THE FARxMERS' REGISTER. 



79 



lax in the bowels and flaccid, wiiii distended 

 paunches, dejected countenances, and sluggish in 

 their movements ; they soon exhibited a deprecia- 

 tion in value to the amount ofaboul half their for- 

 mer worth. But the transition to health and 

 vigor and good looks was quite as sudden and 

 apjiarent on a return to the limed land ; lor again 

 in 24 hours, or by the time the food had passed 

 through the system, a change, particularly in 

 their air and carriage, was very perceptible. 

 My friend adds, he never had an instance of the 

 murrain or boits while his stock (ed on these pas- 

 tures, but is satisfied he should have h:id boih, 

 but for the change to the limed land; lor while 

 feeding on the v^'atered pasture, the stock hud 

 always the appearance of a predisposition lo that 

 state of derangement of the digestive system, 

 by which he has no doubt these diseases are 

 engendered. 



In conclusion, I would ask, is it not quite f;iir to 

 draw the following deduction from what has been 

 said, namely, that all dairy pastures ought to be 

 heavily limed, it being the most natural thing in 

 tlie world to suppose that a proper secretion of 

 luilk, the best and most wholesome, depends very 

 much on 'he nature ol the Ibod with which the 

 animals are fed 7 and must not the butler from a 

 cow that is in health and spirits be of better fla- 

 vor, color and consistence, than that from one 

 that is lax, washy and weak, from feeding on 

 watery, acid and soft herbage? and will not this 

 account lor much of the disgustingly rancid, ill- 

 flavored and ill-looking butter which we so often 

 find in the market? My friend above quoted, 

 and who is now at my elbow, answers " Yes ; for 

 while my cows lied on the watered meadow, the 

 butter was scarcely eatable — white, soft and ill- 

 flavored, but it was sweet, firm and fine-flavor- 

 ed when they were confined to the limed land." 

 Ergo, lime your pastures, and allow your stock 

 as much salt as they will consume daily, for I am 

 convinced 'that lime and salt are a remedy for 

 " bolls in horses," as well as the " murrain in 

 cattle." ViK. 



REMARKS UPON KNGLISH CATTLE, AND A 

 COMPARISON OF THEM WITH AMERICAN. 



From the Kentucky Farmer. 



It has become a matter of great importance to 

 the American stock-breeders, to know now whe- 

 ther they can make any further improvements in 

 their domestic animals, and if so, how, when and 

 where. It would require too long an essay to be 

 read before thia society, to attempt to go over 

 the whole circle of British domestic animals. I 

 shall, therefore, in this paper, after an incidental 

 paragraph, confine my remarks to neat stock 

 alone, which at present probably most interests 

 Kentucky. 



I was not only at the annual meeting of the 

 Royal Agricultural Society, but present also at 

 that of Yorkshire, which was much superior in 

 its show over the former, in horses, short horns, 

 long wool sheep, and swine. I also privately ex- 

 amined the stock of many of the most distinguish- 

 ed breeders in Great Britain, and am (ree to de- 

 clare, that, a few South Devon sheep excepted, 

 we want scarce any thing more from abroad lor 



years. Our roadsters and horses of all work, 

 are siiperior to those of Kngland, in shape, action 

 and endurance — our cattle nearly as good. With 

 fine wool sheep she has nothing to compare with 

 us, and our splendid herds of swine, improved 

 by the late importations, are now made quite 

 equal to any. 



Short-horns. — Just before leaving for England 

 last s[)ring, 1 took a cartful survey of Ohio and 

 New York, and since my return have gone again 

 over much of the same ground, together with the 

 addition of a part of Kentucky ; and this second 

 look has only the. more fully confirmed me in the 

 judsmient that I formed while abroad, that, the 

 best of one breeder's herd alone excepted, the 

 short-horns of America, are quite equal to those 

 of Great Britain. I therelbre do hope, till the 

 choicest of these can be had at a reasonable rate, 

 that our money liiay not be wasted abroad in the 

 pride of further importations — more especially 

 during these hard times, and under the conside- 

 ration of the little thai Euiope is taking of our 

 agricultural products in return. Sliorl-horns bred 

 here can now be purchased tlirougliout the coun- 

 try, of as good a (juality as abroad, lor half the 

 money that it would cost to get them from there. 

 Let us appreciate then what we already possess, 

 foster, cultivate and spread it— _/ree ourselves from 

 </ie THRALDOM of foreign opinions, and no longer 

 be carried away by the fashion of the word — 

 •' imported.''^ ♦ 



I tbund English breeders very slow to believe 

 that their stock, brought over here, were made 

 better, rather than deteriorated in the change. 

 Such a thing they thought utterly impoesible in 

 poor ignorant A merica. But that a great and de- 

 cided improvement has been made in it, when 

 fallen into any thing like judicious hands, can be 

 ilemonstrated even to the most purblind and pre- 

 judiced. Animals may be seen now coarse and 

 somewhat lathy, imported a few years ago, the 

 third descendants of which are fine, compact, and 

 symmetrical ; and others that, in England, were 

 somewhat wanting in consiiluiion, have here com- 

 pletely renovated themselves, and become strong 

 and hardy. If asked to account for these things 

 taking place, I should answer mainly, that our 

 climate especially in the southwest, was better 

 adapted than that of England lor the production 

 of neat stock ; that our grasses were equ;dly 

 abundant and less watery, and consequently more 

 nutritious; and that our breeders have some little 

 skill, judgment and taste in these matters, as well 

 as those abroad. 



//ere/ords.— Though a large and rather a fine, 

 noble looking animal, the Herefords, in compa- 

 rison with the short-horns are coarse and heavy 

 in the head and horn, with a gathering of thick 

 flabby skin under the jowls, and considerable dew- 

 lap. Their loin is well spread, but from the hip 

 bones to the rump they drop suddenly away, and 

 point out like the email of an egn, ihey also thin 

 off" in the flank, and are not usually as well let 

 down in the twist as could be wished. They do 

 not mature as e;;rly as the short-horns, and 

 disinterested men were uniform in declaring to 

 me that it took a stronger soil and better grass lo 

 support them. This has bien denied by the 

 Herelbrd breeders, but I found the advocates ol 

 short-horns very desirous to make the trini by 

 feeding them side by side, lo see which should 



