best layers, owing to their being well kept in the animal excretions. Here the virus of glanders fall. If pullets are left to run at large in the can be concocted and the disease reign triumphfall, and not fed well, they will not lay as early, ant. The vitiated atmosphere prevailing in such nor so much. locations, finds an easy introduction into the J. B. FARMER said: Last year he had 20 hens, horse's system, through pulmonary respiration. and raised 150 chickens; did not know how many And no doubt many other diseases, hitherto coneggs; his hens cost him one-half a cent per day. sidered as contagious, have had the same pulThis year he had 30 hens; in January he had monic origin. Therefore, the exciting cause of 50 dozen eggs, minus three eggs; he got 30 cents infectious glanders is the poison or miasm gena dozen. Bought 150 pounds of beef, and kept erated in a confined atmosphere, concocted out it by them while it lasted; he pounded up the of exhalations from the breath, fæces, urine and bones; the hens eat pounded bones greedily. He perspiration of horses pent up in it. It will be gives them warm dough once a day in cold weath- perceived from what I have already said, that er. If we keep hens for the eggs only, he thinks spontaneous glanders is the result of an infected the Poland, or Black Spanish, or Bolton Greys, atmosphere, so that in reality there may be but are better than the larger breeds. It is profitable two exciting or direct causes for glanders, viz: to raise chickens; his hens range over a 10 acre contagion and infection.

the hill.

pasture; he keeps scraps by them. Hens should TREATMENT Of Glanders.-The only remebe treated gently; hens that are perfectly tame, dies that are likely to prove beneficial in the will lay twice as many eggs as wild ones; he treatment of this malady, are, cod liver oil, phosthinks hen manure better than guano. Last year phate of lime, vegetable tonics, and blood root; he had enough to manure three acres of corn in these may be given in the ordinary doses, as recommended for other diseases; at the same time D. TARBELL said, if we raise chickens for mar- I should give thirty drops per day, of oil of sasket, it is best to have them early, and it is im- safras, and occasionally inject the nasal cavities portant that they should be nicely dressed, if with diluted pyroligneous acid.—Dadd's Veteriwe would get a good price. Chickens that are carefully cleaned, and nicely put up, will often bring nearly twice as much as others that are equally good, but carelessly dressed.

Mr. Editor, here are some directions and suggestions, respecting the management of barnyard fowls, from practical men who know how to raise eggs and chickens profitably, and who are doing it this very day, and I doubt not that your numerous readers will value them more than all the fine stories or fine pictures that Burnham, or any other hen fancier, have ever published. Yours truly,

GLANDERS IN HORSES.

R.

nary

Journal.

For the New England Farmer. TARRING CORN FOR SEED.

MR. BROWN:-I admire the outspoken, straight forward course of yourself and others that write for the Farmer. The opposite opinions of farmers brought together, are conducive of much good. The results of experiments, both successful and otherwise, are attended with profit, when spread before the public. The man who is successful, publishes it abroad, but failures seldom come to light. The county society does not publish the fact of a heavy debt occasioned by their race course, no more than they do the Glanders is the worst and most loathsome form When we read in their transactions the award of granting of premiums to unworthy applicants. of disease to which the horse is subject; and a premium for one hundred and twenty-one bushman himself does not enjoy immunity from it. els of corn to the acre, eighty bushels is no doubt In the mother country, in France, and in the Ger- nearer the truth. man confederacies, glanders has appeared in isolated cases among men, and even whole families and birds on the corn crop. I have seen many a It pains me to see such havoc made by insects have been swept away, as by the blast of a tor-field of corn where the cut worm has destroyed nado, dying the most horrid deaths. A man or from 25 to 50 per cent., which might have been horse once inoculated with the true virus of glanders, is doomed to destruction; there appears prevented by an outlay of 25 cents. The only sure remedy against the cut worm is to secure be no help for him. the services of the crow in the fields.

