THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



633 



Mr. Gray, of Bearside, remarked that it was 

 almost invariably the case that premiums at cattle 

 shows were carried off by the smallest cows on the 

 ground ; and if it were possible to grow large Ayr- 

 shires, why are premiums thrown away on these 

 small trifling animals ? He related an anecdote of 

 his going to a friend of his to j)urchase a bull, and 

 when coming away he saw an Ayrshire calf which 

 could scarcely move about. He asked what was 

 the matter. " Nothing," said his friend ; " only 

 we must starve the calves the first year to make 

 them fine, or they would grow up large, coarse 

 animals." Now, he apjjealed to them whether this 

 was according to nature, to starve a calf in its first 

 year, in order that it might be small and fine, instead 

 of what nature intended it. A good deal was spo- 

 ken about cruelty to animp.ls, and when the races 

 came off", some of their neighbours cried out about 

 the cruelty of the thing. Here, however, he sub- 

 mitted, was a much grosser instance of cruelty to 

 animals — starving them during their infancy. 



Mr. Chrystal decidedly objected to the injudi- 



cious crossing, and above all things he thought that 

 ihe breeds should be kept pure. If such animals 

 could be got together as the Keir bull and Mr. 

 Douglas's cows, he thought it would be madness to 

 prefer crossing. He was of opinion that a short- 

 horn bull with Angus cows would make an excel- 

 lent animal ; but if such were done, he would stick 

 to the first cross, and never cross again. 



The Chairman hoped, after the animated dis- 

 cussion they had had, that at next meeting some 

 equally interesting subject would be brought up, 

 and if he might be allowed to suggest, he would say 

 that cheese-making would be a most excellent sub- 

 ject. Some of the cheese made in the district was 

 good, and some nothing to brag of. He did not 

 see why they should not be able to make cheese 

 which would command a sale in the Glasgow mar- 

 ket, as that from Ayrshire does. If such a subject 

 were determined on, it might be well to have a show 

 of cheese on the same day, when the various prize 

 lots could be brought to table, and the system of 

 making explained (cheers). — Stirling Journal. 



THE ENGLISH FARMER IN FRANCE, 



Sir. — We compete with all the world in growth of 

 corn, and are not allowed the same liberty with other- 

 crops. That seems hardly just — hardly free trade. 

 And when the price of wheat is extraordinarily depressed, 

 as, unfortunately, it now is, the unfairness of this must 

 often present itself to the minds of your readers. 



Tobacco is perfectly acclimated to the north of France. 

 The climate is similar to ours ; if there is any difference, 

 the winds are colder than in England. Here it is 

 abundantly grown, at a good profit, under the especial 

 fostering care of the Government ; thus greatly benefit- 

 ing the farmer, enabling the cigar to be purchased for 

 a Imlf-iienny, and receiving a revenue of more than 

 our malt-tax. 



T had the pleasure of paying a visit to Monsieur 

 Lecat, at Bondues, about six miles from Lille, who is 

 the largest and most successful tobacco grower in this 

 department ; he has received many medals from French 

 and foreign societies, and the decoration of the Legion 

 of Honour, and has also published a work on the culti- 

 vation of it, consequently I could not possibly have 

 met with a gentleman more competent to give me the 

 best information. He has the most extensive farm-yard 

 and buildings I have seen. I could fancy it was an old- 

 fashioned English homestead, wilh large pigeon-house 

 in the centre, so often seen in England. The land about 

 it is all the very finest loam, not a stone nor a water- 

 furrow. 



The history of tobacco may be stated in few words ; — 

 Found by Columbus in 1492, introduced into Europe 

 1560, deprecated by all ; in 1G24 Pope Urban VIIL ex- 

 communicated all who used it; 1674 it became more 

 popular, and a duty was here placed on it, and the cul- 

 tivation then began. In 1810 a decree was passed by 

 the French Government, greatly promulgating its 

 growth ; and from thence, under many alterations of the 



laws relating to it, it has progressed to the present time. 

 The expenses of growing it, per English acre, are as 

 follows : — 



£ s. d. 



Ploughing, harrowing, rolling, carting. . 2 IG 



The seed bed 1 12 



JIanuriug Mlb, but half is supposed to be 



left for nest four crops ; bo it is 12 10 



Manual labour *. 10 10 



Sundries 1 10 



Hail-storm insurance 18 10 



Delivery, &c 8 



^'30 10 10 



No small sum, but the return is often £50. The labour 

 of it employs all the family of the small farmer, and the 

 large one has the satisfaction of giving employment to 

 very many of his poorer neighbours. It has been one 

 of the principal causes of the total abolition of naked 

 fallow, and the perfect cleanliness and heavy manuring 

 of this part of the country. 



There are seventeen species, but ihree only arc sown ; 

 and of these, one (the large-leaved) nearly supersedes the 

 other two. It is a fine plant, and has been known to 

 attain the height of 7 feet 6 inches, with many branches 

 covered with leaves; the flowers tire of a purplish 

 colour, the pods oblong, containing innumerable seeds. 

 (Any gentleman wishing for any, if he inserts big 

 address where to send it in the Mark Lane Express, 

 I will give him some with pleasure.) One plant will 

 produce 300 pods, and in one pod was counted 2,700 

 seeds, thus producing an increase of 800,000 for one. 

 It will keep for years, and, unlike corn, requires no 

 change of soil. Before jou draw your plants from the 

 seed-bed, select the forwardest for seed : it is ripe in 

 October, and when cut is best hung up iu a dry place, 

 and not knocked out till wanted. 



