Newspaper Page Text
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Chinn Barrie*—A Use for Them
Fowls With Deformed Feet.—
Diseased Udder.
Editor Southern Farm:
You ask for remarks about the china
berry, etc. Please allow me to say that
the berry Is an infallible remedy against
the moth or worms in dried peaches—put
ting a hand-fnl or so of the ripe or green
b«rries in the sack or barrel in which the
fruit is put, more or leas berries as to the
amount of the fruit.
Again, another remedy for keeping wee
vilj out of beans, peas, sweet corn, etc , is
to shell the se. d. putting them in bottles,
jugs or barrels, or anything de
sired, no matter as to quantity, and then
cover the seed with dry sand or pulver
ized dirt. Shake the bottle, box or barrel
so as to cause the sand or dirt to go down
in amongst the se-d A barrel will hold
about three fourths to a bushel of dry sand
after being filled with peas, and they will
rem du sound for several years, and if
weevils are in the seed when put away,
the process kills them at once. The sand
or dirt can be sifted out when wanted
for use.
A question to be answered by any one
who can give answer satisfactorily:
I have two large young roosters (or
cocks) half Brahma, the other half mix
ture of other breeds used last year. They
were verv ill, and the one master of the
other was continually chasing him. So
last winter when the ground was frozen £
got vexed at the one chasing the other,
an i caugtit him and cut off his middle or
long toe, which’made him quite sick, hav
ing taken cold in his toe, aud he had quite
a bad time with it,causing the other one to
whip him. Consequently he reversed the
rule and he commenced the chase after his
old master.
I caught him and cut his long or middle
toe eff, too
That stopped the chasing to a great ex
tent ever since. Now for the question:
I have had good success rearing chickens
this season, but there has been at least 1 5
of them with deformed feet, the outside or
small toe growing onto the middle or long
•» toe or web between the long and outside
toe. oftentim. s the long toe will turn eith
er to right or left and form twe and a few
instances three toe nail* at the end of the
small or outside toe.
Now was this the result of cutting the
middle toe of the two cocks off half way
to the foot or the admixture of breeds?
I have a young cow with second c *lf,
fine milker aud good butter cow, but last
year with her first calf she had a large
swelling on the left and rear part of the
udder in August, the calf then being six
months oid she wou d not allow it to suck
only when m>*de We bathed it and in a
few weeks she did not complain longer,
the swelling subsiding without coming to
the outside. Tuis year I took the ctlf
from her when four months old, but in
August again came the same swelling, but
much larger than last year, became so sore
and her udder bo large she could not walk
We again bathed with liniments, etc ,and
it has gone again, but the right rear teat
was the ony one affeced, and she has
ceased to give any milk from this teat
since, and has drawn up to be not over
one inch long. She seems to be very
healthy and hearty, excepting she has' a
bad cough. She is 1-4 Jersey and makes
1 ? pounds of butter every day, with
\tuv three teats mi'ked. I should have
„d the teat she has lost gave as fine flow
kiiik up to the time of the swelling as
cos tue others. Wnat could have been
I matter with her udder, and has her
sgh anything to do with the affl'Ctionof
. Zudder? Light on the condition of this
t a I desire. W. L Abbott.
Texas.
is q n ita likely that your operations
in the feet of your fowls caused the
able th »t you mention for it has been
.monstrated that such effects follow
fadualiy at least) such mutilations. You
u very so<»n breed a race of dogs with
xort tails by cutting off the tails of two
merations.
Your cow evidently had a mild case of
irgat from not receiving proper attention
calving time or just before when she
ad her first calf. A cow once affected
,ith garget 's lively to have trouble ever
xerwaras when she calves unless given
reful attention in time before she calves
d j ist afterwards.
If you have a veterinary surgeon near
uit is probable h , can open the closed
*t by a alight surgical operation.
• f the cow is a valuable one it may be
rth this operation. The next time she
ves see that the udder is kept well
ase i with camphorated oil and do not
it get overcharged with milk and do
peed at the time any heating food, but
fithing of a laxative nature.
B rite us again if she is affected.