to

The exciting causes of spontaneous glanders, are excessive work, faulty nutrition and bad sta-strated to me the entire safety of such birds beForty-three years actual experience has demonble management, both as regards diet and ventiing permitted to range the fields at will. lation. Tar applied to seed corn before it is planted, SECOND MODE OF ORIGIN.-The next cause certainly will prevent the crows destroying it. assigned for the presence of glanders, is conta- For more than forty years I have not been able gion. I use the term in its ordinary acceptation, to detect a single failure, wherever it was done which signifies contact or touch; the glandered correctly. Not one person in ten would probavirus being applied or received on an abraded or bly be successful in their first endeavor in tarrhighly vascular surface, is taken up by the ab- ing corn; to be known, the operation must be sorbent vessels, enters the circulation, and after seen. One man dare no use boiling water, so he a while, appears as "inoculated glanders." fails; another destroys the vitality of the kernel

The third cause of glanders is infection. The by too great a degree of heat long continued. I term infection signifies, to corrupt or vitiate. The have known parts of fields destroyed by poisonatmosphere which pervades a down-cellar, or un- ous manures, when this single fact was overventilated stable locations, is infected or tainted looked, and tar, or the birds, was erroneously with the odoriferous gases arising from filth and supposed to be the cause.

R. MANSFIELD.

EXTRACTS AND REPLIES.

GROWING OF ONIONS.

Could some President of an Agricultural Society, or some pattern farmer, be induced to try the experiment of tarring seed corn, I doubt not My neighbors are anxious to know something that in less than ten years, scarecrows would be! more about Mr. Emerson's discovery, "whereby among the missing. Some farming editors re- he secured a good crop of onions." They do not commend the planting of 8 or 10 kernels to the believe that a plant, once impregnated or attacked hill, as a safeguard against worms and insects. by the maggot, can be saved by the application of The expense to thin out is great, and a field thus dealt with never stands equally in all the hills. where there are plants enough on the ground, guano, in any form or any quantity. They believe, By tarring your corn, you need plant no more some of them may be perforated by the worms, kernels than you wish to grow. When we des- while others are not-and that those plants which troy the crow, we lose one of our best friends; are not thus attacked, may be improved in their when will the farming community pause and con- growth by the application of guano-this is their sider on this matter? Let us have your opinions, theory and interpretation of Mr. E.'s discovery. based, as far as may be, on facts; especially let Some of these cultivators have been engaged in us have failures, so as to bring together both the business of growing onions for thirty years sides of the question. or more-and during all this period, have raised West Needham, April, 1859. from one to four thousand bushels each, a year. REMARKS.-Friend Mansfield has not given had a more enlarged or critical experience in If Mr. E., or any other gentleman of N. H., has us the mode of tarring, which might be adopted this class of culture, I should like to know it. if persons understood the precise mode of prep- The truth is, they know every rope in the ship aration. Our neighbors practice in this way: about the onion. To grow and preserve them they fill a pail half full of boiling water, add has become a second nature. I would as soon undertake to teach a Marblehead fisherman how about half a pint of common tar-coal tar is just to hook a cod, or a Kentucky hunter how to use as good-stir it until the tar is melted and thor- a rifle, as to teach a Danvers gardener how to oughly mingled with the water, then add the grow onions. SOUTH DANVERS. corn, stirring it well for about ten minutes, or until it is completely coverd with the tar. Take the corn out and roll it in plaster or fine ashes, and the process is complete.

ROBINS AND WORMS.

April 9, 1859.

DRAINING A MEADOW.

I have a meadow in which the mud is about one and a half feet deep resting upon a thin stratum of clay, and under this is quicksand. Will an underground drain, laid with stone, be safe, or will it be likely to soon fill? The quanWhile so much is said and written in reference tity of water discharged is considerable. How will to the destructiveness of the robin, an Albany it answer to plow in summer, put on a little sand cultivator thus writes his opinion:-"The robins or manure, and seed down?

are so industrious to feed their young with the cut-worm, bugs and insects, so destructive to the garden, that I consider every robin's nest in or near my garden to be worth a dollar." Still another:-A Vermont farmer says, "If we would consult our real interest, as well as the finer feelings of our nature, it would be by defending the innocent robin from the attacks of both boys and men." And in reference to the "larger species" of grubs or muck-worm, he continues, "Provi

S. H., March, 1859.

S.

