186 



CS:i)c jTarmcr's iHoutl)lij llisitor. 



iipiv oilipf. Ill iv;r.'inl ID tlifsi', iIk; coimly ol'l tli:it Imve hcei) liero ofRi-ed. So liilly iiiii I i-ni 

 Essi'X iii.iv .'■■)ieiik Willi siiini? cniifiiltm-f. Here 

 liiiviHieiMi" raiM'd .-iiiil exiiiliiteil luiiiieioiis cu^s 



tliilt ^^ ill l"-;ir il f!lll' riiTii|i;irisi)li willi tllcl^K ill iMI_V 

 oilii'i- i-oiiMiy. liisiam-o till? 0,iU(t!i Cowaiid llie 

 NiiMi^i' Ciiw,;iiiil lliK pipsnit je.-ir Ilic Puiid (ahv, 

 (nil of wliirli wore liiiiii D.iiivi-MS, 1 li«li(ne,)tln-.v 

 iiiive not Iihi'ii t-M-illerl liy JiHV 'iIIk'I'-"'- T«oot 

 lliKSi- \ielilci I'miii 1(5 111 yO |ioiiiid!' oC liiitlei- ;i 

 wi'i'U, iiJi- Miniiy wei>ks tii^'i'llic-r, iitKiiiiei-iiirqiiiil- 

 ilv, iiiid !liis MJlliiiiit I'Mriiniiliiiaiy I'eid ui- |mmi- 

 ])i-|-iii-: iiiid llii; iirliiT, 14 qiKiifsiir mill; |)t;i- ikiy, 

 Ibr iiMi iiiiiiitlis tii::rtlu'r. !»i;UcMienIs nl' >iiuiliir 

 |iiimIiii-i.' Ii:ivi! I iioliri'd vvilirpii ii yi!;ii-, ol' i-ous 

 of ii;ilivii liiiM'd Ht Spriiiufii'ld find Niirlli;iiii|iIoii.* 

 ]r siirli iiniiii.-ils run lip t'liiiiil in lliis iii.iiiiier, 

 williiiut iMiy fxii:i i-:iii; in iKai-iiiir, wlmt iui);lit 

 lliijy Ik; iii.iili', liy llic ,iii|ilii:;itioii nl" tlio^Kill llwil 

 liiis lieeii used in |iei-|i'Cliii^ llie I'nieigli liiei'ils? 

 T iiiii Mill uiiMiiMilliil Iliiit yiiijilf iiislaiire? iii;iy '"' 

 fiiiiMil ill' llie .sliiirl-liiii-ii ciiws iliiii liavi; \iidded 

 (Vdiii iliirly HI tliiity-six qnnrls of milk pi^r day, 

 iiiid 1)1' fliirks thai iiavH |)rudiii-eil larj;ei' (jiiaiitl- 

 lii-s I'l' milk, ill \M-:i.;;li! and measiii'i', ilian liavp 

 lif.Kii iililaini'il rmrii the saii:e niimlit;r ni' native 

 cow-^. Im the iiiiiices iif lliese cinvs thai I have 

 seen, the qiiaiilily (if their milk is ii>iially spnken 

 of, and not the i]nantiiy of hinler it will jield 

 Now every intelii^eiil uhseiver knr(i\;< ihat 20 

 quarts of milk (ioni t'liiiie eows nill yiidil more 

 butter than ;W quarts of milk lion; other oinvs; 

 so that l!ie quantity only yivc-s hut an iiii|icrlt;i'l 

 idea of the value of llieir prodiiee. Take into 

 view also the expense of feed required, and their 

 comparative rapacity to endure llie severities 

 of our elimate, and the pecnliarilies of tlieir 

 hahiis: and it may well lie questioned wliellier 

 the Inreiaii breeds are of so mueh value upon 

 our farms, as those tfiat miaht he raised (iniii the 

 best of our own stork. All that is wanted is the 

 same care in Keh^ciion ami vi;;ilan(-e in rearinir 

 that have been applied to the otheis, ami there 

 will he no delirieney in an adequate supply of 

 milk liir (iiir dairies. 



