|
COMMUNICATIONS.
For the New England Farmer.
CUTTING HAY FOR CATTLE.
MR. FESSENDEN, I read the minute statement
and details of any agricultural process or experiment, in which exactness
is attainable, always with
particular interest, believing that in agriculture,
experiment is the great means of improvement.
With these feelings I examined with much attention the communication
of Mr. Amos Shelden
on the subject of cutting hay for cattle, a gentleman whose intelligence
and excellent management
as a farmer is well known to me; and whose arrangements for saving manure
and conducting his
milk establishment, I have examined with very
great satisfaction. His establishment, and that on
the neighboring Barley farm belonging to Frederick Howes, Esq. of Salem,
are superior models of
neatness and convenience.
I have no doubt, from the experience of many
years, of the great economy of cutting feed for
stock, horses in a particular manner; and from a
partial examination of Mr. Willis' improved Straw
Cutter, I am inclined to think highly of it. But I
regret that in so important a statement any thing
should be matter of "guessing" when, with little
trouble, certainty was attainable.
The amount of Hay consumed was according to
his account conjectural, and yet he ventures to
state it with exactness. This is the material point
where accuracy was particularly important. In
the first case likewise, he gave 8 bushels of long
red potatoes--in the second, when the milk was
so much increased, he gave only 4 bushels chopped. Does he mean it should
be inferred from
this that "chopping" the potatoes doubled the |
value? The cost of labor likewise, 3 dollars per
month, from the amount carried out is intended I
presume for 8 dollars. Does this mean that the
cutting of the feed occupied the whole time of one
man? He mentions likewise 140 gallons pure
water. Was the fodder given in a wet or a dry
state; and was the meal sprinkled upon it or given
by itself? These are matters which we should
have been glad to have had stated.
The increase of milk, especially when the
amount of feed both dry and succulent was so
greatly reduced, is quite a remarkable fact; and
as Mr. Shelden designed evidently to refer it to the
use of cut-feed, we should be glad to have the
opinions of this intelligent farmer on the whole
subject. That the use of cut-feed for animals is
matter of great economy is established, but the effect here mentioned
is a extraordinary and new to
me. The philosophy of digestion and nutrition is
a subject very imperfectly understood; indeed the
solution of the mystery can scarcely be said to be
approached. That by cutting the feed it is more
cleanly eaten up, and there is far less waste we
know. That much feed, such as cornstalks and
straw, which in a long state could scarcely be
touched, will be consumed when prepared in this
way, is equally matter of experience. That working cattle and especially
horses, from having their
food prepared in this way, are enabled to eat their
food at once, and then take their rest, is an obvious, and to hard-worked
animals, a great advan-
tage; as otherwise, especially in journies, they
must work until very late at night in order to masticate their food, and
thus their sleep is broken,
and the morning finds them unrefreshed. But
that ruminating animals, who like our milch cows
are "persons of entire leisure," should find any |
For the New-England Farmer.
QUERIES RESPECTING HEDGES.
Haverhill, February 1834.
MR. EDITOR, The time will come, no doubt,
when live fences will be more common than they
are. In countries where they are in general use,
they furnish to the farmer a valuable supply of
rough fuel when properly managed. In districts
where that necessary article is becoming every
year less abundant, prudence and economy admonish us to look ahead, and
prepare for future necessity. Stone walls are very well where rocks are
abundant. Rail and board fences are very expensive, and very unsafe. It
becomes a farmer to
unite in his arrangements durability, safety, and
economy, and in nothing more than in fencing. If
he be a man of taste, he will combine with these
ornament. A good live fence, in my opinion, includes all these.
I have been used to the white thorn, the black
thorn, and the crab, for this purpose; but I think
they will not answer in this soil and climate. The
former, I should judge, is too dry and porous, and
the latter is probably too warm in summer. The
Virginia white thorn, though natural to the soil,
and capable of bearing the extremes of our most
rigorous northern region, is decidedly too smooth
for fences. I have sometimes thought of the acacia. This, however, you
seem to condemn as inappropriate for the purpose. The pear in its wild
state is both rough and strong, and is good fuel;
but I have never known it tried for fencing. If
you, or any of your valuable correspondence, know
of any experiment having been made upon the
pear, I should be glad to know. The truth, is, sir,
I want to make about 300 rods of fencing, to render my ground convenient
for a better state of cul-
|
Send an e-Postcard of this object
