The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-05-19
Correspondence Of the Globe. ]
FOREIGN LETTER.
Agricultural Notes.
LONDON, April 81, 1874.


which may change their regular course Of
life and of revolutions which have il ii
their power TO shake their conservative
ideas, they nevertheless are remarkably
ready to test a new invention for the goot
of agriculture and even run great risks will
the welfare of their valuable stock in tho
hope of increasing the productive qualities
of the ANIMALS by novel modes of feeding
housing and care of life.
1t has been my good fortune, during the
past week. TO visit one of the best regulat-
ed and most extensive farms IN Kent. a
southern county of England, noted for its
fields. gardens. and cattle. The farmer, a
liberal minded. accommodating man. cyi-
IDENTIFY pleased TO meet a real American.
set himself TO work TO explain in extent,
every detail of his best methods. and was
untrng in his attentions.
In the hope that some of my readers may
find interest in few of the novelties pre-
scnted by the friendly farmer, will begin
with the statement of this gcntleman's sue
cess in using
SUGAR FoR CATTLE FEEDING.
Raw sugar and moasscs have both been
used on this farm as Il dressing for the
food Of cattle proper sheep, and pigs All
kinds Of stock are partial to this saccharine
mixture and its effect in fatlcniDg IS truly
marvellous. The regular recipe in Use is
rs follows Sc pounds of straw, SO pounds
OF hay Il pounds Of Indian meal, "A
pounds of bran. II pounds of linsecd cake.
and POUNDS of raw sugar. The water is
warmed and the food served at once, when
it is dcvoured with avidty Such is the
uniform diet. and If one doubts the efficacy
Of the treatment let him consult the prize
list for fat cattle at the late exhibition in
London, and it will be seen that almost
without exception the monstrous creatures
have been fattcned upon the sugar diet.
OF course an immense amount of sugar is
already consumed by cattle in the green
crops, beets. mangolds and other vegetable
productions but for some good reason
this species OF food is losing popularity
and farmers are gradually turning a serious
eye to the use of pure sugar,
An estimate has been made that if sugar
and moaSscs are adopted as ingredients IN
cattle feeding. there will be demand for
one million tons of molasses and 10000
tons of sugar for the yearly consumption
OF cattle alone an amount almost equal
to half the present consumption OF the
United Kingdom. This would give an i'm
mensc stimulus to the production of sugar
and still further reduce its price.
There is yet cheaper mode of fattenng
cattle which is much IN vogue that is mix
ing one quart of molasses with four quarts
of water and throwing it warm over the
''cut-feed"-a dressing to which the cattle
take no dislike, If ! may judge from APP
pearanCes.
The friendly farmer assured me there
was also another way in which farmers can
nearly double their ordinary sugar supplies
for their stock without eXpending penny
in the purchase of either sugar or mOlas-
SEES and that Is ny simply growing the
white Siesian or sugar beet instead Of the
different varieties OF mangolds. All that is
necessary to obtain nearly the same gross
weight, is to grow the plants as close again
together. Instead of 30 inches or B feet
between the rows, and Is inches or 9 feet
Is inches apart, and leave the plants in
ches asuudcr. The roots are then much
richer in saccharine matter. more dense in
their texture. more solid and heavier than
mangolds. 1t is found the most profitable
crop for the farmer to grow for feeding
purposes. 1t is thought, should greater
demand arise for pure and simple sugar for
stock feeding, the sugar beet will develop
a large home trade in sugar making both
in England and Ireland, wherever the soil
is found suitable. The grower will then
be able TO command five dollars a ton for
his roots, will have all the tops ranging
from to . per cent of the gross weight
for his sheep and will receive three dollars
per ton for bee. pulp. or as it is termed in
England beet cake The friendly farmer
congratulated himself that such course
must needs pay the farmer better than any
other method of dsposng of a green crop.
"This, sad he, ''seems to be the best way
of at once bringing more sugar within
reach Of our stock. and putting more
money into the farmers pocket"
TIE ARTIFICIAL MOTHER FOR CHICKENS.
From the stables we wandered away tc
as fine collection of poul,ry-houscs a,
there is in all England. The houses ant
their yards are arranged around two side
of large garden, covering, should think
at least an acre of ground. In the ccntr
is a closely cut lawn, which daily provide
the fowls with fresh grass. At the bound
AIRY of the lawn are placed number o
bee hives, which, by-the-by. is the frendl,
farmers hobby, and he gave me many ney
and curious ideas concerning the manage
ment of Italian bees, of which he makes
speciality. ] noticed that the fowls wer
much exposed to the wind and sun, tn
former of which, if | mistake not, is cor
sidered rather detrimental to their growt
in our own country. The breeding stocl
consisted of all the fine varieties bird
which are large in frame, good in color an
beautiful in shape. This experience
breeder informed me that he never Above
a native or heavy hen to sit upon eggs
but always chose a light game-fowl. sine
they are more delicate in their movements
less apt to break the eggs, true to the
trust, and plucky mothers.
But the artificial mother was the most il
teresting object and as there were chcl
ems of all ages running about had goo
opportunity of seeing 1t in practical oper;
ton. The mother is a narrow wooden DO
about five feet long and eighteen inch,
! lllEHf hith q NlNitll' Wv
into two compartments-an upper and low
er; in the upper part there is tank abol
two inches deep and forming the top; tn
is filed with water and heated by sma
spirit lamp from below Underneath Il
tank is Il movable frame covered with cal
vass on this is fastened quantity of ilai
mel cut into small strips, about three or fol
inches long and one in width; in this ilai
mel. heated as it is from above, nestle Il
chickens, quite unconscious of the decel
ton. At the back runs tlue, at the mou,
of which is placed the lamp.
The chickens are removed here immed
ately after they are Matched and nearly G
cry one is reared. 800 have already bee
raised here by this process and there ha,
been but t,cO deoths. A remarkable exam
pie that art is preferable to nature. WI
further told that the chickens grow muC
faster and feather more quickly then wht
trammelled by the attentions of natur
mother with all her fears and-her app
tite. This mode of raising chickens is
generally adopted that the sittng-hen seen
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