REMARKS.-An underground drain made of stone will be quite likely to get filled up and become useless in the course of a few years. But properly drained, with tile or pipe, it will be among the best lands.

Summer plowing and seeding is a capital operation-but even that ought to succeed thorough draining.

LAYING LAND TO GRASS-GRAPE VINE.

idence seems to have provided an antidote to I have a piece of land rather low and somethis evil, in the common robin. This innocent what clayey, which I wish to lay down to grass and useful bird preys with peculiar avidity upon this year, and want to know the best time and this species of worms. This fact may be ascer-way. Corn has been raised on the same piece tained by visiting a nest of young robins in the for two years, a thing that I do not often do. vicinity of a corn-field, when it will be perceived that they are fed lavishly upon this kind of worm."

Barley does not do very well here, and there are objections to oats when sown with grass seed How would it do to put on guano and oats, this spring, and after the oats are off, put on manure and sow grass seed? If this course would do, how much guano should be used, and how and when should the manure be applied and the grass seed sown?

TAR AS A DISINFECTANT.-The editor of the Medina Gazette tells of a skunk being captured in a house by a dog, with the usual result of disgust to the victors. The terrible scent was neu- I have a native white grape vine which has tralized by burning tar upon live coals of fire by borne for several years, and ripened its fruit finewhich the air was purified as if by magic. If ly; but last year, after the fruit was fully grown this kind of fumigation is a sure specific, it de it began to wither, and very few if any of the serves to be known and put upon record. grapes were fit for use. If you can tell the cause,

SOWING SEEDS FOR BUCKTHORN HEDGE.

Will you, or some of the readers of your valtable paper, inform me which is the best season of the year for sowing the seed for a buckthorn edge? Also, the best manner of sowing? Pittsfield, Mass., 1859. EMORY H. NASH. REMARKS.-We have not had occasion to sow the seed of buckthorn, nor can we find any acount of the process in the books. It is seldom done except by nurserymen, because a hedge is so much more readily obtained from the plants. We should sow the seeds in a fine, mellow, garden soil in May, as most other seeds are sown.

RAISING CALVES.

I never let the calves suck more than twice, without the cow's bag is swollen very much. They will learn to drink milk as soon as they get a little hungry. After they have learned to drink well, give them some meal or fine hay, and they will soon eat like cows. I keep fourteen head of cattle, and I raised them all (except one) in this way. One of my heifers, which calved a year ago, in October, when turned out to grass in June, gave fourteen quarts of milk a day quite a number of days. Another, which I sold two years since to a man in this town, has given over nineteen quarts per day. She is owned by a man in this town now, who would not take $100 for her. A YANKEE FARMER.

Westboro', April, 1859.

WELL AND AQUEDUCT WATER.

I have a well which, in a dry season, affords water much cooler and better for some purposes than that from the aqueduct. In a wet time it fills up so full that it is but little cooler than that of the aqueduct. The well is eight rods from the house, twenty feet deep, with descending ground to the house.

I wish to inquire if by inserting a pipe to the SETTING FRUIT TREES-CLOTH FOR HAY-CAPS. bottom of the well, I can with a pump take waI wish to be informed as to the best mode of ter into the buildings of uniform coldness, or reparing the ground for setting fruit trees. will it meet with the same variations it does Also, is it best to set them in the spring or fall? when taken with the "old-fashioned bucket ?" Also, will cotton cloth used for hay caps, shed ain without any preparation of oil or paint of any kind? A NEW SUBSCRIBER.

Hatfield, April 7, 1859.

Waitsfield, Vt.

ROBINS.

