FARMERS' REGISTER, 



679 



presume, were those which passed successfully 

 throuoh the ordeal of ice, and lime, to August; 

 the others having been previously advanced from 

 the embryon, by causes unknown all perished. 

 I have since understood, that it is not unusual, 

 that a simultaneous deposite of eggs, on the same 

 paper, and apparently under similar exposure, 

 may exhibit the various grades of advancement ; 

 however mysterious and unintelligible, yet I be- 

 lieve the fact is unquestionable. 



If my language has been obscure in the drafting 

 of my report, as, from some of your notes, it seems 

 to have been, I can only say, I much regret it. 

 I am, very respectfully, yours, &c. 



Joseph E. Muse. 



POITOU ASSES. 



From tlie Kentuclty Farmer. 

 3Iaplewood, Oct. 30, 1840. 



Bear .S'iV,— In the fall of 1835, I travelled in 

 France from Paris to Bordeaux, and was much 

 struck by the teams of large and heavy mules, 

 which I saw as I advanced towards the latter 

 place, drawing road wagons, laden with the wines 

 and fruits of the south. Upon making some 

 inquiry, I ascertained that they were begotten up- 

 on large Normandy or Brittany mares by a dis- 

 tinct race of asses peculiar to the old Province of 

 Poitou, and not to be found any where else. The 

 mules appeared to me of a description peculiarly 

 suited for draught. Unlike those descended from 

 Maltese asses, with which I was acquainted in 

 Kentucky, they had large bones, heavy bodies 

 and thick tails like horses. If the Maltese mules 

 have more action and beauty, and are better cal- 

 culated for the saddle and harness, these, it seemed 

 to me, had more strength and constitution, and 

 would probably suit belter the plough and the 

 dray. If the first would suit mountainous coun- 

 tries better, the latter might perhaps answer best 

 in wet and low lands. At all events, I thought it 

 worthy of an experiment to ascertain if Kentucky 

 might not be benefited by the introduction of this 

 new race. I was of opinion that possibly the 

 cross with our part blooded mares would produce 

 an animal well fitted for the work of drays and 

 plantations, and that even our old breeds of asses 

 might be benefited by an infusion of blood from 

 this sturdy stock of France. 



Acting upon these views, I selected a male and 

 two females of the best that could be had, and 

 had them shipped to New York. The male — a 

 noble animal ef the kind — and the lesser of the 

 females died at sea, in a storm. The remaining 

 jennet I have now in my possession. Not dis- 

 couraged by this accident, my father (II. Clay) 

 and myself seait an order to France lor more, and 

 received through the American co»eul at Havre, 

 six animals of this stock — two males and four fe- 

 males. 



We have had them now for several years, and 

 though the experiment with them is not complete, 

 it wears a promising aspect. Certain it is, that 

 the French mule, bred as before stated, is larger 

 than the mule of America, and to judge by ap- 

 pearance, much stronger and more capable of 

 work. But it may be that its superiority in these 

 reepecte is due in part to the dam. This will be 



tested in a short time, and if it turns out to be the 

 case, it indicates the necessary of a double im- 

 provement, in the ass and in the farm mare. 



It may interest some of your readers to know 

 that the Normandy horse is somewhat above the 

 medium size, generally of dull colors — frequently 

 roan, heavy in the neck and crest, with a straight 

 shoulder, good back, heavy quarters and wide 

 across the hips. They are fine but not handsome 

 horses, capable of much work, docile and not 

 daint}' in their habits, of sufficient courage and 

 iron constitutions. They are fit for almost any 

 work. They pull the French diligences at the 

 rate of six or seven miles an hour, or a post-chaise 

 much faster — frequently travelling in a short gal- 

 lop. By officers who served in the Peninsular 

 war, I was informed that they excelled for cavalr}' 

 and artillery purposes — especially towards the 

 winding up of a campaign — the sleek and beauti- 

 ful horses which were sent from England. 



My object in writing this note is to preserve in 

 your valuable paper the memory of the importa- 

 tion mentioned above, as it may hereafter be inte- 

 resting to the breeders of Kentucky. 



With the best wishes for your success in the no- 

 ble cause to which you have devoted your ener- 

 gies, I remain failhliilly your friend, 



Henry Clay, Jr. 



the benefit of the treading of ani- 

 mals on newly sown wheat. the 

 "trampling roller." 



Many farms in lower Virginia have been great- 

 ly improved in fertility by the "inclosing system," 

 that is, the prohibition of grazing, and giving the 

 grass and weeds as manure to the land. But, on 

 light soils especially, the crops of wheat have 

 been thereby rendered very precarious, owing to 

 the texture of the soil becoming too open and 

 loose. Both wheat and clover thrive much better 

 on soils of moderately compact and close texture, 

 under equal circumstances of constitution, and of 

 chemical combination of the ingredients of soil?. 

 By the total cessation of grazing, and relief from 

 the treading of cattle, the ill efi'ects to these two 

 crops, and especially to wheat, will be experienced 

 to a very injurious extent, on the best constituted 

 soils. The remedy may appear obvious, and 

 easy ; and perhaps in many cases it is too easy to 

 be applied ; for by returning to grazing, though 

 the faulty texture of the soil may be altered, the 

 benefit is dearly paid for in renewing the old course 

 of impoverishing the land. But in other cases, 

 it is difficult to return to regular grazing, owing to 

 the removal of the fences which before separated 

 the different fields, and sometimes even the differ- 

 ent farms. 



As a substitute, more or less effective, for the 

 treading of wheat land previous to its being 

 ploughed up for sowing, or for the preparatory 

 crop, an excellent practice would be to have the 



