444 



TJie Cotmtry Getitlemafi s Magazine 



The following table will be found to irtro- 

 duce a new element in the estimation of the 

 qualities of seed samples, namely, that of 

 specific gravity : — 



Seed Samples. 



1. Home - grown 

 Italian rye - grass, 

 one year off, Lom- 

 bardy seed, i8 to 19 

 lbs. per bushel 



2. Imported Ita- 

 1 i a n r y e-g r a s s, 

 cleaned and re- 

 cleaned, 17 lbs. per 

 bushel 



3. Pacey's peren- 

 tial rye - grass, 28 

 lbs. per bushel 



4. Pacey's peren- 

 nial rye - grass, 30 

 lbs. per bushel 



5. Pacey's peren- 

 nial rye-grass, 32 

 lbs. per bushel 



240 



360 

 384 



160 



32c 



Remarks. 



A very fine sample — a 

 little injured by insects, 

 or it would have been 

 heavier. 



By no means a bad 

 sample, as compared 

 with other foreisrn seeds. 



A very fine sample, 

 and tolerably pure. 



The weeds were Plan- 

 tagc and Ranunculus — a 

 remarkably fine sample. 



Plantain, Ranunculus, 

 Scabiosa, &c. A fine 

 sample of seed of the 

 grass, but much injured 

 by the presence of weeds. 



This table was made up from examination 

 of 2 oz. packets of seed, and the weights of 

 small quantities come so near that of the 

 bushel weight, that we must see clearly that 

 estimation of bulk can be as readily made 

 out from small samples as in any other 

 produce. 



Now, if we take up the inquiry as to the 

 number of weed seeds we may thus sow to an 

 acre of ground, and then reduce them again 

 to the quantity per yard, we shall see at a 

 glance that it will be enough of weeds ta 

 cover the ground, and as these weed seeds 

 are paid for, and from their being the plants 

 natural to the soil, will readily grow without 

 any, even the slightest care, but still more so 

 with a prepared soil, it is no matter for won- 

 der that we so often see a patch which should 

 be clover, a m.ass of plantain and other Aveed 

 plants of no feeding value occupying the soil,, 

 and fattening themselves at the expense of 

 the food which, in the shape of manure, was 

 destined for the growth of the [intended 

 crop. 



THE ASH FORD HERD OF SHORTHORNS. 



MR JOHN DOWNING, of Ashfield, 

 Fermoy, Co. Cork, has lately issued 

 a catalogue of his herd. The herd is full of 

 Booth blood, and comprises several animals 

 of note, which must have cost Mr Downing 

 much trouble, time, and expense to collect. 

 The fact of his having purchased a good 

 many of the best animals which Avere dis- 

 posed of at the Westland (Mr Barnes') and 

 the Castlegrove (Mr Grove's) sales last year, 

 fully shews that he went to the proper 

 quarters to lay down the foundation of a first- 

 class herd of shorthorns. 



But it is not with bis herd we purpose to 

 deal in the present instance, but with the 

 preparatory remarks he prefixes to his cata- 

 logue. Mr Downing ventures to state what 

 most of the modern school of shorthorn 

 breeders must regard as rank heresy, when 



he '•' goes in " for " the occasional introduc- 

 tion of fresh blood in a diluted form into 

 closely bred stocks," plainly shewing that he 

 does not pin his faith to the accepted dogma 

 of shorthorn breeders which is simply " pure 

 Booth or pure Bates ; " and in support of his 

 theory Mr Downing argues as follows : — 



"That principle was acted upon by all great breed- 

 ers of shorthorns . 



The Messrs Colling, and later on Mr Mason, Earl 

 Spencer, and Sir Charles Knightley, all used bulls 

 which possessed blood new to their herds. The 

 Messrs Booth used Albion 14 and Pilot 496 of Colling 

 blood, and it was the cross of Mussulman 4525 of the 

 Cherry tribe on Bracelet, adopted by Mr John Booth,, 

 that gave to the Killerby herd the celebrated Bucking- 

 ham 3239, who ranks among the greatest Booth sires. 



Mason blood was also introduced to the Booth 

 stocks through Matchem 2281, whose sons Young 

 Matchem 2282, bred at Killerby, and Young Matchem 

 4422 calved at Warlaby, were considerably used, and 



