THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR. 



61 



meat abounds still greatly in muscle, and the hams particularly are highly 

 prized, commanding aa extra price in market, being very tender, juicy and 

 lean. 



As now bred, the Berkshire* vary somewhat in size, appearance and matu- 

 rity. Tfiose with the finest heads, a dished face, and rather upright than for- 

 ward ears, with a snugger shoulder and ham, and shorter body, most resem- 

 ble the Sian]cse ancestor, and therefore are quickest to mature, and probablj' 

 give the most delicate meat, and to one satisfied with a moderate size, are un- 

 doubtedly to be preferred. Barrows of this description, if well fed till IS 

 months old, casil}' attain 300 to 400 pounds, and weights within these limits 

 are the most eagerly sought for at the Smithfield market, and are probably 

 on the whole the most profitable for both consumer and producer. Others, 

 generally of a straight nose, with a coarser head, and ears protruding well 

 forward over the eye, ')r slightly lopped, with greater length of body, incline 

 more for the original Bcrkshires, attain higher weights, and require a longer 

 time to mature. There are individuals, however, occasionally possessing all 

 the fine requisites of the former selections, together with the large size of the 

 latter." 



The following is a beautiful specimen of the full blooded Berkshire sow, in 

 which the reader will not fail to observe all those points which indicate a 

 contented, easy disposition, and consequent aptitude for thrift : 



Berkshire Sow. 



[rig. 15.] 



The full blooded Berkshire is generally of a black or a dun color, and does 

 not grow so large as the mixed bloods. The Editor of the Visitor has three 

 half blood Berkshires, a boar and two sows, procured of the Shakers at Can- 

 terbury. They are all purely white, being mi.xed with an improved breed 

 which the Family had raised tor several years. They will not be a year old 

 till June, and have been exceedingly thrifty with the small feed that has been 

 furnislied them. One of the sows, we think, is as handsome an animal, as 

 we h.ave ever seen in any representation. She is better than the following, 

 because she carries out the length of her body in more uniformity, and she 

 shows a broad back and haunches which cannot be imagined from the repre- 

 sentation below. This Sliakcr breed of half bloods we think is full equal to 

 the mixed Berkshire and Mackay breed of Mr. Phinney. The following is a 

 representation of an improved Chinese breed mixed with one-fourth Berk- 

 eh.ire and one-fourth native. This will not bear a comparison with our best 

 mixed Berkshire sow procured from the Shakers. Hogs to be fattened with- 

 out breeding we think are more valuable to be mixed than full blood Berk- 

 shires. Swine for breeding are better to be full bloods, and these crossed up- 

 on other improved breeds. 



Improved Chinese Styw. 



PEACE OR WAR ? 



We intend not to make our journal the herald of matter that shall be un- 

 pleasant to any political party ; but as strong political feelings have "grown 

 with our growth and strengtliened with our strength," and as those feelings 

 ore probably well understood by all the readers of the Visitor, we cannot help 

 alluding to political matters now and then — i:i a way, we hope, that will give 

 otlence to none. 



If political and personal prejudice could operate on any one, it might well 

 be supposed that the editor would be the last man in the country to speak in 

 praise of two distinguished men whose opinions are copied into Hie present 

 numberof the Visitor And if any thing appears like relaxation of our rigid po- 

 litical principles in relation to those two gentlemen or to any other individu- 

 als, our readers of both parties may set it tlowii that we are as rigidly parti- 

 san and democratic as we have been at any time of life. 



Having premised this much, we say that Mr. Webstkr, in the speech this 

 day published, discovers not only tlrj talent but the true tact of the great man. 

 Like Henry Brougham of England, who said that the most valuable part ol 

 the acquisitions of his whole life would be taken away by obliterating the 

 first three years of his existence, we think the foundation of Daniel VVeb- 

 ster's eminence was better laid in the personal toil and information gained 

 on his father's farm in early life, than in all his subsequent classical studies 

 and literary industry. 



We turn to another man whose political course, like that of Mr. Webster, 

 has been a subject of our strong opposition, not to say detestation, for many 



years: we mean Henry Clay; and we here introduce him, because We are 

 anxious to press on our readers our own opinion that the dark clouds that 

 lower in our firmament will not termin.ate in war; that the peace of this gov- 

 ernment and country will yet be preserved. 



The great man will appear in a naturnl burst of philanthropy and good feel- 

 ing, — on fitting occasions genius and talents will break from the thraldom of 

 strong prejudice borderintj even on moral obliquity. The genius of Henry 

 Clay is intuitive; and when it bur'vts spontaneously from the fetters thrown 

 around it by prejudice, it forces itself into the channel of right and justice. 

 We have personally observed this on several occasions; but never have we 

 been more gratified in the e.vhibition than on the occasion of a late debate in 

 the Senate of the United States growing out of a report by Mr. Buchanan, 

 Chairman of the Committee of Foreign Relations, on the disputed North 

 Eastern Boundary between this country and Great Britain. We admire the 

 tone of feeling exhibited on this occasion by the veteran Senator — a feeling 

 which does equal credit to the heart which prompted it, to the country, and to 

 the administration to which he is opposed. 



