F A R IM E R S ' li E G 1 S T E R . 



62^ 



to, there was no rej^nlariiy obscrveJ in hatching 

 eggs, accorciinn; to iheir dates. On the contrary, 

 the early saved eggs, being generally consitlcueil 

 the best, were reserved lor summer use ; and the 

 summer laid egijs were hatched belbre the naiur.il 

 time. 'I'o this cause, as well as to the imperlect 

 manner in which the eggs were generally pre- 

 served, may be reasonably ascribed mucli ol' the 

 failure and disaster of the present year. 



It has been objected on high authority to the 

 theory of Mr. Smith, that if it be true, iis edect 

 will be to prostrate the silk business entirely. Jiut 

 why should it produce this etiect ? All the incon- 

 venience that can possibly ensue, even if the prin- 

 ciple was fully admitted and acted upon, would be 

 the trouble of saving the eggs at several limes in- 

 stead of at one lime. How it can be filial, or even 

 detrimental to the interests of silk culture, it is dif- 

 ficult to conceive. If there be any facts going to 

 invalidate it, let them be adduced. No theory 

 can stand in opposition to them. 



It becomes the friends of silk culture to prose- 

 cute their labors next year vviih increased caution 

 and attention. Alter the experience of this year, 

 it will perhaps be advisable to attempt full crops 

 of silk- worms in the early part of the season. 

 There can be no doubt that with tolerable care, ail 

 the spring broods will be healihy, and the results 

 successful. Late rearings, liowever, should not 

 be neglected. It is exceedingly desirable to as- 

 certain how far the character of the past season 

 has been unfavorable to the welfare of the silk- 

 worm ; to what extent eggs preserved in the best 

 manner may be sali;Iy retarded ; and how liir fur- 

 ther experience may confirm or overthrow the 

 system of Mr. Smith. In the course o( another 

 year, or a year or two at most, we may acquire 

 the true art of raising successive crops with cer- 

 tamtyand success — a consummation which doubt- 

 less is attainable ; and which, if attainable, the 

 sagacity and perseverance of our countrymen can- 

 not fail to realize. 



A Fkiea'd to Silk Culture. 



cows HOLDING UP THEIR BULK. 



From the New England Fanner. 



Mr. JEditor—S\r : I am not in the habit of writ- 

 ing lor any publication, but as I have just com- 

 menced liirming with my lather, who is one of the 

 best managers of the old school, I leel very much 

 interested in whatever I see or hear relative to the 

 management of a (arm. I thought I might be o( 

 use to some one by giving my lather's mode of 

 treating a cow that holds up her milk on taking 

 away the calf, or at any other time. In the first 

 place he ascertains what kind of food the cow likes 

 best; whether it be meal, oats or potatoes : — he 

 lakes the food and coaxes her to one corner of the 

 yard or into the stable; gives it, and begins to 

 milk : — if the cow refuses to give her milk, he tries 

 the same the second time, and has always succeed- 

 ed to get the milk as Ireely as Irom any other cow 

 unless the (bod was neglected, or contained some- 

 thing which she did not like. My (iither bought a 

 young cow last winter: she had her calf quite 

 early in the spring: on taking away the call' the 

 held her milk, giving it down only once in two or 

 three days : he tried several experiments, (not lik- 

 VoL. VIII.-79 



ing the trouble of feeding,) till tlie cow was nearly 

 dry : finding none of them eHeciual, he began to 

 Iced, and never has been troubled since. The cow 

 says, no sup[)er no milk. This is the (burlhor 

 filili cow of this description he has had, and has al- 

 ways succeeded in getting the milk as (reelv aa 

 from any other cow. J. C. 



SIBIi:RI.\N D0G3. 



From itie Foreign Quarterly Review. 

 The best friend of man in almost every clime is 

 the dog, but in Northern Siberia exislenco would 

 scarcely be possible without the aid of this inva- 

 luable animal. All along the Arctic Ocean the 

 dog is almost the only beast of burden. He is 

 harnessed to the light sledge, or narte, which will 

 carry no inconsiderable load, and in which, durinjf 

 winter, the natives perform journeys of incredible 

 length. The Siberian dog bears a strong resem- 

 blance to the wold He has a long pointed snout, 

 sharp upright ears, and a long bushy tail. Somo 

 of them have short hair, others a tolerably thick 

 (ur, and they are met with of all imaginable colors. 

 Their size also dilltjrs very much, but a dog is not 

 thought fit lor the sledge if less than one arshiii 

 and two wershok high, and one arshin and five 

 wershok long.* Their barking resembles the 

 howling of a wolf. They always remain in tho 

 open air. In summer they dig holes in the (i^ozen 

 earth to cool themselves, and sometimes they will 

 spend the whole day in the water to escape Ironi 

 the persecution of Ihe gnats. Against the intense 

 cold of winter they seek shelter by burying them- 

 selves under thesnow, where they lie rolled up 

 withthesnout covered by the bushy tail. Ofihe 

 cubs, the males only are usually ke[)t, the (t^malea 

 are mostly drowned, only one or two being enter- 

 tained by each lather ol alijmilyto preserve the 

 bleed. The rearing of these dogs (brms an im- 

 portant occupation, and requires no little skill and 

 judgment. A dog maybe put to the sledge when 

 a year old, but cannot be subjected to hard work 

 be/ore his third winter. The team of a sledge 

 seldom consists of less than twelve of these dogs, 

 of whom one is used as leader, upon whose breed- 

 ing and docility the salety of the whole party 

 depends. No dog must be used as a leader unless 

 he be perfectly obedient to the voice of his master, 

 nor unless the latter be certain that the animal will 

 not be diverted one moment Irom his course by 

 the scent of any kind of game. This last point ia 

 one of the highest importance, and if the dog has 

 not been well broken in, but turns to the right or 

 left, the rest of the dogs will immediately join ia 

 the pursuit, when the sledge is of course over- 

 turned, and the whole pack continue the chase 

 until some natural obstacle intervene to arrest 

 their course. A well taught leader, on the other 

 hand, not only will not allow himself to be seduced, 

 from his duty, but will ofien display the most as- 

 tonishing tact in preventing the rest of the team 

 from yielding to their natural instinct. On the 

 boundless tundra, during a dark night, while the 

 surrounding atmosphere is obscured by the (ailing 

 snow, it is to the intelligence of his leading doi^ 

 that ihe traveller is constantly indebted (or hia 

 preservation. If the animal has once been the 



* Three Russian arshins make seven English feet, 

 and each arshin is divided into sixteen wershok. 



