The Portland daily press., 1878-12-03
DB Sailing Hay.

EOn the subject Of saiting hay, the following
statement was made by Mr.. Brldgman, at a
little meeting of the Elmira farmers club;
"Aany years ago it was my practice tosprink-
leealt on the NOW as the hay was drawn in,
And I noticed the cows inclined to scour.
hTnere WASH UrOoK ueaI yard foru
which the cattle drank, and it appeared that
they dranka great deal, thirst being created
by the salt In the hay, no doubt, and too
much water affected the cows ipjuriously.
The practice ofsalting the hay was abandoned
end there was no further trouble by securing.
Some years ago saw the cows on another
farm near here, In winter, were thin and
securing, 20 Inquired of their owners if he
knew any cause, He confessed be did not.
] asked him II bis hay was salted, and he said
yes. advised that it be stored without salt
the next season. he accepted the advice,
and his cattle had no further trouble"
Col. Piolett said: My observation Is that
farm stock shonld have free access to salt at
ct oil times, should never be compelled to
take 1t ct any time. have found in the care
ef somewhat extensive herds of cattle, that
the preservation of their health has been
aided by the use of sulphur mixed with the
salt given them. One great difficulty in the
way OF maintaining health in our cattle,
transported as they are from other climates,
is in preserving constant healthful condition
Of the stomach-the organ of the digestion.
In my experience the great need has seemed
TO appear IN maintaining healthy action,
keeping their stomachs unclogged and free to
digest the food furnished, artif1cially prepared,
Is IL is, during great portion Of the year. 1
Imagine that nine out Of ten Of our cattle
that die from causes not understood are the
victims OF what the Irish call ''dry murrain,"
. disease in which the stomach becomes as
bard as q loaf of bread, and digestion is imped-
ed. have cut open the stomachs of cattle
lost In this way, and invariably have found
them iDhamed and hard, yielding to the knife
% Loaf OF bread does. Some years ago word
was brought Re by neighbor that three or
or four Of q herd We had at pasture on dis
tsnt farm were dead, went to see what the
trouble was and found one animal almost
gone, 80 waited to see the course of the dis
ease. The animal soon died, and I opened
the stomach, which presented the appearance
have described. Altogether five had died.
We took the cattle out of that field and
drove them nearer home, where such care as
they might req0ire could be gwen, and at
once gave to each animal quart of linseed
oil with an ounce or two of sulphur thrown
In, and there were no further signs of disease
although some of them had evidently been
afling. From that day to this my cattle have
had constantly a full supply Of salt with sui
phur mixed in with it. We get the sulphur
By the barrel-four of sulphur-at small cost
and mix about one part OF sulphur to four of
salt Cows supplied with this mixture are
not apt to be troubled by garget nor by YER
min. Cattle in their wild state seek saline
springs, the waters of which are impregnated
by sulphur. Copying nature we mix salt
and sulphur, giving the cattle free access to
the mixture, and they take it as nature ind-
Gates the need, the effect being to maintain
good digestion, and as consequence, good
health.