Distemper in Horses.
few words at this season on the snb
of distemper may not be out of place,
jiy of the inquiries now reaching us
zing reference to this ailment, known
metimes by the name of strangles,
arions theories have, from time to time
sen advanced a* to tuenature of this dis
rder These differences of opinion iome
mes hinge on the locality of the affee
m, aud sometimes on the period of its
pearing.
iecause so few escape it altogether, it
■ been considered, like measles and
dred tff ctiuns in the human family, a
Btitutional disease the susceptibility
U second attack being destroyed with
,'j first Again, it has been supposed
at when there was some innate disease,
id that when this had reached maturity,
)it were, it was thrown off by matura
on, and that the animal afterwards, as a
lie, manifesto t an improvement in its
/>is<.itutiou In confirmation of this
aeory, many writers urged that in numer
oils instances young horses, apparently
Z thriftless, continued in such a condition
, in spite of scientific treatment, until at
tacked by the disease we are describing,
when all traces of sickness vanished, and
perfect health anti the much-desired buoy
ancy of animal spirits succeeded the form
. er sluggishness and obstinate lack of eon-
I dition.
As opposed to this theory, the fact may
be mentioned that the horses of warm
esuntries never have the strangles, and
that the horses of Barbary, though never
suffering from this ailment, are considered
more healthy than our own.
Hence we are inclined to agree with
those writers who have treated strangles
a* a catarrhal rather than a constitutional
affection.
Proceeding, therefore, on that basis we
will give, In as brief a space as possible,
the symptoms and general treatment, at
tention to which will, as a rule, enable in
terested parties to.combat the ailment sat
isfactorily.
The first symptoms observed are us
ually slight cold,, alternated with fever.
The horse is dull, and has often a cough,
with soreness of throat, and there is a dis
clination to eat and increased thirst; the
coat is staring; there is by and by a loose
condition and redness of the nasal mem
branes accompanied bv a watery flow
from the nose and eyes and the pulse is
somewhat hurried. In a day or two the
subma xllary and sublingual glands swell
and there is difficulty in swallowing. It
often happens on the second or third day
that a mucio-purulent discharge takes
place from the nostrils, and sometimes the
lungs become sltghtly in fl* med.
When the tumor is between the j*ws in
the ordinary way and of the usual size, it
reaches maturity with little or no trouble
being experienced. It is hot, tender,
rounded and smooth, and eventually
fluctuating in the centre, owing to the for
mation of pus. Thera will be much mere
fever and greater difficulty in breathing
when the tumor is in the immediate neigh
borhood of the parotid glands, stertorous
breathing and a tendency to strangulation
thus giving rise to the name strangles.
When the tumor exceeds the ordinary size
there may occur a hindrance to proper
mastication, causing the animal to become
extremely weak from lack of sufficient
nourishment. We have instances where
the tumor in place of becoming softer, gets
harder, and then tue disease becomes
more tedious.
It is useless in this disease, as in many
others, to check it. Oar efforts must be
directed in such away as to assist nature
to do her work more expeditiously than
when left to herself, and in thin way we
effect a saving of time, and better, main
tain the strength of our animal This
latter is a very important point, and can
not ba too strongly insisted upon, care be
ing taken not to reduce it by either bleed
ing or physicing.
The horse must receive nourishment,for
the drain upon the system is now very
great, and 1' the throat is so sore ss to
cause a disinclination or inability to swal
low, he must get it, if necessary, by the
rectum.
The latter, however, is not a desirable
channel, the result usually being uusatis
factory, because only a portion of the nu
tritious constituents are absorbed.
Any food which the animal will take
may be given. Os course it must be soft,
or it will be refused. Grain is sometimes
taken when the other food is refused;
carrots scalded and cut longi'udinally
and bran mashes may] be given; but a
change must be made the moment the
animal begins to tire of it. Boil linseed
and corn meal together, and give it as
thick gruel. Bulphate|of quinine, a scruple
at a dose, might be given either in thin
gruel or beef tea, the latter preferable
when there is much exhaustion. A good
medicine to have on hand and give in
these cases is Wood’s Specific Remedy,
advertised in the columns of this paper-
It i* safe and very reliable.
