Year: 1873

THnM CVHISj W. To-


In Berkshire county in the old Bay State
write this letter, aud will try to note few
items that will interest some Of the many
readers Of the FARMER.


The season here thus far has been very
peculiar. Spring cold and wet until the mid
die of May, since which time the wet has
been changed to dry. What everybody says
must be true, at least that will apply with
truth in regard to the lateness and back
wardness Of the spring here.


The Outlook


now is not very promising for the growing
crops. Grass made good start and stand,
and pasture keep has thus far been very
good. The hay crop started finely, but the
dry weather Of the past four weeks has
somewhat changed the outlook of that crop.


Many pieces of grass are now ready for
the scythc, aud had better be cut at once, as
they are past redeeming by rain that we are
liable to get. venture to predict a hay
crop that will be light in quantity, but very
heavy in quality. The late spring crowded
a great deal of work into this month which
ought to have been done in the last, conse-
quently hoed crops are behindhand. Corn is
very low on the ground, and looks as though
everybody planted the small yellow kind. l
hear considerable complaint about worms in
corn and oats, both the grub aud wireworm,
and | have noticed some corn eaten by what
is called the stalk worm by many,--a small
white worm in the heart Of the stalk. Po-
tatoes are late like everything else, but look
quite healthy. Oats look very uneven, from
various causes. Some pieces were put in
while the land was too wet Some pieces
were just up when the hard frosts Of the
10Th aud 10Th of May came upon US here,
and nearly ruined them The frosts at that
date made clean sweep Of all corn, pota-
toes, and beans, that were above ground.


In this section of country the oat, potato
and hay crops are the main crops, As Berk-
shire county is a mountainous region, and
subject to both late and early trosts, corn is
not so extensively grown as in other sections
Of the state. ...


DairyiDg is no small item in this part of
the county. Considerable milk is consumed
in the city Of Pittsfeld, much more goes to
New York city by way Of Housatonc Rail-
road, but the larger portion is made into
butter and cheese upon the farms, and what
is not wanted for home consumption is shipped
to the large markets.


The Fruit Prospects


are not very promising this year. and we
need not expect to see = large fruit crop af-
ter the very abundant one of last year. A
large proportion of the young apple trees
were killed by the mice last winter.
Hardly any that were guawed can be saved.
So far as | have noticed the mice did their
work well, but it was not very profitable
job for the farmers.


Among the Poultry


there is very much trouble with the pip or
gapes. With me it was an entirely pow
thing, as had never had any poultry affect
ed with it, | undertook to raise large quan-
titles Of poultry, and had hundred and ff-
by or more chickens hatch out All at once
the earliest broods began to die, and they
went by the score until got posted in re.
gard to the disease, since which time the
poultry are doing better until now we do not
lose any For the benefit of any ono who
may be as green as | was about the gapes,
will give the symptoms and the remedies
The breathing is impeded, and the beak il
frequently held open as if gasping fol
breath the beak becomes yellow at it
base, and the feathers on the head are ruff
fed tongue very dry; appetite not impair
cd, but the fowl cannot eat, and sits in I
corner to pine in solitude; a good deal o
sneeziag. They appear worst in the morn
ing. Whole broods have gone in at nigh
apparently we'll enough, and in the morning
been nearly all sick, and in Some in
stances before nine o'clock nearly all wer'
dead. The remedies are; Spirits of tur
pentine, FIVE to ten drops to a half pint o
meal, to be made into dough and fed ole
iron standing in vinegar, and put little o
the liquid in the feed the meal to be mixeC
with chamberye occasionally; give cayenn
pepper in the dough, enough to mako then
sneeze well but last and best, when the
above remedies fail, catch the bird and poul
down its throat nearly half tsaspoonful O.
castor oil. The last has saved every chicl
to which it has been given. H


Weeds


are making vigorous growth. The drout
does not affect them in the least, neithe
the cold nights. The harrow, horse hoe, anc
a " Warren hoe" in the hands Of goo,
workman, put the finish for them.


Why Nor.


Pittsfeld, Mass, June 23.


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