WliV is it that so little rare is aiven to the se- 

 lection cif mileh cows, when there is so much 

 choire in llieni ; — both in reirard to the t'fed re- 

 quired, and the milk produced ? It costs no more 

 to support a cow that will ueld (lorn 16 to 90 

 quarts of milk per day, than one that will \ield 

 ]0 quarts. The one miMcly earns her liviui', 

 the oilier not only supports lierseli| hut hini-nvho 

 feeds her; — and if care is taken to rear her 

 pio:;eiiy, will ensure- a perpetuity of her good 

 qualities. 



ill connection with this idea, it will he K'mein- 

 lierccj by some of the Trustees, lliat as early as 

 T8'2:5, piemiums were offereii fiir impiiniiij; cur 

 native hrced of neat caille, to be paid in 1828. 

 Aii:l ii was iluii remarke.lj " that it woidd avail 

 lilile to bi^t-low premiums merely iiir the best 

 1 aal shall be produced, unless someihin^^ is done 

 to preserve the breed; i'uf such preiuiuius mi^dit 

 be Lii'.eu (iu'a century, wiihoul cfFccliu'r any real 

 im|iiovcmcMts ; and lliiis as to live slock, defeat 

 the ol)i;'Ct for whiclt the society was formed." 1 

 now a|ipeat to tiie Triislees to coiisiilcr the prin- 

 ciples tiicn stated, and to inquire lioiv far they 

 have bi-eii applied. Have we not }ro:ie on fiMui 

 vcar to M'ar, almost exactly in t!ie way llicn 

 staU'd to be of no use ? !Iow can it b-^" exiiccled 

 thai our stock will lie improved, mdess care is 

 taken to raise from those of best qualities, their 

 offspring of iiest |iriuiiise .' Every liirmer re- 

 co:;ui7.es the principle that a tfood cow is most 

 likely to have a uood c:ilf. They act upiiu this 

 princijile in seleciius tlieir calves to be raised. 

 This llieii is ihe ••round upon which your piemi- 

 miis slioiihl he oll'-rcd : not onli/ for Ih? best iini- 

 ina's, b:il for (.';c hat efforts niunifesii-J in iinproviii-r 

 Ihe hrcc.t of the riii!::i!jls, tvitti ii slutcmetit that sliaU 

 enih'.i: oiKfrs to imitnle Ihtse efforts. 



So di.-^lrwsiiiil am I of my own conipt>tf iicv to 

 express iiii opinion on this siiliji'ct, that ! be:; 

 leave to corrohoraie my ir.vn views by ciiiiiL' ihe 

 n|iiiiion of .Mr. J. Ijiiwell, ,as expressed by him 

 in a rcjiort made at Hrij;liloii, October, 16'^2. 

 Siys he: "ahhoujrh the milch cows of Great 

 Britain and the Netherlands are in ireueral far 

 superior to iiiir own, ! bare never seen an im- 

 ported' cow of equal merit with some of oiu' own 



» In Oc! M issaoliusctts Ploughman, :i paper wcirihv to 

 lie riNUl tiy evciry Fariarr. 

 f R ,• Oil. Piolic.-iii^ — llie presidnnt nl' the Society. 



V I'd of diis truth, as well as that our country 



possesses a very considerable number of these 

 tine cows, thai I atn iiersuadcd if Great Britain 

 or the Nclherlands were to send us ten cows, 

 each of the best quality, New En^daud tdone 

 could furnish twenty which would equal them in 

 the qi.ianlliies of milk, butter and cheese, uhicli 

 they uonid res[icctively produce." 



'I'll this he adds, " if every owner of a pood 

 and very superior cow, would consider her in a 

 proper light, not -only as a valuable animal iln- 

 rinj; her life, but as capable of iiuproviuj; his 

 whole stock, if he will spare no moderate ex- 

 pense in prociiriu'i calves from her of bulls of 

 an improved breed, we shall soon see our whole 

 Slock iiraduaily improve." 



Jt will be lemembered by many who hear me, 

 that in 182.5, a very full discussion of this ques- 

 tion was had between Col. Pickeriu:.' and Col. 

