Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-05-22

ed cattle are Ted with the m as far as scar
city of hay at any time renders necessary
add may be KEEP, in flssh on them alone
through the winter, if not in the mean
time put 10 service. No food is receiyed
with more avidity by horses, or better
guards them from costivcness, and the
bots. But the providcnt author of nature
has SO ordered it, that in laiitudcs where
winters are severe and expensive, sum-
mers are abundant in grass :--putting it
in the power OF the cultivator ordinarily
to supply his cattle with snficiency of
hay, that he may reserve his straw for
different purpose.
The sfu66ie, together with the weeds
that shootup after resping, are freque nt-
ly moved for litter, just before The frosts
misunderstanding upon the ground they
would, indeed, be of some use to succeed
ing crops, and should never be burned, as
the practice OF some is among US but
they will go vastly farther as manure, if
seasonabiy cut and preserved for litter.
Their rich particles are then retained,
which the autumnal and vernal rains, to-
gether with frosts and wiatls. would other
wise in great measure dissipa.e.
The straav IF Buck svheGf makes also an
excellent litter; but The Europeans deem
1t too valuable to be SO applied, aad gene
rally feed their cattle with it, finding il to
be equal to the coarser kinds of hay.
They let il lie upon the ground however,
not day after it is dry enough to thrash,
and the moment the seed is severed, Ell
Their house it, or cover il in stacks, with
rye straw or thatch. While our farmers
on the other hand, deeming this straw
good for nothing, leave il in the field, to
be so entirely wasted by the operation OF
the elements upon it, that The place ofthc
threshing floor is scarcely distinguishable
in the next crop. IF we can be persuad-
ed 10 do nothing better with it, we may at
least before the snow comes, cart it into
the barn yard or if it must be left in the
field, throw little earth over it, that there
may be something to spread at the next
blowing.
The sfrav Of Peas and Beans are also
used for litter; but as the stems are hard
and woody, they do not absorb so freely
as other kinds of straw, and require lon
ger time to dissolye.-They may answer
better pnpose in the hogs pen, which al
so is the proper place for Pofafo zines,
and corn cobs.
The husks Of Indian Corn have all the
qualities requisite for litter.
In the vicinity Of forests, where leaves,
like drifted snow, accumulate in certain
ranses,theie leaves are procuredin immense
quantities. They make cheap and ex-
cellent litter. IL intended for the stable,
they are to be taken from the ground dry
but if for the yard, they may, after raked
INTO heaps or ridges, have little earth
thrown upon them composed ofleaves all
ready dissolved, and lie till they become
compact and Can be moved with less trou-
bic.
The ssringHngs Of Pla.r and Henri, are
too valuable for litter TO be given TO bon
tires.--They are good absorbents, and
very rich in their own substance c.or is
It to be inferred, that they will not rot in
twelve months, intermixed with moist
dung, from the circumstance that they
remain entire for three or four months
when lett IN heap by themselves. There
isanotheruse TO which these refuse mavbe
applied. Laid at the roots ofyoung trees,
and especially peach trees, they are per-
haps the most efreetual antidote to grubs
~"N SN"S' Woitho, W any tnal mas Deen cX |
perienced.-The oils they contain are "a
tai TO nearly every species of insects. I'll
LAID, however, above ground, they should
be drawn back some distance from the
trees before winter, lest, like leaves and |
tufts of grass, they form Judgement Tor
that pesiiferous bark eater, the mouse.
The stalks Of Indian Corn, cut close to !
the ground, are valuable litter, aud proba- !
bly, more valuable for that than any thing
else.-if left in the field they turn to lit |
Tie account, unless plowed in the next |
spring, can hardly be said to turn to any |
account, for they give their virtue TO the
winds. The tops OF stalks are usually |
cut for fodder, and if cut early and care
fully saved, arc certainly sweet food but
the expediency of this practice is very I
There is reason to appre-
bend that more is los, by it in the ear than
IS saved in the leaf. For the purposes of !
fodder the tops must be cut while the
leaves are full of sap, which is before the
late ears are out OF the milk, and before
the earliest have acquired all the soIidity
and nutrition of which they are suscepti-