THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 



441 



decisions at our Stute shows would not have found 

 it a very difficult task to select the best one, or two, 

 or three, from the 1 5 to 20 head of young stock 

 we saw in one field, while they might have been 

 scarcely less puzzled in deciding the merits of the 

 cows. 



Mr. Patterson still adheres to the way of breeding 

 prevalent before the days of Herd Books — only 

 registering the sires of his calves, and not keeping 

 their pedigrees back from dam to dam. Take 

 away, thus, the influence which every item in a 

 pedigree has come to have upon the decisions of 

 most who are at all familiar with them, and where 

 so many are so nearly equal, there might be no 

 two judges whose opinions would exactly coincide. 

 The condition of the herd attests an abundant sup- 

 ply of food, but no overfeeding or stuffing, I was 

 somewhat astonished, in view of the smooth coats 

 and soft hides, and well-fleshed frames before me, 

 to learn that it has been the custom to let the calves 

 run unsheltered the first winter, with the view of 

 rendering them more hardy. It has also been the 

 practice to '•' cut the first calf's throat," in order to 

 milk the heifer, and develop her bag well during 

 her first milking season. The calves run with the 

 cows, instead of being brought up by hand and fed 

 with milk from two or three, as it is intimated 

 breeders of fine stock sometimes are obliged to do ; 

 and it thus becomes a matter of importance to render 

 the dams large yielders of the food so necessary to 

 the thriftiness of their calves, while the size and 

 fatness in which the latter were found evidences 

 the successful attainment to this end. 



Readers at the south, or elsewhere, who may 

 have been heretofore unsuccessful applicants for 

 the limited surplus Mr. Patterson has had 

 yearly to dispose of from his Devon herd, will be 

 pleased to learn that this year there is a somewhat 

 larger number offered than usual. jNIr. Patterson's 

 address is at the Skyesville post-office. 



Other Stock on the Place.— Our host's 

 flock of sheep, mostlj"-, I think, of Southdown 

 grades, numbered three hundred. As to swine, after 

 trying Sussex, Essex, Chester county, and two or 

 three other sorts, he had pitched upon the Berk- 

 shires as the best bacon makers. A convenient 

 building, constructed of stone in ten compart- 

 ments, would accommodate SO or 100 hogs. They 

 are only raised to a sufficient extent, I understood, 

 to supply the demand for the workmen on the 

 estate — little being sold from the farm, except the 

 Devons, some wheat, and a few score of fattened 

 steers, together with the surplus from the sheep 

 flock. 



Fourteen or fifteen horses are employed in farm 

 work, and Mr. Patterson has some breeding stock 

 in this department, of considerable \:alue. A three- 



year-old blood colt called Sultan, by Childe Harold, 

 was, among several others, examined at length by 

 our company. He stands full l6 hands high, and 

 was remarked as very good in most points which 

 horsemen esteem — long in the arm and short in 

 the cannon, beautiful in tlie pastern, which is 

 neither too long nor too short*; wide between the 

 eyes, and very gentle and intelligent in expression ; 

 with an excellent back, graceful and spirited action, 

 and the promise of a sufficient modicum of speed. 

 One briglit morning, when only eight months old, 

 he cleared three post-and-rail fences in succession, 

 while in frolicsome humour, and when he comes 

 to be broken will probably show that he has lost 

 little of his activity. We also saw a fine old horse 

 now upwards of 27, seventeen hands high, which 

 for fifteen years was in Mr. Patterson's constant 

 service as a saddle horse. 



In respect to the different kinds of cattle, Mr. 

 Patterson makes a distinction between the words 

 race and breed, defining the latter as a cross of 

 races. Thus he spoke of the Scotch polled cattle, 

 the Herefords, and the Devons, all of which 

 possess a marked uniformity, as races ; while short- 

 horns and Ayrshires he ranked as breeds. — Country 

 Gentleman. 



TO A MANY-COLOURED OAK-BOUGH. 



Had Beauty no more daughters 



That she gave such gifts to thee. 

 Hanging o'er the rippling waters, 



Where the mellow sunbeams be? 

 Where the summer-cloud hangs lightlj', 



Like a giant heap of snow, 

 And the yellow clay shine brightly. 



In the deep recess below. 



While the hues of sunset linger 



(Happy moments all too brief), 

 Manj- a gay and restless singer 



Seeks the shelter of thy leaf : 

 There in ecstacy reposing, 



Its insectine labour o'er, 

 Scarcely pauses from its dozing, 



At the plashing of my oar. 



Surely here did Iris wander 



When she chose her brilliant dyes. 

 Where each shade of green and amber 



In the wave reflected lies ; 

 Where the silver eel floats daily, 



In the shelter of the tree. 

 And the crimson carp shoots gaily 



Through the water bright and free 



And when winter's dreary fingers 



Pluck the petals from the rose, 

 And the eye that on thee lingers 



Shall be closed in deep repose — 

 Visions still of sunny waters, 



In my dreams will visit me, 

 Where of Beauty's chosen daughters, 



Thou must ever fairest be 



WriUcn in OdoJier, 18."j7. 



ElMII.V Lolkver. 



H II 