S. P. JOSLIN.

An anonymous correspondent of the Farmer, in a short note referring to robins, says, "I have just met in Vol. X. of the Farmer, p. 306, a well written article on this subject, which I refer to with the greatest pleasure, as it controverts the notions of N. Page, Jr., put forth with adroitness in the lately-published transactions of the Essex Society."

If friend "Star" will explain clearly which statement of mine, or assertion, or "notion," if he pleases, is successfully controverted by anything in the article alluded to, I will readily, as in duty bound, retract. N. PAGE, Jr.

REMARKS.—The soil, to be in the most favorable condition for fruit trees, ought to be underdrained; then plow, pulverize and manure as you would to obtain sixty bushels of corn per acre. Dig the holes five or six feet across, and twelve to eighteen inches deep; do this several days before you set the trees. Holes prepared in this liberal manner, will give you room enough to place the roots in their natural position, and will be actually cheaper in the end, than to dig them three feet in diameter. Every good tree, taken up and reset, carefully, will live and grow, whether set in fall or spring. We set them at either A neighbor, who has the very desirable habit of these seasons, as is most convenient. Good of pocketing several hundred dollars annually twilled cotton cloth, costing about nine cents a from the proceeds of his potato crop, says he inyard, will shed the rain from a well made up cent. by procuring seed potatoes, which grew on creases the yield from fifty to one hundred per haycock during a storm of three days and nights. an entirely different soil fifteen or twenty miles They are better without paint or varnish, or any other preparation.

Danversport, April, 1859.

CHANGING SEED POTATOES.

distant. Fifty per cent. on the potato crop of the whole State, I imagine, would be more in a single year than our proportion of the Massachusetts claim, about which so much ink and breath have been spent in the last forty years. Lancaster, Mass., 1859.

H. LINCOLN.

THE SEASON-CANKER WORM.

The month of March gave eight inches of rain, and the first half of April promises near as much in proportion. What it falls short in rain is made up of cold winds, indicating large banks of snow to the North. On all sides the winter is

spoken of as having been mild and open. Cultiva- have had no text books adapted to the capacities tors are anticipating a favorable spring. I per- of the young. They must be so clogged with ceive those who have apple orchards are prepar-scientific technicals that the clear sunshine of ing to guard by tar, against the ascent of the beauty they should bring, was provokingly begrub, that deposits the egg from which springs fogged with perplexity and darkness. Then we the canker worm-that bane of all good orchards. have had but few teachers qualified to the task, Were it not for this devourer, the acres appro- or rather pleasure, of giving instruction in these priated to orchards would be the most valuable branches. They have been educated to other on the farm. ESSEX. and often less useful and less attractive sciences.

April 12, 1859.

SOIL PLANTING IN HOTBEDS.

We rejoice in one series of scientific text books, adapted to the wants and capacities of the members of our common schools, and shall hail its introduction as the dawn of a new and brilliant era in their existence. Prof. Gray, in preparing his botanical works, has fully comprehended the wants of the young. His "How Plants Grow," botany in the germ, and leads the pupil on, just as young plants grow; naturally and familiarly, in a style that any child can comprehend as easily as they can any ordinary reading lessons.

In a recent number of the Farmer I noticed soil-planting in hot-beds recommended. My advice to those inclined to try the experiment, is to be moderate in their expectations of success. I made the experiment some two years since-and commences the work of vegetable physiology and like most of my plants-got bit for my pains.

The grub which I transplanted into my bed with the soil nearly destroyed my planting Those which escaped the grub, found it an impracticable affair to attempt to root through a compact soil, consequently they yielded up the design with all the gravity of a nonplussed tendril. And my first planting of that year was duly chronicled a failure. H. M. COUCH. Georgetown, March, 1859.

For the New England Farmer. HOW PLANTS GROW--LESSONS IN

BOTANY.

This work is followed by his "Lessons in Botany," written in the same familiar style, but leading the student up another grade in this beautiful and attractive science. And then comes his "Structural and Systematic Botany," whose course is still upward and onward, until led into the "Manual of Botany," decidedly the most full and understandable work on the science we have ever

seen.

