Part 9

First, select good, rich soil, such as will produce 70 bush. indian corn per acre, if not such it should be made such by manuring. You cannot expect a tree to flourish and produce good fruit when there is no strength or food to supply it with proper nourishment. It is too much like building a house without a foundation, or sitting down to dine at an empty dish, there being nothing to support the growth of the tree, no food to supply it with proper nourishment, finally, it dies for the want of nourishment, if not, the fruit which it bears, if any, is small and knotty, having scarcely any taste or flavor. If you want nice, large, fine flavored fruit, prepare your soil before planting your trees and keep it prepared by manuring occasionally. It is unreasonable to expect to raise fruit from a tree when it is half or three quarters starved out, all for the want of nourishment. You may here make inquiry how to prepare your soil. This may be done by putting a heavy dressing of manure on it, then obtain sufficient depth of soil, so as to enable the roots to extend themselves freely and hold moisture without dying out in protracted drought. This may be done with a common plow, letting it run 8 or 10 inches deep, then by means of a good subsoil plow, running it in the same furrow, you will obtain a depth of 15 or 18 inches. This process should be continued until you have all plowed that depth. When you have this accomplished, run your harrow over several times leveling and pulverizing it finely. When you have all this completed your soil will be prepared for planting your trees. If you cannot possibly prepare your soil in this way, you should by all means dig very large holes, say six or eight feet in diameter and a foot and a half deep, working the manure through the soil as you dig it up. This may seem to the farmer as requiring too much labor, but will richly pay him for it in the end. Plant your trees in this soil firmly, leaving the soil a little lower about the body of the tree, so as it may hold the water, if filled up about the level of the soil, the water will run away from the roots and your tree may die for the want of moisture. Every tree should have a stake driven in the ground to fasten or stay the tree, so as to prevent the storms from bending and switching it about. If this is not done your trees will be injured, and will not thrive. There are a great many farmers complaining that they cannot raise any fruit. Truly, how can they expect to raise fruit when they will crowd their trees into small holes, and the soil so hard that you can scarcely drive a stake into it with a sledge, and above all the land starved out, the grass and weeds suffered to grow up at such a rate that you are not able to see the body of the tree. Young trees should be nursed and cultivated, keeping the soil mellow by repeated stirring and preventing the growth of any vegetable for several feet from the tree. A hoed crop is next best to clear mellow ground. A sowed crop, grass or weeds is ruinous to young trees. After you have your trees well set, you should by all means wash them down once or twice a year with soap and water. Say about one quart of soap to two quarts of water--wash from the large branches to the bottom--this will destroy the insects that may be put into the body and limbs of the tree. Many drooping trees have been made healthy by using this wash. If you wish to preserve your peach trees, it is necessary for you to apply this to them twice a year, also frequently pouring reasonably hot soap suds to the body and root of the tree; this will kill and destroy the worm which so frequently destroys your trees. The lie which is left at the bottom of the kettle from boiling hot soap is very good and should always be used to wash your trees. If you wish to preserve your peach trees, you should by all means search the roots and body of the tree, and where you find any gum caused by the worm, remove it by means of a knife, carefully cutting away where any gum is found, and as far as there seems to be a hollow under the bark, then wash the whole stem well, suffering it to run to the roots: It is stated by a worthy gentleman, that by planting tansey around the tree, the worm will not trouble the roots. This is simple enough and worthy of a trial. It is hoped that these important truths will cause the Farmer and others to put them in practice, and it most undoubtedly will be the means of raising improved fruit and will be richly paid for all his labour.

HOW TO CATCH AN OWL.

Those who are troubled with owls, let them set a steel trap on the top of a pole near the hen roost, and you will be certain to catch him.

A SUPPLEMENT TO THE FARMER’S OWN BOOK:

A TREATISE ON THE Diseases of Horned Cattle, WITH AN EXPLANATION OF THEIR SYMPTOMS, AND THE COURSE OF TREATMENT TO BE PURSUED.

PUBLISHED BY J. D. KOOGLE, Middletown, Maryland. 1858.

