The Portland daily press., 1877-10-15


| parent, which has grown from scions sent out
| by the Department of Agriculture in 1870. His
| tree of this variety came into bearing very
| early, producing fruit the third year from
| grating on seed root. The tree this year bore
| its third crop consisting of over 6ushel. The
tree, Notwithstanding its productiveness, IS a
| free grower. being now eight feet nlgn; 1t is
also an erect grower, and pears us frult on
short spurs close to the main branches, SO that
it can carry heavy crop when small without
breaking down. Thoughs SO full OF fruit that
there seems to be more apples than leaves yet
branches are not bent down at all.
| In size the Yellow Transparent apple is full
medium, round-ovate in form, straw-yelow in
color, with an extremely melting, juicy flesh
of delicate sub-acid, but not very high favor.
1t is the earliest dessert apple that VIII have,
being two weeks earlier than the Tetofsky, and
ripe ming in Northern Vermont from the first to
the last of August. The tree is perfectly hardy
and endures the winters of Northern Vermont
and is deserving of attention by our fruit
growers.
Prevention of Disease i'm Animals.
The losses of farm stock by disease and
death are enormous. 1t was recently stated
in Western paper that the loss of hogs in
one county in one year from the diseas e
known as hog cholera, amounted to $5.OOO,.
600. While this statement is undoubtedly eX-
travagant, yet the facts are such that many
persons readily accept statements of this
kind as the truth. There is no doubt that
the losses OF sheep, swine and cattle, that
might be prevented by proper precautions
and care, amount to one-fifth of the whole
value of these classes of stock. One hum
dred millions of dollars yearly would not
more than cover these losses. The greatest
misfortune is that much disease is spread by
infection and contagion among herds and
focks that would otherwise escape. Animals
are subject to all the dangerous influences
which affect the health of human beings.
Miasma, malaria, exposure to sudden and
severe changes of temperature; the con-
sumption of innutritious or indigestible food
or impure water; overlooking or underfeed-
ing, or irregular feeding; exposure to foul
air or filth all these affect mans beasts as
quickly as they would iDjuriously affect him
self. The instinct of self-preservatlon and
the well-known results of these causes tend
greatly to secure mankind from danger from
them. and where the individual fails to pre-
serve himself the public safety prompts effect
i've legal measures to compel him to observe
proper precautions. But as regards our do
mestic animals, when an individual fails TO
preserve his own property it is only in few
cases that any legal provisions are in force
for the protection of that of his neighbers.
Thus. disease among cattle of all kinds may
trict from one seed-bed of pestilence and
contagion. 1t is time that this risk which
farmers are obliged TO encounter should be
removed. We do not propose, however, at
this time to consider this view of the case,
but only to offer some suggestions which are
pertinent at this season for the preservation
of the health of animals that may be ex-
posed to danger.
The present season is peculiarly full of risk.
1t is one when sudden changes of tempera-
ture Eoccur; when the surface soil is highly
charged with decomposing vegetable matter,
the gases from which are absorbed by water
or mingled with the atmosphere, and thus
have an active effect upon the systems of an
imals; and also, period when the heritage
is hard, innutritious, indigestible, or posi-
lively hurtful from decomposition.
The stratum of air resting upon meadows
and pastures, either drained or undrained,
but more particularly those in the latter con-
dition, is filled with malarial germs which are
breathed by animals and enter into their cir
culatioa. The water they drink is also high
ly charged with these minute destructive or
ganisms. Although these may not of them
selves in all cases induce disease directly, yet
they enfeeble the vitality and create a more
sensitive condition, in which animals become
an easy prey to contagon or Injection. HUI
man beings under these circumstances avoid
all dangerous or deleterious articles of food or
drink; they venJilate, disnfect, and purify
their dwellings; they observe caution as to
changes of clothing and fortify themselves
with medicines or tonics against the APP
proaches of disease and avoid with the great
est care all danger of contaglon. But what
owners of animals observe these precautions?
Very few if any. Nothing is done until the
animal is stricken, and then the worst has
already happened. To treat an animal that
gives no sign until it is at the point of death
is useless.
There is no help for these cases but in pre-
caution. If such sanitary rules are observed
IN the stables and yards as are practiced in
dwellings the danger from disease would be
greatly reduced. Expectations as to food
and water were taken, if unwholesome pas
lures were left unoccupied, if cleanliness in
feeding were practiced and no animal were
permitted to drink or to eat filth of any kind
much less obliged, the natural robustness and
hardness of our cattle would carry them
safely through a. multitude of mllder dangers.
At this change of the seasons, when so much
dead matter is going to decay, it is necessary
to exercise great watchfulness in regard to
these things. Not only so, but the animals
themselves need close watching, that the
first indication that there is something amiss
may be observed and immediate treatment be
given. In case anything is observed to go
wrong, the first thing to be done is to clear
out the bowels by an active saline purgative
g to 16 ounces of epson salts is generally
the most effective and the safest that can be
given. After this, copious drinks of very
thin cruel of bran, linseed-meal or oatmeal
may be given with benefit. AS rule bleed
ing is to be strictly avoided as dangerous
resource and an almost if not altogether fatal
mistake.