In addition to the familiar language in which the works are written, they are illustrated, thanks MY DEAR SIR:--I have for many years, ever & Phinney, New York, by cuts so life-like that to their enterprising publishers, Messrs. Ivison since I was old enough to know what the benefits might be, been in favor of the farmer's studying nize them without any other introduction. The any one at all familiar with flowers will recogthe natural sciences. As long ago as 1840, 1 series is one by which any ordinary mind may wrote a series of articles on this subject, which become its own teacher; a ladder that is of so were published in the old New England Farmer,

edited by Henry Colman. Each year since then, easy ascent that the youngest may safely venture upon it. I have been more and more impressed with the truth of what I said, and the number of those troducing the study of plants into all our schools, The only remaining obstacle in the way of inof the same opinion has nobly increased since that time, insomuch, that many efforts have been now, that we can conceive of, will arise in the made, and some of them, I am happy to say, with plea that our teachers are not educated in the signs of success, to establish institutions in which stacle, for we wouldn't give a fig for a teacher science; but this series happily removes this obthese branches shall be taught, with special ref- who has not mind enough to become familiar erence to the needs of young farmers. Success, with "How Plants Grow," and energy enough to I say, to every effort in the cause. Let such cultivate it. One hour's reading and investigaschools be multiplied all over the land. But it is easy to see, that however numerous vance of her class, and enable her attractively to tion each day, will keep a teacher enough in adthese may become, their number will always be lead them along. The pleasure and profit all too small to meet the universal demands of the will derive from the effort who will make it, will young farmers of America. We must have a starting point short of them, and that point must She will find another gem in their educational more than compensate for the labor bestowed. be the home of the young, and the "peoples' col- garlands, and new and attractive objects of beauleges," the district schools; for as numerous as ty in a world where ignorance and indifference higher institutions may become, the great mass see so much deformity. of American youth are, probably, through all time, to receive their school education in these humbler institutions.

The season for our common schools to open is near, bringing with it the early spring flowers; I am aware there have always been obstacles the teachers of our good, old Commonwealth will fit season to commence their study; and we hope in the way of introducing these studies in our schools. Not in the children, be it understood; see to it that a class of beginners is formed in they are born naturalists, and only need to have become a class in learning "How Plants Grow," every school. Further than this, let every school this principle of nature drawn out, to become eminently so. But parents, blinded by other To this end, let the teacher talk to them a few mojust as many of them are now singing classes. objects, have looked with unholy indifference on ments every day upon the subject, giving illustrathe useful and beautiful in the world around tions of the subject. For instance, let a common them, and have diverted the minds of their chil-garden bean be the subject, and let them show dren to other, less attractive studies. Then, we them the bean dry and dead, then when the first

vegetation process developes itself, and so on until Sec. 4. Milk shall be bought and sold by wine it reaches maturity. Or let them take a bud, and measure. All persons engaged in the sale of milk show them how the leaves that are to shade them shall annually, in the month of May, cause to be this year, were folded up and hermetically sealed sealed by the sealer of weights and measures in last fall, to preserve them through the long, cold their respective cities and towns, all vessels used winter, and how they break their encasement and by them in the sale or buying at wholesale of milk, expand in early spring. A few short talks and by wine measure, and all cans used in the sale of illustrations will get up an interest that will grow measures at a price not exceeding two cents each milk shall be sealed by said sealer of weights and and increase like the growth and increase of the plants they delineate, until a beautiful tree of knowledge, bearing flowers, leaves and fruit, will appear to gladden its possessor. Richmond, Mass., April 9, 1859.

W. BACON.

REMARKS. The publishers of these excellent works do not seem to appreciate what would be greatly for their interest, by neglecting to secure a notice of them through proper channels.