When the glands are observed to swell
commence applying warm poultices. This
line of treatment is preferable to fomenta
tions, as the latter is not infrequently fol
lowed by a chill, retarding necessarily the
suppuration process.
A little mustard or cantharides oint
ment may be rubbed over the surface be
fore applying the poultice. The latter may
be kept warm by either encompassing it
with hot cotton batting, or keening it sat
urated with water as hot as can be safely
applied.
As soon as the tumor points, open it,
and evacuate the sac. It is said nature is
a good physician, but a bad surgeon, be
cause when an opening is permitted to
take place as the result of allowing an ab
scess to burst, the wound is Irregular,
heals slowly, and is apt to cause a blem
ish; while an incised wound, as made by
a scalpel, or other surgical instrument,
heals quickly, leaving no scar
When the wound is made, inject some
laudanum and tepid water, insert a pled
get of tow, saturated in a weak solution of
carbolic acid, one part to seventy-five of
water. Keep the wound clean, as this
has quite an effect on the result. Be very
careiul when making the incision that the
duct of the gland is not severed- Blood
vessels should also be avoided, as deple
tion at such a time would prove injurious.
The abscess should not be opened until it
points.
If the throat is sore and the nostrils run
ning considerably, swab out the former
with the carbolic-acid mixture prescribed
above, and syringe a little into the nos
trils. This should be done gently, so as
to prevent it from being carried by the re
spiratory movement into the lungs Cause
the animal to inhale steam occasionally.
The after treatment may be summarilv
disposed of, as it is embraced in the fol
lowing: Good nursing, tonics and nutri
tive diet. The latter should be supplied
judiciously, not too much at first, as the
•dgestive organs are still weak —Charles
R. Wood, V. 8 , in American Cultivator.
The Best in the Neighborhood.
The following letter firom Mr. Dick
erson of Tennessee tells how well Th«
Southern Farm machine is liked all
over his neighborhood. He does not
write a long letter —it is not necessary
as he says all that is necessary in a
few words. He could have returned
the machine and we would have re
funded him the whole amount paid
for it, and would have paid return
freignt ourselves. Instead of doing
this, he is delighted with it, and says
it is the best machine in his section.
Bean station, Tenn,, 1893.
Dear Sib lam well pleased with my sew
ing machine.
The people in this section all think it is the
best sewing machine in the neighborhood.
J. G. DIOHBBSQN.
THE SOUTHERN FARM.
Permanent Pastures iu the South
and How to Make them Good.
This is a very interesting subj set to
many farmers in our section of country
now, and a thorough discussion of it is
called for in order that one may proceed
intelligently towards making a practical
success of the undertaking. Failure, of
course, is discouraging, and it is generally
the case it the first attempt does not pro
duce the expected results a second at
tempt is delayed a long time even if it is
made at all. We are aware that many
have essayed to establish better pastures
and meadows with the improved grass<-s
and clovers, and have not succeeded, for
one reason and another, perhaps for two
or more reasons.
Let us consider what are the obstacles
in the way of success in establishing sat
isfactory pastures or meadows:
First—Poor seeds (from their being too
old and not properly kept, have lost their
vitality )
Second—The use of soil that was too
poor to grow the crop.
Third—From sowing at the wrong time.
Fourth—By attempting to have a pas
ture or meadow from the use of just one
plant, and it not altogether suited to the
M °Fifth—From being in too great haste to
pasture the land before the grass or clover
has become firmly established on the
S °And sixthly another obstacle may be
stated in the failure to prepare the sod
properly for the reception of the small
seeds.
Now where all these causes operate, or
even one or two of them.there can be only
failure, but when all of them are fully dis
posed of the highest success will be ob
tained,
We know of a number of intances where
farm era have made a start towards having
good pastures, but were able to get no
further than sowing the seeds, for they
never cams up.
Seed tests at several of the experiment
stations have shown conclusively that
there is a large quantity of utterly worth
less clover and grass seeds sold to the peo
ple.
This class of seeds soon lose their vitali
ty, and many of them, after being kept
two years, will fail to grow.
