The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-05-29

INSTRUMENTATION PRIcKLY coMFEEY

yALUEOF PRICkLf eohthhi
The Prickly Comfrey (S~ymPhitum as
D~errimua.1 i a native of Caucasus
whence it was introduced in England III
1911. as an ornamental plant. 1t Is
hardy in Great Britain, a rapid grower,
and reaches a large size III ordinary
soils, and even in poor souls grows 1--WE
feet high and upwards-ls perennial,
and may be cut three or four times In a
season. is ~succulent, and Is SAID to be
p~articularlv adapted as feed tor mich
COWS. :
Ii NAV be propaeated by cuttings OF
the roots. ~senarated into small pieces,
and NAV be planted early IN The sp.lng,
| in good soil from two to two ana one
halt feet apart, and from tttccn 20 SIX,
teen inches apart in h rows. 1t VIII
Weld two cuttings the first season; ana
in following years, IT kept c;ean ana
MANFRED. will give three or four cut
tincs from April to Octoberin England.
In this countr it would average later
in both spring and fall. When first
introduced into England, it failed to
elicit much attention among English
farmers. though 1t was quite extensively
grown in Ireland. 1t was grown there
by the Bishop of Kildare at G~lassnevln,
and was cultivated by others about
Dublin, where it was found quite useful
for dairy stock. At first cattle do not
like it but soon get accustomed to 1t,
like and do we'll upon it.
Its ordinary produce was estimated
by practical farmers ut thirty tons per
acre. In experiments made IN Ireland,
on Carnew Castle Farm, 81 tons per
Irish acre are reported in three sepa-
rate cutttings-2S4 tons in the middle
Of April: 81 tons in the middle OF July,
and 223 tons in the middle of Septem-
Der.
DR.. Noelcker made a full analysis of
Prick!ey Contrey, in 1869, when dried
to 2l2 degrees, and reported as follows:
Natural state. Calculated dry
Water ......... 96.66
heterogeneous organic com
pounds, thesh-forming
matters ..........-.... 2.72 29.l2
Non-nitrogenous comp'ds,
thead and fat producing
POULTRY on TIE FARM.-This is a
class of stock that is very much neglect
ed on many farms throughout the coun-
try. But [ believe fowls will bring
profit to the farm. At this season OF
ducts of the farm has been disposed OF
poultry is about the only source OF in
come hat the farmers wife has. And
this is of no small account, as the eggs
from thirty hens will furnish the family
with all the store supplies needed, and
this will prove to be no insignificant
item III times like the present. | saw
the other day forty dozen eggs brought
to the store by one farmer who said they
were from thirty-two hens that had av-
eraged two dozen eggs per day for near
ly two months past. What better pro
perry was on that farm? This may be
an exceptional success but any person
may reach it. On too many farms the
fowls are always neglected, Just as if
they were not worthy of the farmers at
t%ention. But should he conduct this
branch with the same care in the keep
ing and intelligence in the selection of
breeds, as in the choice of his COWS or
pigs, he could then see how much diff
ference he would find in the returns
they would give. | shall not recon-
mend any particular breed of poultry
tor the general farmerto keep, for much
must depend on circumstances. ANY
Of the improved breeds will do we'll. but
IN making the selection reference must
be had to the place where and the pur-
pose for which they are kept. For
small places where fowls must be con-
fined a great share of the time. the
small breeds like the Leghorn would
prove much more desirable than the
Cochln-China or Brahmas. The larger
breeds must have a full range of the
fields IN order to do well, for in wander
ing about they find much matter that is
SO necessary to promote health. The
man trouble with this branch of hus-
bandry IS, in the slip-shod way in which
It Is managed especially in the winter
fowls are allowed to roost IN trees
or any other place they may choose
cold weather, and often tbn;,
feet and combs freeze. In many cases
ali the feei they get is what they can
PICK up: anu 1t takes all OF this TO sus-
lite 50 that they can law but few
II any: The winter is the time
when hens pay the ht>t, and then thew
must have bones. crushed shell. ar oh
similar aids to digestion as well as
food and warm places to stav
or they can not be expected to Weld ~,
retUrns.-S. c. ' ""s