PREFACE.

The beneficence of an all wise Providence in organizing man, so as to secure him dominion over animals of inferior physical construction, impose on him obligations to exercise that eminent advantage in a spirit of mercy and in mitigation of the pains and disorder of the brute creation! Impose upon him as a gentleman, as an intelligent Farmer, or as a man of humanity; should deem it essential to make himself familiar with the nature and injuries of the suffering brute. To say nothing of the duty, which common intelligence and humanity enjoins upon every one to prepare himself with proper information, remedies and common medicines, which will enable him to extend immediate relief to the speechless, suffering animals. No man should hesitate, to provide himself with a book which will teach him plainly in what way to give relief to the poor speechless brute.

THE AGE.

The age of neat cattle is very difficult to get at, until they reach the age of three years; after this, we get at the age by the horns. The surface of the horn continues very smooth, until the expiration of the second year of the animals life, when a wrinkle or circle of thicker horn begins to be formed around the base. This is truly completed in twelve months and another ring then begins to appear, so that if the perfect rings or circles are counted, and two added to them, the age of the beast is supposed to be ascertained. These rings, however, are not always clear and distinct, and it is very easy to remove one or two of them with a rasp, at least to the unpracticed eye, when the animal begins to be remarkably old. In addition to this, a well known fact should be stated:--That if a heifer takes the bull at about two years old, the first ring is formed a twelve month before its usual time, and consequently she would always appear to be reckoning by her horns, a twelve month older than she really is. After all, the age as denoted by the horn can only be calculated in the Cow. These rings do not begin to appear in the Ox or Bull until the animal is five years old, and then they are frequently too confused to be accurately counted.

When in health, a softness of the skin, and a glossy appearance of the hair, not only indicates present health, but a disposition to thrive; while a hard dry skin clinging to the ribs, and a staring in every direction, show that there is something wrong in the constitution, and that it will be labor in vain to attempt to fatten such a beast, for your own interest, you should put your beast in good condition, and keep it in condition.

ON THE DISEASES OF HORNED CATTLE.

INFLAMMATION:--Inflammation is the most frequent diseased condition to which neat Cattle are subject. External inflammation is known by the part being swollen, tender and hotter, than in its natural state; in garget or downfall of the udder, which is an inflammation of one or more quarters of the bag; the affected parts are swollen, tender and hot. If this state of the bag is neglected, matter or pus will be formed, and make a troublesome job, this should not be neglected or deferred; if it is properly treated, the swelling heat and tenderness will generally disappear.

INTERNAL INFLAMMATION.

Internal Inflammation by other and often more indistinct symptoms. We can here seldom ascertain the heat or tenderness, or swelling of the part, and can usually only judge of the complaint, by the effects which it produces on the system. Every internal inflammation soon affects the whole system, accompanied with considerable fever, and that fever and degree of it is easily ascertained by the heat of the breath, and the mouth, and the base of the horn, by the redness of the eye, hardness of the pulse and the loss of appetite. When Inflammation seizes any important organ, as the brain, lungs, bowels, kidneys, udder, &c., bleeding is to be immediately had recourse to, after bleeding, a purging drink is to be administered, sometimes it is necessary to insert a seton in the dew lap. For external inflammation from severe bruises, wounds and other accidents, fomentations with warm or cold water. Poultices made of Linseed Oil, when they can be applied.

BLEEDING, ITS UTILITY.

Bleeding is a most useful and powerful remedy, in the cure of Inflammatory Complaints. It lessens the quantity of blood in the vessels, and diminishes nervous power. The following are the chief diseases, in which bleeding is required.

In all kinds of fever, itching and humors of the skin, enlarged glands, or kernels between the jaws, bruises, strains, catarrh or colds, &c.

The jugular or neck vein, is that which is mostly opened; in many inflammatory complaints too much can hardly be taken, provided the bleeding be stopped as soon as the patient appears likely to faint or fall down. A strong healthy Beast will bear the loss of five-six quarts of blood without the least injury; large Cattle will bear seven or eight quarts with decided advantage.