The only way for a farmer to do is to
deal with some reliable seedsman and
stipulate for freshly grown seeds—of the
latest growth that can be had. Purchase
them some weeks before they are needed
for sowing and test them. Determine
about what proportion are good and then
sow accordingly. Where one bushel of
fresh seeds would be sufficient, it will re
quire two bushels if they nave been kept
any length of time.
It is impossible to make the best of pas
ture or meadow with only one kind of
grass or clover. Our Bermuda grass
comes nearer making a perfect pasture
Just by itself than any other plant, per
naps—than is for a certain period in the
summer time.
It is dormant for six months m the year,
however, and to make the pasture of value
in the winter and early spring it becomes
necessary to sow some other plant with it
that will make its growth in the winter,
while the bermuda is dormant. There are
two plants especially adapted to this pur
pose, and there may be others, but these
are so good it is really unnecessary to seek
for others. Either white clover or bur
clover meets the requirements of the case,
and if sown in Octooer or early in Novem
ber will give splendid grazing quite early
in the new year and without detriment to
the grass. In fact, the decaying of the
Glover roots will so add to the fertility of
the soil that the Bermuda will grow bet
ter afterwards. If the Bermuda has been
grazed closely up to the first of October
about that date it will be well to scarify
the land with a scooter or sharp tooth
harrow and sow the clover seed thickly
over the Bermuda sward and the clover
will give excellent pasture during April.
May and June—before the grass begins to
grow.
English and other European farmers
rarely think of using less than a di zen
different plants in making a permanent
pasture, and oftentimes as many as twen
ty-five different plants are used in making
such. They have found that it pay* to
use a great variety so as to keep the pas
ture green and growing all the year
round. They use at least half as many in
the making of their meadows. Our farm
ers must learn a lession from them in this
matter, for it is a very important one to
learn. The farmers of the South have got
to come to understand the value of good
pastures and meadows just as much so as
the English farmers have; and the South
ern farmer that disputes this assertion
will find himself in the rear ranks of pro
gress. .
There is no country in the world that
has such glowing opportunities in the
matter of stock raising as the South has,
and if we neglect them it will be our loss
and a great loss too.
In the following issues we shall give
some combinatiou of grasses and clovers
that make as fine pasture and meadows as
it is possible to have in any part of the
world.
And we invite our thoughtful readers to
give us the benefit of their own experience
in this direction.
There is no use of our longer contending
against the inevitable. We must change
our system of farming or we will be utter
ly ruined. We have gone as far as we
can go under the old system.
There is no hone for the man who longer
disputes this statement.
What say our readers?
Shall we discuss thie matter? We
think we should, from a practical stand
point. .
Home Manures.
The fertilizing value or quality of home
made manures varies immensely, accor
ding to the cares taken of them while in
bulk, and the kind of feed that the ani
mals consume. Manure that is exposed
•ut of doors to all sorts of weather that
comes, can not fail to have much of its life
and fertility washed out of it by the
rains and extracted from it by drying
winds. The soluable part, that which
imparts color to water is the part of most
value and immediate benefit to crops,
and hence animal manures should be
kept out of the rains until put upon the
land where they are to remain.
It is true that where the piles of manure
are large much of it is not directly ex
posed to the rains, but the injury arising
from firefang that takes place in large
heaps of manure is almost as great as that
resulting from washing runs.
Unless a good deal of straw or leaves
go along into the piles with the manure it
is sure to heat and burn, by which the
quality is much Impaired. Woods’ mold
and litter are about the best absorbents to
put with any kind of animal manures to
prevent heating. The quality of the ma
nure is also greatly increased without
much impairing of its value.
But the kind of feed that the animals
consume has also a controlling effect upon
the quality of manure, its richness and
value as a fertilizer. Oat and rye straw,
top fodder, marsh hay, and other coarse
stuff are very poor in fertilizing elements,
while such feeds as cotton seed meal,
ship stuff, and (it is said) gluten meal, are
worth for m*nures almost as much per
ton after being consumed by the animal
The manurial value of a ton of blade
fodder is estimated at $5 25; a ton of corn
stover $3 25; a ton of oat-hay $8 00
Clover-hay, nicely cured, is reckoned to
ba worth §lO 00 for manurial purposes.