Not as a compliment merely to the distinguished Senator do we e.xtracthis 

 observations into our humble periodical devoted almost exclusively to Agri- 

 culture, but to show to our many reatlers strong reasons why we should 

 NOT, and almost equally strong reasons why WE SHALL NOT HAVE 

 WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN. Preserving our honor, the integrity of 

 our acknowledged limits, if we can settle the boundary question still prevent- 

 ing the effusion of blood, the country will be blessed, and all individuals who 

 contribute to the result, like Mr. Clay, whether they he of one political party 

 or another, will deseuve well of the country. We extract from a report 

 in the Washington Globe : 



Mr. Clay said — "There was no sufficient cause for war ; and he lock oc- 

 casion to say, that so far as he was informed, the opinions both of the Admin- 

 istration party, and of the party with which he acted, were that war was to 

 be avoided so long as it could be dime witiiout compromitting the rights and 

 honor of the nation. The Senate hail solemnly expressed the opinion that the 

 question of right was with us, and all parties, every individual of those par- 

 ties, so far as their views had been expressed, seemed determined to obtain 

 for Maine, by some of tiiose modes by which national rights are asserted, a 

 full and absolute possession of all the territory within her rightful limits. — 

 But he must say that there were two modes of arriving at this result. One 

 was by negotiation, and the other was by war; and these questions are to be 

 decided by the united voice of the wliDle country, and by the Executive 

 branrh of llie Government, as tlie case may be, and not to be decided by the 

 voice of one single member of the Confederacy. If the honor of tlie country 

 is assailed, the councils of the whole country must determine as to the man- 

 ner and tune of vindicating it. He would take occasion to say for the bene- 

 fit of the Senator from Maine, and the whole people of Maine, that whilst he 

 believed them to be as valorous and as enlightened as any people in the Un- 

 ion, he was not inclined to confide in their judgment js to declaring war, and 

 the period at which this last resort may become necessary. If Maine expects 

 the Government of this country to secure her rights, she must confide to the 

 Government of this country the whole agency in settling the controversy. — 

 If it is to be done by negotiation, it must be left to the E.\ecutive and his con- 

 stitutional advisers. If it is to be by war, it should be left to tliat department 

 of the Government to which the power of declaring war is confided by the 

 Constitution. In saying all this, he meant nothing in condemnation of the 

 state of feeling that had been evinced by the people of Maine. Justice was 

 with her, and he sympathized with her natural feelings on this subject. 

 Her claims had unfortunately too long been delayed ; but, notwithstanding 

 that, he said that this Government alone should conduct the negotiation, and 

 if war became necessary, decide upon the time and manner of commencing 

 it. He could not, however, believe that this last resort was necessary. — 

 There were two securities which he had for the continuance of peace. The 

 first securify was that Great Britain, eulightened as her councils were, must 

 perceive, what we know, that the right was with us; that she had no claim ; 

 and after being satisfied with these facts, upon an examination of the neces- 

 sary information, will ultimately concede the right to us. But let me sup- 

 pose, continued Mr. C. tliat she docs not. Let me suppose tliat, after inves- 

 tigation, she comes to the clear conviction to which we have arrived, that the 

 right is with her ; that the territory in dispute, according to the treaty of 1783, 

 is within her limits. What, then, will be the case presented before the world.' 

 Two enliolitened nations coming to different conclusions on the same testi- 

 mony, and unable to agree. What, then, are to be the consequences .' Is 

 war, that calamity which every lover of humanity must deprecate, the only 

 alternative .'' No, sir. There is another : there is a subsisting treaty stipu- 

 lation contained in the treaty of Ghent, by which this question is to be left 

 to the decision of an impartial tribunal, in the event that the two countries 

 cannot settle it themselves. 1 say there is a treaty stipulation still subsist- 

 ing ; and how do I make it out.'' It may be alleged that the matter having 

 been once committed to the umpirage of a third party, and that party having 

 given an award, the stipulation in the treaty was fulfilled, and it was no lon- 

 ger in force. Not so. Tliere was an attempt at arbitration, through the in- 

 strumentality of the King of Holland ; but it was an abortion — a failure — 

 the King did not settle the question ; both parties acknowledged that he did 

 not, and the treaty remains in full forci", binding the parties to refer this ques 

 tion, if unable to settle it amicably themselves, to au impartial tribunal. But, 

 putting the treaty out of tlie question, suppose there was no such stipulation, 

 and that the two parties having iirought their minds to the conclusion that the 

 right was witli each, were determined to persist on it. Sooner than resort to 

 war, with all its calamities, both parties should agree to arbitration ; and I 

 say that Enghnd, if she will not concede the right to us, must yield the point 

 at issue to arbitration. Though this course may be attended with delay — 

 thoutrh Maine may not arrive at the possession of her territory as soon as she 

 wishes, yet she had infinitely belter wait the movements of two great nations, 

 than that they should be inVohed in war. When we come to deciding on 

 the question of war, all other means of settling the controversy huving fail- 

 ed, that question is to be decided by the united wisdom of all, in reference to 

 the condition of the whole country, in reference to the other interests of 

 Maine besides the interest in question, and in reference to the probable issue 

 of the controversy. 



"In relation to the military preparations of the British in the Canadas, of 

 which the Senator spoke, Mr. C. said, they gave him no cause for alarm. — 

 England was the weaker power — she was preparingagainst invasion from us; 