ON PHYSIC.

The chief purgative Medicines for neat Cattle are Glauber Salts, Epsom Salts, Barbadoes aloes, Linseed Oil and Sulphur. In some extreme cases the Croton Nut, freshly prepared may be used with decided advantage. Aloes are getting into disuse, on account of it nauseating and exciting the Animal; if it does not operate immediately, half an ounce of aloes may be added to the salts with decided advantage. In particular diseases where there is considerable fever, or the attack of fever is apprehended, there is no purgative so beneficial as the Epsom Salts; in bad cases twenty four ounces may be given at a dose, and eight ounces of sulphur every six hours, until the purgative effect is produced. Linseed Oil is a good purgative, the dose is from a pint to a pint and a half. Common Salt is a very good purgative in mild cases, a pound dissolved in warm water is a dose; it should not be given when the animal labors with fever.

ON SETONING.

The utility of setoning is to create excitement and unload the overloaded vessels in neighboring inflamed parts. The mode of inserting a seton, it is commonly made of horse hair platted together, cord or tape alone or leather, it should be tolerable thick and ten or twelve inches in length. Before inserting the seton it should be dipped or saturated with Turpentine, tincture of Cantharides, or Helebore. The seton now prepared; an assistant is to hold the animal, while the seton needle with the cord affixed to it is plunged into the upper edge of the brisket or dew lap, and brought out again towards its lower edge. The space between the two openings should be from four to eight inches; the seton is to be secured by fastening a small piece of wood, or tying a large knot at either end of the cord; matter will begin to run the second day, and after that the cord should be drawn backwards and forwards two or three times a day, in order to irritate the parts, by this means increase the discharge. Where a considerable effect is intended to be produced, the black helebore is the best, this will very quickly cause considerable swelling, as well as a discharge.

COLDS AND COUGHS.

Colds or Coughs are frequently much neglected, and very much injures the animal, let this hint suffice, as soon as you perceive the animal to have the cough, give a purging drink. Take epsom salts 1 lb., powdered caraway seeds ½ oz., dissolve in a quart of warm gruel. After that use the cough and fever drink until relieved twice a day.

Cough and fever medicine.--Take emetic tartar 1 oz., powdered digitalis ½ drachm, saltpetre 3 drachms, mix and give in a quart of gruel; house the beast and keep it comfortable, especially at night, do not expose to cold and wet weather.

If the above should not give relief: Take emetic tartar half drachm, nitre two drachms, powdered gentian root one drachm, powdered chamomile flowers one drachm and powder ginger half drachm. Pour upon them a pint of boiling ale, and give the infusion, when nearly cold; give until relieved. Should not this entirely relieve--take liquorice root 2 oz; bruise and boil in a quart of water, until the fluid is reduced to a pint, then add two drachms powdered squills, honey 2 ounces; add to the above and give as directed in the above.

INFLAMMATION OF THE LUNGS.

Inflammation of the Lungs is caused by perspiration, sudden and great changes of the weather, especially when accompanied with wet and damp air at night, and particularly when driving a long journey.

Symptoms are dullness, shivering cough, particularly soar, the ear, roots of the horns and legs are generally cold; the breath and mouth is hot, the mouth generally open, and there is a ropy discharge from it; the beast will often lie down and can scarcely be induced to move, the flanks heave, the head is protruded, showing great difficulty in breathing.

REMEDY:--Copious bleeding is the first and great important remedy; bleed until the beast trembles, if you do not, you will lose your beast; next, place in your seton in the dewlap, fire the sides and blister, then follow with the Fever medicine. Emetic tartar 1 drachm, digitalis ½ drachm, nitre ⅓ drachms; continue until relieved twice a day.

DERANGEMENT OF THE LUNGS.

