Litchfield enquirer., 1861-10-24
WHOLE NO. 1899
From Me Massachusetts Ploughman. TIGHT BARNS. THE FRYER.

IAQSSUCHHSCHS I tOlLQfLTICUs l TIGHT BARNS. THE FEVER:
 ,,, our readers are aware of the doctrine of the 1loughman that very tight barns are not exactly the place for cattle, hay, or corn
 Oattie must have ar or they die. Hay must nave ar or IS become musty. Corn must have air in the crib or it rots. Many Farmers seem not to understand this and they inclose their barns as tight as double boarding will permit making it necessary to give their hay two or three hours more stunning than it would need in barns that admit some air between the boards. l It is universal law that all living animals re. uuire air. Even fish in the ponds die very soon when deprived of air. They inhale a small quantity through their gills, and by closing the gills tight with twne they die in their own ele- ment. Some animals require much more than others. Those living under water require the least; while the fowls of the air require the largest quantity; and their blood is warmer than that of cattle. But the blood of fishes is con- paratively cold.
 The alarming fever among cattle, which pre-. vailed here last year, was generally supposed to have come from Holland, whence Mir. Chenery, of Belmont, imported his COWS. Different opin- ions were given on this point but most of the papers on farming were filled with accounts of levers that had often prevailed in Germany, England, and France. And they had not the least doubt that MT. Chenery had imported the German fever with the German COWS. But we are now confirmed in the opinions heretofore expressed by us-for MT. Chenery himself told us, last week, that he had no doubt the fever among his cattle was caused by their 1 being confined close in his very tight barn. | His agent also, who has the care of his cattle, stated to us explicitly that the want of free air was the sole cause of the fever
 It is true that two of the COWS died before they went to the barn; but it is known to many that the COWS were not well provided for on their passage. They had not half room enough, and were not properly fed: They could not lie down with any comfort during the voyage, and they landed at Boston in most filthy state. They must have caught a ship fever on the voyage, as whole cargoes of slaves have done in former days, when confined close between decks. | Probably Mr. Chenery knew nothing of this treatment till it was too late to remedy the evil But the ship master must have known better than to chuck such handsome cattle into holes more filthy than hogsty in old times. It will be recollected that the fever broke out at Brookfeld, where it created as marked sensa- tie were sold in Brookfeld; or sent there to be kept and they too were confined in a fancy barn too close for any breathing animal to live in.- The fever of course broke out there, and contri- buted to the alarm of the whole country-since it was said to be contagious that one OK took it from another without coming in contact. One OK could not look at another unless he took care to keep on the windward side.
 l And now for tight barns. Why will practical Farmers continue to throw away their money in building barns so tight that the cattle cannot breathe in thepl-so tight that the hay becomes musty and the horses become diseased with the heaves?
 | We have been recently informed that agentle. man in Walpole has been building barn SO costly that but few Farmers could think of inn itatng it. The cost was six thousand dollars. Well, it was filled with hay last summer, but it could not hold hay. Soon after having was over the owner went into his barn, and declared that the hay was on fire. It actually smoked so much that he thought spontaneous combustion must take place.
 the side boards to be opened to let in air. His hay of course was nearly spoiled, and would be worthless without removal
 It is cruel to keep cattle tied up in cold barns, as many have done, where drafts of air pass through, and the frost freezes hard the manure behind them. But the poorest Farmer can pre- vent all this if he has ingenuity to place his prin- cipal hay now on the cold sides of his barn to stop all draft of air through it.
 l The hay may be dealt out in winter in such a way as to leave that portion of the now on the cold side or sides untouched till mild wealth CT comes. A hay cutter will leave the now in good trim
 The wall boards of barns should not be ioint- ed. It is loss of labor and of lumber to make the edges stright by placing orjonting. Good barn boards will come together quite close enough by merely pressing them together by means of a small iron bar.
 l Boards put on in this way will keep the snow out and let little air in. Enough to keep hay from sroling and cattle from catching levers.
 THE DEPARTURE OF GENERAL FREMONT FOR THE F1ELD-The Jefferson City correspondent of the St. Louis Democrat under the date of the 9th, thus describes the departure of General Fremont from Jefferson City:
 | At break of day all was hustle and activity in the camps Regiments had been leaving all night and were still striking their tents and mo- wing off in the direction of Sedala road. Gen. eraI Fremont with his staff and body guard, had been encamped on an eminence about mile south of the city and partly overlooking it. From early morning this had been the scene of preparation and hustle. The tents were struck, carriages and baggage wagons disputed the pas sage at every step. Around the base of the hill the body-guard were equipping and mount. inc their horses Brilliant staff officers rushed here and there, jabbering incomprehensible French to bewildered Americans. The Gene ral himself could be seen moving from place to place with handful of papers and followed by cloud of colonels and lesser lights asking for posting orders, or in most cases explanations of orders.
 On the brow of the hill stood Mrs. Fremont, gaily chatting to group of officers her sole at tendant youngish looking lady with jockey hat. who did the agreeable to another group of officers. Near by, son of the Generals a boy of ten or twelve, smartly dressed in uniform, was experimenting the harnessing of minia- ture war-horse with miniature bridle and saddle, and pistol holsters, which he mounted and rode off, attending the captain of the body guard, and looking for all the world like the captain seen through the wrong end of telescope. If this war contiues, we bid fair to return to the feudal times, when youths education consisted in knowing how to bear himself in arms. General Asboth amused himself by playing with youn- ger boy who tottered along in a sergeants uni | form.
 l Mrs. Fremont rode in the Generals travelling carriage. from the camp into town, where the |, General parted with her and rode on at the head of the line .. l,1.
 The cavalcade moved through town as halt mast eleven o'clock. The General and stan fode m at brisk trot. followed at slower pace py the body-guard and the baggage tram. Al tne ofternoon beated wagons were leaving, ana oll- oorS rdno back with messages, so that was ,,ot ,ntii fate that the town resumed It's usual nuet nuH Even unhappy newspaper correspondents nn,ght have been seen rushing frantlcaliy hlther ana tbither, completing their tardy equipments. " ",'. E,,,o,t had interested himself Derson-