Timothy-hay is estimated at $6 00, which
would indicate that timothy yields more
nutriment to the animal than clover.
It is estimated that the manure from a
ton of bran is worth sl4 00, but as bran is
not, or should not be fed alone, without a
bay ration, we conclude that some of this
amount should,be credited to the hay con
sumed by the animal. Both experiment
and observation indicate clearly enough
that the character of the feed exerts a
very decided influence upon the quality of
the manure voided by the animal.
Os course, to the general farmer having
stock to feed and fatten, the question of
the nutrition of various foods must come
in for consideration, and this generally
bus more bearing with the farmer than
the quality of the rejects left by the stock.
And yet, in the study of which are the
most economic*! food for stock, this final
question of the value of the manure for
producing other cropj can not properly be
ignored. Hence it is well to be abie to de
termine, at least approximately, the fer
tilizing value of manures derived from any
given product.
It is, moreover, of great importance to
be able to know how to handle manures,
bo as to make them retain their values till
applied to the soil. This subject of the
quality of manures, as affected by the
care taken of them, and the kind of feed
that tne animal eats, is a large and very
practical one and needs much more inves
tigation by farmers than it appears to have
received —B. W. J. In Home and Farm.
The Live Stock Outlook.
The indications are that the price of
pork will continue mgn for a year or two
at least. The demand for the product is
gradually on the increase, while produc
tion, owing to the prevalence of disease
among the swine and other causes has for
a time been on the decline. The process
of packing the corn into hogs is a quick
and economical process for the disposal of
the surplus of this great crop. The price
of 6eef is yet comparatively low but the
future outlook is certainly better for the
immediate future. The number of cattle
in sight have been rather on the decline
for two or three years, not only am n ng the
small farmers but on the ranges of the
West. The present year has been disas
trous on the plains owing to the very late
spring and the dry summer which cut the
growing season for the grass at both ends.
This necessitates the shipping of the cattle
to the packing centers in a very immature
and un fatted condition. This tends to de
press the market now but will have the
effect to stiffen prices later on.
Much will be gained by both producer
and consumer when the inferior cattle
from the ranges and the other sections of
the west where little attention is given to
improvement shall be transmuted into the
improved breeds by the infusion of new
blood.
We need more of the high grades of
blooded stock of the Durham, Angus and
Hereford as among the best of beef
The fair prices paid for good beef is
cheaper to the consumer than the very
low prices paid for the poor beef, and
every one knows that the good cattle
bring better returns and are more profita
ble to the producer.
A very great advance has been made in
this direction, but there is plenty of room
for improvement yet, which any observer
can convince himself of by taking a lock
at the arrivals at the Union Stock Yards,
Chicago, on any day of the year.
With the World’s Fair and the influence
resulting from it hereafter the de
mands for the canned beef in the
South American countries should great
ly increase from now on in eur re
ciprocity relation with them.
We are reminded of the fact by the re
cent financial panic that unless the people
of this country find more ample markets
for what they produce at more remunera
tive prices or import less from foreign
lands, we shall have panics severe and
frequent. The power of plutocracy in
this country is on the increase and the
rich nabobs are sapping the life out of pro
ductive labor and spending the cream of
the profits in riotous living in foreign
travel. The tax is heavy enough to sup
port these parasites at home, but when the
producers have to foot the bills to send
and support them abroad, the burdens
will continue to iu crease until bankruptcy
will stare the nation in the face in more
vivid terms than we have experienced of
late. We must have an income tax im
posed on all incomes above $5,000 per
Jrear and graded from five to fifty per cent
n proportion to its size. Improve the
stock, diversify the products of the farm
that all the necessaries, as near as possi
ble, may be produced at home to stop the
enormous importations whioh will in time
impoverish our people.—Western Bural.
The little island of Malta has a language
of its own, derived from the Carthaginian
and Arabian tongues. The nobility of the
island speak Italian.
Dosing.
Indiscriminate dosing, whether of hu
man beings or domestic animals, is to be
deprecated by reason of the evil effects
which often arise. Medicines are made
up of poisonous compounds and have no
curative qualities whatever. In fact, they
are antagonistic to the existence of a liv
ing organism. The healing is by natural
process and in harmony with fixed laws.