 Powell, of I'liiladelpliia, in the course of which 

 Mr. Powell admits lhat the shnrt-liorns, so called, 

 are too lariie for the ordinary purposes of our 

 larnis, and then adds, " by an iniiiuitable hiw ot' 

 nature, whicli never ceases to affect the animal 

 not less than the veiietable cri.'atioii, in a fvio 

 generations, their size will be aecomiiiodaied to 

 ihe food :;iveii (or their support. Wr. Pickering 

 replies, ''we now have a breed .exactly accom- 

 iiiodati-d to the food i^iveii fiir its support, and 

 inquires w helher it is more eligible to propoitate 

 a iiiLMiilic breed which, 'in a fi;w jreneraliuiis' 

 may be sufficiently reduced in size, and thus ac- 

 commodated to our service and ueaiis of keep- 

 iiii; them, or with spirit and resolution, to eii- 

 'MS'- at once, in the laudable and proiiiable en- 

 lei'iirise of improvinji: our native cattle by a care- 

 ful selection of the best males and females, and 

 thus 'ill a few geueratious' raiA'f them not to 

 g-iganfic sizes, but to a liiijii pitch of perfection, 

 for the primary objects of New Eniiland tiirm- 

 er.s, labor, beef, and rich milk for liulter and 

 cheese." Ill expressius: this opinion of the eqal- 

 itv, not tosay superiority of our own milch covv.s, 

 ami their peculiar fitness for our larmers' dai- 

 ries, I know that I am treadinu' upon the toes of 

 hi:;h authority, and exposinj; myself to criticism 

 and remark. I know- there are those, who will 

 •live yon the pedijirec of tlieir stock, \\ith as 

 much precision, as did a .lew of bis family, and 

 that their notions of value are mucli modified, 

 by the number of degrees they have taken, or 

 the high soiinilins; epithets applied to their 

 iiame.s. This practice of Iracinjr their history is 

 commendable. But a lii^h suuuiiiiig tide will 

 never alter the character of ;i calf, of whatever 

 description he may be. 



I know that at our cattle shows wc admire and 

 :rive a preference totho.se sleek and beautiful aiii- 

 mal.s, ihiit are, as it were, polished for the exhi- 

 bition ; .'ind thai we should feel grateful to those 

 who thus sliow us what can be effected by care; 

 — but still we do not tiud iJi them the roal stam- 

 ina liir our darics. As scon should I ibinU of 

 selecting from the brillinii's oi' a bail-rom, the 

 best (iiauMger of a dairy. 



Tiic prices at whicli ihes^ niiimals are lioldeu, 

 eousiiiule a serious obstacle in the^svay of their 

 being procnreil by coninion iijrmer.s. I cantiiii 

 see aiiv irood reason yvhy such extravagant pri- 

 cec as'SlbOO, or more, for a single animal should 

 be counteuanced. Our farmers caniioi afi'ird to 

 appropriate ihe entire income of the year, to ttie 

 purchase of a single animal.* 



killed by ISlaj. Williiin Berry, of ibis town, a 

 inuili esteemed and respecteil liirmer — which 

 weighed when dressed, 70.5 pounds. The bog 

 was ot the old BWield breed, was, when killed, 

 nineteen mouths and sixteen days ohi, and loniid 

 a ready market in this place at (J.i ceiiis per 

 pound, paving Ihe handsome sum of 440(-li ccnt.s. 

 Also iVlr. 'Aliraui Cram killeil a hog Nov. 3Utli, 

 wliiidi weighed when dressed, SHG pounds. — Yet 

 another! Air. Stephen W. Libby killed bis hug 

 Dec. 20, which iveighed 553 pounds. 



Farmers beat this, if you cmi? We think that 

 we excel in pork if not in dollars. 

 Vours respectliillv. 



" f ; s 



N. B. The first mentioned bog gamed one II). 

 and three oz. per day. 



Purchasing 

 "T-; your butter good ■'" 



* In 1827. at the BU^gention nf Cnl. PioUprin;^. and by 

 the Ulierality of Gorhain Parsnns. Ksq . of ByticUt; an 

 ;Ulcuipl w;ts ninde^ to inlrnduc*: the .^Idcrncy brepd oi* 

 entile :il West Nevvbury. 1- Invc rccrived rnmi my I'riwnd. 

 Cul. iXcweli. sotne ulteresling liicts in iclr.litin to llle>e 

 Tnuiiiis, iniiiy of whicli ai-e now there. He tliinks tficin 

 stiperinr r»>r Ihcir nlilkitvjr properties; but in conseqncnre 

 r>r their iaferiiif'ty ot size' nnd nape inice, they lijive not 

 reitdily consc into favor. He lliiiilis favorably of crossing 

 llie Aldcrney and the Ayrshire breeds with our native 

 »-loi:k, with a view to produce cond cows for the ifiiry. 