When the milch Cow is attacked, there is a diminution of the milk, and it has a ropy appearance and a saltish taste after being separated from the cream. The animal has a heavy appearance; the eyes being dull, with a stiffened staggering gait; the appetite is impaired, the nostrils and skin is of a yellow color, the bowels are generally costive, by pressing on the edge of the short ribs on the right side, the animal will shrink, indicating pain and tenderness. Remedy:--If any fever bleed, then follow with one or two drachms of calomel, 1 scruple of Opium, 2 drachms of ginger, give in gruel a few hours afterwards. Give 12 ounces epsom salt and half pint Linseed oil; the calomel and opium may be repeated twice a day, and the purgative also, until the bowels are sufficiently operated upon; the sides may also be blistered, and seton may also be inserted. If the animal should be left weak, use the following tonic drink:--Gentian root powder ½ oz., ginger 1 drachm, epsom salts 2 oz., mix the whole with a pint of warm water gruel, and give it morning and night.

INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN.

CAUSES:--It proceeds most commonly from redundancy of blood, or overflowing of the blood, by means of hastening the fattening too rapidly, or by turning in a rich pasture.

SYMPTOMS:--In the early period of it, the beast is dull and stupid, he stands with his head protruding, or pressed against something for support, he refuses to eat, is unconscious of the surrounding objects, now and then suddenly drops as if he were shot, he starts up all at once, is fearless of any surrounding object, his eyes will become red starting from their sockets, will stagger about, falling and rising again and run against everything in his way, he will stamp, tear up the ground with its horns, run at every one within its reach, bellowing until nature is quite exhausted; trembling will then come over him, he will grind his teeth and saliva will pour from his mouth, every limb will be convulsed and he will presently fall and die.

REMEDY:--The chief or only cure is bleeding, let the blood flow rapidly until he falls from the loss of blood. Setons should be placed on each side of the poll, and blistered on the forehead, then follow with heavy doses of physic, when relieved feed cautiously for a few weeks.

STAGGERS OR SWIMMING in THE HEAD.

CAUSE:--Starvation during the winter season, and being admitted into too fertile a pasture in the Spring, producing a redundancy of blood, which gives rise to the disease.

SYMPTOMS:--Are heaviness, dullness, disposition to sleep, resting his head upon any convenient place, reels and staggers when he attempts to walk.

If this disease is not checked by bleeding, or purging, or proper management, it may terminate in inflammation of the brain or fever.

REMEDY:--This must be remedied by bleeding, purging and giving the fever medicine--after purging, give emetic tartar one drachm, digitalis ½ drachm, nitre ¼ drachms twice a day until relieved, feed cautiously.

INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS WITH COSTIVENESS.

Inflammation of the bowels is by no means an uncommon disease among neat cattle, very often proves fatal. It is easily recognized by the peculiar symptoms.

CAUSE:--This disease mostly arises from exposure to cold, and especially when cattle go into rivers or ponds, after being heated and fatigued, chilling the blood. It is sometimes produced by too much dry or stimulating food.

SYMPTOMS:--The animal is continually lying down, getting up again, strikes at his belly with his hind feet. The bowels obstinately constipated; dungs in small quantities, hard, covered with mucus at times, streaked with blood--the urine is generally voided with difficulty and heaving at the flanks, accompanied with fever, becomes fearfully weak and staggers as he walks, he leaves his company, hides himself under hedges, &c. Becomes deaf, he trembles all over, his skin is hot, back and loins tender, ears and horns hot, indicating the highest degree of general fever.

REMEDY:--The first thing to be done and that which admits of no delay, is to bleed profusely. Next, purge freely; continue the purging medicines until the bowels are freely opened, then lessen the doses so as to keep the bowels open. In severe cases you must give injections until the medicines operate freely. This is a very dangerous disease and the course pursued must be decisive, or the beast is lost! The only hope you have after bleeding, is in physicing; you should by all means clyster largely and in great quantities, the epsom salts and castor oil will do no harm; thin gruel is very good! Let these hints suffice.

DIARRHEA OR PURGING.

DIARRHEA OR PURGING:--In the first place indicates some disordered state of the bowels, or the presence of some offending matter in them, and he will endeavor to remedy this; not by attempting to arrest the discharge too speedily! First, give a mild physic, then follow with the astringent.

