The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-12-16
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.


Pigs are subject to weakness Of the
spine by which the nerves controlling
the movements OF the hind limbs are
paralyzed. This is often constitutional,
and arises from breeding pigs so de-
fective. When young sucking pigs are
affected in this way it no doubt comes
in this manner. The treatment is to
apply counter-irritant to the loins,
such as turpentine, rubbed freely upon
the back; apply once day and give the
pigs teaspoonful of powdered rosin in
the food for each two or three, once a
day for week. Pigs SO affected should
never be used for breeding.
Muck.
That muck may be Of its greatest
value-for it has valuable elements OF
plant food in its structure-it must be
treated or brought into proper con-
dition, 80 that these important elements
may become available to the plants that
Are to use them. The muck should be
dug in the fall, and there is no letter
time than now, during this dry spell,
when the swamps are dry and can be
worked to the greatest advantage. II
was, in fact, the favorable condition for
getting out muck that suggested the
writing OF this article, and therefore !
must dwell upon the leading point.
The end to be gained now is to get
the muck out of the bed, and to q
place where it will be dry when the wet
weather comes. A scow or fatboat with
heavy runners is one of the best vehi-
oIao Gov Ira y,,,f =, Tho x,,uoI 1a;,, ~ On ell ~
loaded and readily drawn by yoke Of
oxen or span of horses. A tramway
may in many cases be constructed from
the bed to the heap. The muck should
be left in the heap during the winter,
that it may be acted upon by the frosts,
thus bringing it to fine state, when it
is ready for use in the stable as an alb
sorbent Of liquid manure. In this way
the muck becomes incorporated W til
the dung, and is improved by the chemi-
cal changes that are thereby induced.
Muck needs fermentation, and il
it can play the part of holder or
absorbent of liquid manure
while undergoing the ferment ation 50
much the better. The natural course
for muck that the greatest good may be
obtained from it is from the bed to the
heap; from the weathered heap to the
stable or compost heap, with ferment-
ing dung. or both, and finally to the
land. Muck treated in this way has
been known to pay good returns for bet
labor expended upon it, especiallyupon
land where there is lack of vegetable
matter or humus. There are great
many muck beds that it will not pay to
work even in this way from sanitary
point of view. I have in mind bed
that was close by the barn and the
house "just the place to have
one" the owner said, and counted
it fortunate that his muck was
80 handy. The muck was dug
and its place then was soon a pool Of
stagnant water-a perfect breeding
ground of unhealthy odors, with mos
quitoes Ito counteract the oders of the
filth in the bargain). The excavation
had to be filed in with soil at consid.
cradle expense, and no more muck is
mined on that farm. In many other
casef ihe same fertilizing elements can
be procured at less expense in other
ways. Muck farming has not always
paid, partly because of wrong methods,
and in many cases it will not under the
best treatment. Study we'll the whole
subject in all its bearings before count
ing o muck bed as rich mine that
only needs to be worked to bring wealth
and prosperity Country Gentleman.