THE NEW BREAD AND MILK LAWS.

at the amount which they severally hold by wine measure, and any person who shall fail to comply with the provisions of the law requiring all measures to be sealed, or shall buy or sell at wholesale, milk by any other measure than wine measure, or shall sell adulterated or unwholesome milk, shall be held guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof by a court of competent jurisdiction, shall forfeit to the use of the complainant a sum not exceeding twenty dollars.

Sec. 5. No person shall offer for sale in this Commonwealth, milk produced from cows fed upon the refuse of breweries or distilleries, or any other substance which may be deleterious to the quality of the milk, under a penalty of ten dollars for each offence.

Approved April 6, 1859.

It is known to most of our readers that our Legislature has attempted to secure to the people of the Commonwealth pure milk, good measure, and bread of full weight. The acts relating to The following is the act passed by the Legislathese subjects are of such general interest, that ture, regulating the manufacture and sale of we copy them in full. The following is the act to punish fraud by the sale of adulterated milk, and to provide for sealing measures to be used in the sale of milk:

bread:

Section 1. A loaf of bread shall be two pounds in weight; and bread may be baked and sold in loaves, half, three-quarter and quarter loaves, but not otherwise, except in bread composed in chief part of rye, or maize.

Sec. 2. Small rolls and fancy bread weighing less than one-quarter of a pound each, may be baked and sold without regard to weight.

Section 1. The Mayor and Aldermen of the several cities in this Commonwealth shall, and the Selectmen of the several towns may, annually appoint one or more Inspectors of Milk, whose duty it shall be to prosecute all violations of the law Sec. 3. In every shop or place where bread is against the adulteration of milk, and who shall sold by retail, and in each front window thereof, have power to enter all places where milk is stored there shall be conspicuously placed, a card, on or kept for sale, and whenever he has reason to be- which shall be legibly printed a list of the different lieve the same in any way adulterated, he shall kinds and qualities of loaves sold there, with the take specimens of the same and cause them to be price of each per loaf, and half, three-quarter and analyzed or otherwise satisfactorily tested, the re-quarter loaf. sult of which he shall preserve as evidence against Sec. 4. All bread, except small rolls and fancy the parties complained of.

bread of less than a quarter of a pound each, sold in any shop or place, shall be weighed in the presence of the buyer, and if found deficient in weight, bread shall be added to make up the weight required by law.

Sec. 5. Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this act, shall forfeit for each offence, the sum of ten dollars, to be recovered in an actio of tort to the use of the party suing therefor. Approved April 5, 1859.

Sec. 2. Said inspectors shall keep an office and books, for the purpose of recording the names and places of business of all persons engaged in the sale of milk within their respective limits; and any person who shall presume to engage in the business of selling milk without first causing his name and place of business to be recorded upon the books of the inspector of milk, and his name legibly placed upon all carriages used by him in the conveyance of milk, shall be subject to the same penalties as if convicted of the adulteration of milk, as provided in the two hundred and twenty-second JACOB STRAWN, THE GIANT FARMER chapter of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and fifty-six.

OF THE WEST.

Twenty-seven years ago, Mr. Strawn came to Sec. 3. Inspectors appointed pursuant to the pro- this State a poor man. His operations were small visions of section first of this act, shall, before en- at first, but continued to increase each year, untering upon the duties of their office, be sworn to til he had reduced over 30,000 acres of land to a the faithful enforcement of the provisions of this state of cultivation. He has one farm of 7,800 act, and shall also give public notice of their appointment, by publishing the same two weeks in some newspaper published in the city or town in

acres, and another of 10,000. He has usually employed from 200 to 300 men, and a large number of horses. Every year until quite recently, he which they hold their place of business, and if no has stalled from 5,000 to 6,000 head of cattle, newspaper is published in such town, by posting in public and conspicuous places in said town, two and kept other live stock in proportionate numor more such notices; and they shall receive such bers. In this twenty-seven years he has made a compensation for their services, as the Mayor and fortune of a million of dollars, and he is still hale Aldermen of the several cities, and the Selectmen and vigorous to enjoy it. He has one corn field of the several towns, shall determine. in Morgan county, nearly six miles long, but has