, that for two years past he has 
raised fine crops of spring wheat, by sowing his seed the 1st of 
June. Not an insect or maggot was to be found in either crop. 
Hampton, Washington Co. JV.Y. Fob. 27, 1836. R. M. 
MERINO SHEEP. 
Mr. Buel —I observed, in your last Cultivator, some remarks 
upon the emigrant merino, particularly the Ramboulet, imported by 
Robert R. Livingstou, Esq., in 1802. Perhaps it would be inte¬ 
resting to some of your numerous readers to know that that breed 
of sheep is still preserved by the family of that gentleman. Under¬ 
standing this to be the fact, I visited, last summer, the estate of Ro¬ 
bert L. Livingston, Esq., who resides upon the old domain of the 
late Chancellor Livingston, in the town of Clermont, Columbia 
county, and there found a beautiful flock of merinos, bearing the 
characteristic marks of that sheep; and although Mr. Livingston, 
at present, wishes to increase his flock, he, with the liberality for 
which he is so justly esteemed, generously permitted me to select 
a few to commence another pure flock; he informed me, that since 
the chancellor’s death he has continued to breed in-and-in. The 
Hon. Edward P. Livingston, who also inherited a part of the chan¬ 
cellor’s flock, has likewise done the same, I am informed. 
Since I am upon the subject of sheep, I will observe, that the 
vines of the field bean, with the pods and husks, after the beans are 
threshed, are excellent feed for sheep. I make this remark because 
I have seen in some paper, bean vines condemned as useless; and, 
likewise, upon travelling this fall, a little below the city of Hudson, 
a large quantity carted into the road and left but to rot upon the 
ground. Facts are stubborn things. Some years ago I raised two 
or three acres of the common field or white bean; the straw, or 
vinps, after threshing, I laid away for my sheep, and confined a 
small flock of them to that kind of fodder entirely, having enough 
to feed them the most of the winter, and although, after my vines 
were gone, I fed them with the best of hay, they lost flesh. They 
will eat all the vines except the woody part. 
, Yours, respectfully, NATHAN BECKWITH. 
Red-Hook, January 29, 1836. 
CURE FOR THE FOOT ROT IN SHEEP. 
The foot rot is an ulceration proceeding from innoculation only, 
which tends to destroy the hoof; it is most prevalent in low, wet 
pastures. The rot is so powerful in warm, moist weather, that the 
ulcerous matter may be discovered within three days after the ex¬ 
posure. The great and first point of cure is, to pare off all the in¬ 
fected part of the hoof, so as to expose the least particle of infec¬ 
tion, which must be removed: then apply a strong decoction of 
pulverized blue vitriol, dissolved in wa'er, adding, as used, spirits 
of turpentine; let them remain in a dry yard a few hours. In all 
cases, it is of great importance to separate the diseased animals 
from the flock, and range in dry pastures. When the disease has 
not been long seated, nor, in a manner confirmed, after cleaning 
the foot, and paring away the infected parts, the application of spi¬ 
rits of turpentine, or a mixture of oil of vitriol, one part with two 
of water, then dipping it in boiling tar, is an effectual remedy. In 
the winter, the animal may be infected, and yet you cannot disco¬ 
ver any lameness; it is, in this season, too often neglected; if so, 
when warm weather approaches, it rages again. The best time to 
cure the foot rot, is cold weather; freezing destroys the ulcerous 
matter, similar to the infection of small-pox—after freezing, it will 
not take effect. It is highly necessary to examine them every week 
until cured, which will require three or four thorough examinations, 
where the ulceration is confirmed. 
Waybridge, Vt., Feb. 29, 1836. S. W. JEWETT. 
ON THE MANAGEMENT OF PASTURE GROUNDS. 
