212 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 4 



under which it is to be placed, and its fitness, from 

 any pccuhaiity of cbaiacter, to resist the disasters to 

 which the crop is to be particularly exposed. " But," 

 continues the passage, "we have not the slightest 

 faith in any of the many prevailing opinions, that 

 larger crops are to be obtained by choosing seed on ac- 

 count ofthcfotm, size, or number of grains, or the size 

 or number of ears, ^c." In this last position, only as 

 we understand, and according to the meaning before 

 intended to be conveyed, we are directly opposed to 

 our friend and correspondent J. M. G. ; and it is a 

 question to be settled not by argument, but by proper, 

 varied, and sufficient experiments ; and we are willing 

 to abide b)' that test, when enough of such experiments 

 are reported. 



As all the particular objections are embraced in the 

 general disclaimer just made of denying the efficacy 

 and profit of proper selections of seeds, it is unneces- 

 sary to reply to them separately and in detail. One 

 only will be mentioned, because it is founded on ano- 

 ther misapprehension of our meaning. This is our in- 

 ferred " apparent preference for corn with the largest 

 cobs." If any such ground for preference had been 

 expressed, it would have been obnoxious to much 

 stronger objection than what is urged by our corre- 

 spondent ; for it would have been directly opposed to 

 the general principle which we had assumed as correct. 

 We were quoting the opinions and grounds of prefer- 

 ences of others, and accompanied with intimations of 

 dissent, if not of derision, on our part. The " mathe- 

 matical truth," also, in regard to which we differ, (and 

 mathematical truths, real or supposed, rarely permit a 

 difference in argument,) was stated simply as an illus- 

 tration of Col. Taylor's ground of choice. Also, in 

 stating a mathematical truth, we ought to have been 

 more strict in terms and definitions ; and for want of 

 that strictness of language, our correspondent has cer- 

 tainly succeeded in picking a hole in our " mathemati- 

 cal truth." While admitting, and submitting to the 

 correction, we beg leave to supply the omission of 

 what was meant to be affirmed of ears of corn, and to 

 repeat, that it "is evidently and mathematically true, 

 that if the grains are of equal size, [and also of like 

 form,] there will be more of them encircling a large 

 than a small cob." 



Another correspondent, in number 3, (at page 178) 

 supposes that we meant to class the ruta-baga, or Swe- 

 dish turnips, among the family of humbugs. Not so, 

 by any means. On the contrary, they were spoken of 

 as long known in England and " valued for their real 

 advantages," and treated of in English books, before 

 introduced in this country as " Russian turnips," and 

 spread as a novel product of rare and superlative value. 

 This introduction, and the means used to recommend 

 and extend the general culture, was a humbug, though 

 the plant is highly valuable, and its culture profitable, in 

 all suitable climates and circumstances. As fanaticism 

 and quackery are often exercised in the spreading, or 

 ostensible design of spreading, the beneficial influence 

 of true religion and morals, so the true doctrines and 

 valuable products of agriculture may be so recom- 

 mended by interested falsehood, so as to become hum- 



bugs, in the light in wliich they were there presented. 



Neither was it our design to repress or to moderate 

 the ardor of any to try new things. Precisely the 

 contrary was slated expressly, and fair trials stiong- 

 ly recommended. 



Still less did we intend to denounce as humbugs the 

 act of hobby-riding, or to cast any censure on the en- 

 thusiastic individuals who form that class. As our 

 friend J. M. G. intimates, we are among the last who 

 have any right to undervalue that class, of which both 

 he and ourselves have long been, and will doubtless 

 always continue to be members. But though theie is 

 nothing to censure, and much to approve, and for the 

 community to be grateful for, in the acts of the riders 

 of hobbies, still it must be admitted that there is also 

 much of extravagance to laugh at ; and as we are will- 

 ing to bear our share of this infliction from others, we 

 have considered that we had a good right to laugh at 

 the follies of some of our brotherhood in return ; still 

 claiming for the whole class, and valuing not slightly 

 our own share of the claim, that sanguine experiment- 

 ers, or hobby-riders, are among the benefactors of 

 mankind, and generally to their own loss, even in their 

 successful labors. Our censure was not thrown on the 

 riders, but upon the grooms and jockies who trained 

 and brought out the steeds, to serve their own inte- 

 rested purposes. 



We have to add a word in defence of an expiession, 

 not of our own, but of a correspondent whose state- 

 ments are entitled to high respect. This is the opi- 

 nion that the bread made of the twin-corn was not so 

 palatable as that of our corcmon corn. This opinion 

 may be correct ; or precisely tiie reverse of it, as sta- 

 ted by our correspondent, may be true. It is a matter 

 of taste, which is not to be settled by argument or 

 evidence. But without joining in this opinion, we 

 know the fact that this supposed inferiority of the 

 twin-corn has been charged by another individual, 

 who did not know of any such opinion having been 

 previously expressed. For our own part, we believe 

 that there is no material difference ; as none was per- 

 ceived, when we changed, without knowing it, from 

 using the bread of one kind to that of the other corn. 



Ed. Far. Reg. 



From the Genesee Farmer. 

 QUALITY OF MILK. 



Further experiments appear to be needed rela- 

 tive to the quality of milk, for the difi'erent pur- 

 poses of cheese and butter-making. It is well 

 known that the quantily of milk alone, yielded by 

 a cow, is not a sufficient test of her excellence. 

 The quality is of such importance, that many ani- 

 mals furnishing but comparatively little, are, on 

 account of its richness, truly valuable. The Ibl- 

 lovving extract from Moubray may serve well to 

 introduce this subject to the attention of farmers, 

 and to throw some light upon it. It is an account 

 of the product of one cow, lor one year, and 

 shows in a strong point of view, the superiority of 

 the milk over that of our common animals. This 

 cow was of the Subsex breed. 



