The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-02-05

You may know something about
farming but very little about a
COW when you tell people that the
cows cud is the food she rechews. OF
course the COW chews her food twice
but that has nothing to do with her
'ud. Every butchers knows, if you
don't, that the cud is q round ball
found in the psunch OF cattle and it
has nothing to do with theshealth OF
the animal, for some very healthy an
imsls don't have them. l would adj
wise you to write about things you un.
derstand and not write about things
you know nothing about.
BUTCHER.
The writer of the above signed his
name, but out of regard for his family,
l suppress it, and substitute his trade.
The butcher, of all men, has least ex-
cuse for ignorance in this matter. He
ought to know better. Ignorance and
its twin, superstition, die hard. The
ball found in the stomach of the
bovine species if dissected will be
found to be composed mainly of hair
and mineral matter that has became
detached from the food and attached
to the hair. Much speculation has
been INDUCED in as to the cause and
and use of this hirsute attach
ment. Its cause is easily
explained, and it serves no purpose
whatever in the economy of the an
imal. At certain seasons cows hair
is long as protection against cold
When the weather warns up and the
cow i'll good health, this long hair
theds freely. To assist that recess
and relieve concurrent itching of
the skin, the COW ticks herself and
swallows q portion of the dislodged
hair. This passes into the paunch
and comes in contact with kindred
matter, the muscular contraction and
expansion of the stomach gives o 70.
tary motion TO it and ball, or as
Butcher" calls it, "cud" is formed.
But really the only point at issue be-
tween Butcher" and myself is this,
whether this ball or the food rechewed
is "the cud." This point can be
quickly settled by reference to any
dictionary. Mine tells me that, "Cud"
lis the food which is deposited in the
fret stomach In order to be chewed
again" The advice so kindly volun.
teered to write only about things
know something about is noted, and
will be acted on in the future as in the
past Ed.
To the Agricultural Editor of STATESMAN
SIR:
Thanks for your private letter about
oats. l found on the river about
eight miles below me farmer who
had some very good oats. got from
him some twelve bushels and intend
to SOW as soon as wea Their permits.
have lost three crops of oats by SOW
ing in the fall, and therefore | am
going to try spring culture. Have
you had any experience as to spring
oats and the best time to SOW? My
land for same has teen plOwed
about ten weeks, as also most of all my
land, having plowed thirty-five acres
before December and only three acres
since. am pleased to find you make
farming pay, as all intelligent people
will who work with brains as we'll as
hands.
There is no doubt in my mind but
that early blowing and early planting
will but result in success. Farming
must be made business, and requires
thought and energetic work. No half
measures will succeed Good teams
and implements, combined with the
other conditions, will make farming
pay.
The other day, in our local paper,
mention was made in the Alliance
column of an institute to be held in
Seguin. The editor, who is a leader
Of the Alliance, told me he was decid-
edly opposed to the institute, as it
would be against the interests of the
Alliance. Such an argument 1 con-
slider az foolish and without founda-
ton. / am not an Alliance man, as |
cannot indorse the whole Of their plat
form, but in my mind the institute
will do more good to agriculture in one
session than the Alliance in five years.
The Alliance never touches on agri-
cultural topics, and teaches the farmer
nothing to help him on. Politics and
merchandising are never going to
teach farmers how to make farming
pay. Respectfully, Ms.
SEGUIN, Tex.
My experience with oats has been
very similar to that OF IN. S." Where
oats can be grazed fall sow-
ing will generally give better
result than spring. But where the
nature of the soil or other circum-
stances will not allow of grazing,
spring sowing will be safest as oats
grow very rapidly during November