The remedial agencies are only the means
by which these law» are aroused to action
and to thus throw off the disease with the
medicine. We quote from an exchange
which says in regard to horses:
“If there is any one thing connected"
with the management of horses which
Bhouldbeabolished.it is the continued
dosing for imaginary diseases, and that too
without regard to the effect produced, or
the possible need. There is no question
that very often a horse will be the better
of a little medicine The system gets out of
order and a little tonic will help materially
in building up, but some judgment must
be used, or more harm than good will re
sult.
In the early spring in many cases the
horses have been on dry feed all winter
and need a change, and a mild physic will
be of benefit and then something in the
nature of a tonic.
This is of course when the horses have
run down. There is no question bat that
good care in good season will render this
unnecessary and this is the best plan. Tn
all cases a good preventive is better than
any cure, bat this is not always done, and
in by far too many cases, horses are doc
tored without a proper regard for their
needs
With all animals it is a poor plan to
dose without understanding, first,whether
the animal really needs the medicine;
that the quantity given is what is needed
to secure the desired effect, and how long
it could reasonably be expected that the
medicine would act and in what way.
One serious mistake is often made and
that is in giving one kind of medicine and
then following it up with another before
the first has had a sufficient opportunity
to act.
If the animal is worth doctoring at all it
is worth doctoring properly, and if the
doses and action of medicines are not
properly Understood it will in nearly all
cases be better to call in the services of a
competent veterinary doctor rather than
risk your own judgment. Have a sick
horse and call in a few of your neighbors
for a cure and see how varied will be the
treatment suggested and how little re
gard will be paid to the animal’s condi
tion. There is too much risk iu this way.
Because an animal with a strong con
stitution is able to take the medicine and
still get well should not by any means be
regarded as proof that it has been of bene
fit. Yet this has been the way a mixture
is given and if the animal gets well it is
set down as a sure cure, without inves
tigating as to the cause and effect of what
h»s been given. Batter not dose at all as
an experiment; much harm is nearly al
ways done at the expense of the animal,
and it is nearly always best to let the ani
mal suffer with disease than to be tor
tured with unnatural treatment m ad
dition. Always give relief when it is pos
sible, but try and do so intelligently or
get some one who can.
SOIENCK IN AGRICULTURE.
(Bulletins recently issued by the
Experiment Stations.)
Rhode Island: Kingston, Chas. O.
Flagg, director; No. 28, Com
mercial and Miscellaneous Fer
tilizers, 15 pages.
« « «
South Carolina: Ft. Hill, E. B.
Craighead, director; No. 14,
Experiments with corn, 6pp.
» *
Mississippi: Agriculture College, S.
M. Tracy, director; No. 26,
Small Fruits, 15pp. Devoted
chiefly to strawberries.
• * •
North Carolina: Raleigh, H. B. Bat
tle, director; No. 92, the culture
of orchard and garden fruits
140 pp, a very instructive bul
letin.
• * *
Kentucky: Lexington, M. A. Sco
ville, director; No. 46, Commer
cial fertilizers, 22pp.
Kansas: Manhattan. Geo. T. Fair
child, director; No. 39 “Expe
riments In Feeding Steers,” 35
pp.
* * *
Illinois: Champaign; No. 26 The
Forest Tree Plantation, 40 pp.
No. 29 The Babcock Test, 4 pp.
• • «
New York: Ithaca. I. P. Roberts,
director; No. 56. The Produc
tion of Manure, 16 pp. No. 57
Raspberries and Blackberries, 24
PP-
Rhode Island: Kingston. Chas. O.
Flagg, director; No. 24 Fertil
izers. No.2sExperiments With
Turkeys. Also sth Annual Re
port (for 1892) embracing mis
cellaneous matter of an interest
ing character.
An Oversight.
Through an oversight of editor or
printer, we know not which, the arti
cle on “Stock Raising in the South” —
page 6 last issue—was not credited to
its proper source.
* We regret that we cannot recall the
journal from which the article was
quoted, but it was taken from one of
our esteemed Southern con Temporar
ies. (Oversights will occur some
time.)