J. Buel, Esq.— Sir —You will confer a favor upon one of your 
subscribers, and probably gratify many of the patrons of the Culti¬ 
vator, by giving some information relating to the fodder or forage 
for the stock of the wool grower and the dairyman. These two 
branches of farming are yearly becoming of more importance, and 
the most expensive part of which is the wintering of cows and 
sheep. Your views, sir, with regard to the application of our com¬ 
mon barnyard manure to meadows, and such land as is not suitable 
for ploughing—whether in a coarse unfermented state, and applied 
in the spring or to remain in the yard, and be allowed to ferment 
through the summer, and applied in the fall, would probably be 
read with interest. I am aware, sir, that your general mode of 
manuring land with unfermented manure, is by ploughing it in; but, 
sir, there are instances where it would be attended with great loss 
to the farmer, to dispose of his stock, or even a part of it, for the 
purpose of manuring his meadows in this manner, and it would also 
require a number ef years to accomplish it. I also claim that there 
is much land in our country, which for various reasons, is totally 
unfit for the plough, after a smooth surface has been obtained. I 
should likewise be pleased to read your views relating to the vari¬ 
ous species of grass, suitable for hay and pasture; but very few of 
our farmers use but two kinds for seeding their lands, viz: herds- 
grass and clover. I have seen the following advertised, and I pre¬ 
sume many of our farmers are unacquainted with their value, and 
the proper soils to which they are adapted, foe., viz: white Dutch 
clover, common white clover, crimson clover, lucerne, Italian rye 
grass, Pacy grass, perennial grass, prairie grass, orchard grass, red 
top, Rhode Island bent. To such wool growers and dairymen whose 
lands are not suitable for ploughing, the introduction of a species 
of grass of a more durable nature, than herds grass and common 
clover, would be important. 
If you are disposed, sir, to give your views relating to the above, 
they will undoubtedly be read with interest in the Cultivator. 
Very truly yours, Sic. 
February, 1886. A DAIRYMAN. 
REMARKS. 
Our correspondent’s queries relate principally to old grass grounds. We con¬ 
fess we have had so little experience in this matter, that our answers must be 
drawn altogether from theory. The deterioration ol grasses arises from one or 
two causes—1. the diminution of the more nutritious herbage, in consequence 
of the exhaustion of their specific food, & the introduction, in its place, of moss¬ 
es, and coarse herbage; or, 2. the existence of too much water in the soil, or 
reposing upon a tenacious subsoil, which causes the sole of the sod to be poach¬ 
ed by cattles’ hoofs, and which encourages the growth of semi-aquatic and in- 
nutritious plants. The means of remedying the latter evil is drainage, whieh 
may be as advantageous to pasture, as it is to arable or meadow land. The 
other evil can only be remedied by a change of grasses, or an artificial supply 
of the specific manure required hy those which ought to occupy the ground. 
New grasses can be introduced by sowing seeds in spring or fall, and scarify¬ 
ing the sod well with the harrow or scarifier; and if short or compost manure 
can be spared, it should be done before the scarifying takes place. In this way 
the mosses will he in a manner extirpated, the surface mellowed, and the seeds 
covered. An application of lime to the surface, at the rate of ten or a dozen 
bushels the acre, annually, or once in two or three years, would probably be 
highly beneficial, by assisting to decompose the dry vegetable matter upon the 
surface, destroyingmosses, and rendering the surface more permeable and reten¬ 
tive of moisture. Marl would almost invariably be a good top-dressing. Gypsum, 
at the rate of a bushel annually per acre, sown as soon as the snow has dis¬ 
appeared, would undoubtedly benefit all light or dry soils, far more than the 
expense of buying and applying it. And in many cases a top-dressing of leach¬ 
ed ashes would be beneficial. These materials, together with dung, would 
supply to the soil, the specific food required; and the latter, I should prefer to 
apply in its unfermented state, in autumn; because it becomes saturated and 
leached by the snows and rains, and partially decomposed before the grasses 
start in the spring, and tends more to keep the surface moist during the summer, 
than short dung, and because it must afford more nutriment to the grasses. 
Pung wastes much more when fermented in large heaps, than when fermenta¬ 
tion goes on in small parcels, or when spread upon a sod. 
The article which we have commenced in the first number upon grasses, will 