 [t. seems to be the better iipioiiin of ihose .nmong us who 

 have had most g.\perieiice. so f.ir as 1 hive been utile in 

 learn their opinions, that by a judicious cressiiiL* of the 

 best of Ihe Enilish auioiais'with our own, a raci> may lie 

 found. .\ very larae proporlioa of the Durlnm cattle are 

 of that co.irsi-, fhphanfinv character, tbit would not i»e 

 admired or even endured, by the best |uilc;es in l'',Myl:md. 



Butter. 



.'lid I to the fiirmer. 



" Good ! my wife li.is made bmier these twenty 

 years,and I should think she onulil to know bow 

 to make good butler hy this time." 



He was evidently otTended. 



" Well, let IIS examine il." The cover was 

 taken oH' the tub, the clean white cloth, (which 

 had been wet in brine) rolled iip. ami the yellow 

 treasure revealed. It certainly did look ;;ood. 



"It tastes sweet; hut how very salt it is."' 



" We alwa\s make our butler sail to have it 

 keep at ihis se.ison." 



" Let us see if the buttermilk is as well worked 

 out as the salt is in." 



Some of the rolls were pressed down w iili the 

 ladle. 



"Now, my friend, if your wife has made but- 

 ter these twenty years, she does not know how 

 to make good butter; for no butler can be jiiiod 

 iiiilil the buttermilk is wniked out. If thai is 

 done you need not salt it so /iwrf lo have it keep 

 yvell ill any pl.ice. A very liule more care and 

 labor yvoiilil have made this excellent butter; 

 but lacking that little, if is only a second quality 

 — as you shall acknowledge when I slioyv a sam- 

 ple of g-oo,'/ butler." 



We went in and took up a roll frfin a crock of 

 first rate hutti'r. It was smoiiili, clear and hand- 

 some ; the hand of womiii had not been on it, 

 from the time it left the churn until now ; all the 

 work had been done with the ladle. 



"if yon will get one drop of buttermilk from 

 that huiter, you shall have the yvhole Wife." 



" NiMV, taste this, and t.iste your own, find .«ay, 

 bonestlv, if you would not give a iiiglier price 

 for litis than your nun. Look at it— see bow 

 clear and transparent ihese minute globules are, 

 and how iutimately tiiey are blended yvilli the 

 whole mtiss. Until those all disappear the but- 

 ter will keep syveet; and no liuller will keep 

 loll" yy ben ihev are ever so sli'.dillv colored by 

 lite' milk." 



The liirmer simply remarked, tliat tluue was ,-i 

 difference in till liUUer. and 'lefi, to Hud a les.i 

 critical or more ready customer. 



It is strange that when every body loves good 

 butter, and js willinsr to pay for it, our f irnicrs' 

 wives and daughters do not take paius to make a 

 better article. It's the women's fault that yve 

 have poor butter, generally, and we must hold 

 them responsible. It is |ierl'ectly easy to make 

 i;oc,ii butler. The only requisite is care. Good 

 lintlcr will always command a good price ill the 

 dullest market, Cvhih; poor butter is a drug at any 

 price. 



When any of my lady rearlers make butler 

 attain, just let llieni ima^riue that I am to have a 

 nice bit of bread and butler with them, and that 

 I shall delect the least particle of milk, .-mil am 

 not liiml of too much salt. — Aeic Gm. Farmer. 



Merrimack Comity Ilofs. 



Pitls/ielil, Dec. 25, 1844. 

 To Tiir, EniroR of the Mo.ntiii.y Visitop>: 

 i w.-,s inviied bv a I'rieud to c\amiueafine hog 



niAOMFicF.Nf OBCriiARD. — At the late annual 

 fair of the American Institute, Mr. R. I. Pell, of 

 Ulster county. New York, received a gold medal 

 fiir the iiest frnil liiriii. lie stales ilial he had an 

 iircliard conlainiug 20,000 trees of one kind of 

 fruit, viz : the Newton Pqipiii. liere is an or- 

 chard yvorth looking at. We do not know how 

 thickly they are set out, but allowii;g there is a 

 tree to evcrv square rod, or 100 to an acre, which 

 is loo Ibicki it must Jake 125 acres! _i\lr Pell, 

 thinking it rallier unprofitable to yvait liir tlio 

 bearing year, or, in other yvords, not being yvil- 

 liii" to have apples only every other year, arlopt- 

 cil a plan with some of his trees of spurring up 

 the (lagging energies of those that reipiire rest. 