REMEDY:--Take a strong decoction, white oak bark 3 ounces, laudanum 1½ oz., golden tincture 1 oz. Give it in thin gruel until relieved.

Dysentery, Slimy Flux, or scouring rot is treated the same way. The symptoms of this are considerable tenderness on the spine a little beyond the shoulders, the dewlap hangs down, and has a flabby appearance; the dung runs off with a putrid and offensive smell, and as it falls upon the ground, rises up in bubbles, the hair appears pen feathered or starring; the eyes are generally inflamed, with heaving of the flanks, painful twitching of the belly, severe straining, griping, &c. This disease treated the same as Diarrhea.

RED WATER.

RED WATER:--This disease consists of a discharge of high colored urine, occasionally tinged with a bloody appearance, it is an affection of the kidneys; in some cases the discharge changes to a dark red, or blackish color. When the kidneys are effected, the beast evinces tenderness on pressing the loins.

REMEDY:--Take oil of juniper ½ oz., laudanum 1 oz., oil turpentine 1 oz., mix and give in a pint linseed tea, once or twice a day until relieved. The oil of juniper may be increased or diminished as the case may require it.

GARGET, DOWNFALL IN THE UDDER, OR INFLAMED BAG.

This is a disease of the utmost consequence to the owners of Cattle; young Cows in high condition are most liable to it, especially at the time of calving. This disease makes its appearance in one or more quarters of the bag, which becomes swollen, hard, hotter than usual and painful when pressed. The milk is lessened and mingled with blood, pus and corruption, at times the flow of milk is totally stopped and sometimes the inflammation extends to the hip joint, hock and foot lock.

REMEDY:--It will be necessary as soon as the downfall is discovered, and especially in an aggravated case, to bring the animal out of the pasture and if deemed necessary, take from three to five quarts of blood according to the size or strength, next give her a purging drink and bathe the udder well with elder ointment, or use mercurial garget ointment, which is made by taking soft Soap 1 lb., Mercurial Ointment 2 ounces, camphor rubbed down with a little spirits of wine 1 ounce, rub them well together. Should there be any fever, give a few doses of fever medicine; this is a disease of great importance, as many Cows are ruined or lost purely from neglect. The milk must be taken from the Cow perfectly clean, and this should be done several times during the day; and the Cow must be fed scantily and with no stimulating food.

The teats sometimes get very sore, this is easily remedied by using the ointment for sore teats. Take elder ointment 6 ounces, Bees wax 2 ounces, Sugar of lead 1 ounce, Alum 1 ounce in fine powder, mix them well together, whilst cooling bathe the teats freely.

TREATMENT OF THE COW, BEFORE AND DURING CALVING.

It is an old and true saying, and the truth of it is nowhere more evident than in treatment of the Milch Cow; that the prevention of an evil is better than the cure. The Cow should be dried six or eight weeks before calving, for two reasons: First, the strength and constitution of the Cow require a little respite. Second, the mixture of the old milk and the new secretions, that nature prepares for the expected calf. During the early period of gestation, the animal may and should be tolerably well fed, for she has to provide milk for the Dairy, and nourishment for the fœtus. But when she is dried, her food should be considerably diminished:--She should not be too fat, or full of blood at the time of calving, for that is the frequent cause of difficult labor, garget fever and death.

There are few things in which the Farmer errs, more than in this. There is also an error in starving her before she calves, but, is much more danger in bringing her into too high condition. Some Cows are apt to slink their calves before their time; this generally happens about the middle of their pregnancy. She becomes feverish of her food, wandering in search of something which she seems to be longing for. She should be immediately removed from the other cows, bled and physiced; the best thing to be done is to fatten her for the butcher, for she will be very certain to do the same again. When the ninth month is nearly expired, she should be looked after; if in high condition, she should be physiced, and if necessary, bled, and if she is about to calve, she should be separated from the other cows, or brought into the cow-house, and suffered to remain quiet, and undisturbed. But should she not be successful in calving within a reasonable time, she should have assistance.