MEW 13MIJE.AW1> FAKMEM. 



Published by John B. Russell, at JVo. 52 A'«V/i Markd Street, (over the Agricvlliiral Warehouse). — Thomas G. Fessenue.'*, Editor. 



- VOL. VII 



BOSTON, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1828. 



No. 17. 



AGRICULTURE, 



FOR THE NEW ENGLAND FARMKr.. 



ON THE IJIPROVED BREEDS OF CATTLE. 



Mr Fessenden — Many of us liave boon disap- 

 jioiuted, aiid some of us, wlio have sent cows 

 from a distance, greatly to our inconvenience 

 and loss, by the decided impotence of the im- 

 ported bull Bolivar, owned by Col. Powel, and 

 kept by Mr Jaques of Charlcstown. I have no 

 skill in judf^ing of stock of this kind ; and it would 

 require none to see that this noble animal in his 

 appearance and external properties has never 

 been surpassed nor equalled among us. Several 

 competent judges have pronounced liini the fmest 

 animal ever brought into the country'. 



It is matter of great regret, therefore, that lie 

 is incapable, at least in his present condition, of 

 propagating his species. That the pro])rietor of 

 iliis superior animal could have been aware or 

 oven suspicious of this deficiency, no person, who 

 is acquainted with this intelligent, public-spirited 

 and most liberal patron of every agricultural im- 

 ])rovement, can for a moment believe. It is im- 

 possible : and my present object is to show that 

 the result in this instance is not extraordinary in 

 regard to such high bred animals ; and to leave it 

 to others to account for, or discuss this fact, which 

 seems to be well known among distinguished 

 breoder.s. 



I will quote from some letters of the Rev. Hen- 

 KY Berry, one of the most eminent agriculturists 

 in Great Britain, on the subject of the Improved 

 Breeds of Cattle, published in the British Farmer's 

 iVIagazine. 



In the No. for May 1827, quoting from Mar- 

 ■<iiALL, he says, " It is observable that the bulls of 

 ihis improved breed are not unfrequently, even 

 w bile youthful, deficient in vigour, the hired bulls 

 boing sometimes returned prematurely on this ac- 

 • lunt." &c. &c. &:c. 



Then again in the same letter be observes — I 

 nuist in this place quote Sir John Sebright ; he 

 observes, I have tried many experiments by breed- 

 ing in and in upon dogs, fowls and pigeons ; the 

 dogs became from strong spaniels weak and <li- 

 minutive lap dogs ; the fowls became long in the 

 legs, small in the body, and bad breeders." The 

 Avant of vigour in Bakewell's bidls, and in many 

 I)igh bred ones of the present day, I ascribe to the 

 cause, which produced the same effects in the ol)- 

 jccts of Sir John Sebright's experiments. In 

 the unimproved stocks of the country we hear of 

 no bulls refusing to serve cows ; and seldom a 

 heifer that will not breed ; but in the imjirovcd 

 races these facts are of every day's occurrence ; 

 not ouly, be it remembered, among animals highly 

 ';'lit, but in such as have experienced no indul- 

 gence whatever ; and but too many of them are 

 indeed what Sir John Sebright describes his 

 jowls to have become, long in the legs, small in 

 the body, and bad breeders. 



In the No. for August, 1827, he says, "But how 

 shall we account for impotence in the male, and 

 barrenness in the female, which so comn.only arise 

 out of this system [breeding in and in] when such 

 failures were totally unknown in the ancestors ? 



!Siucly such ailectiou must be strictly constitutiGn- 

 al ; and if so, it offers us ;i warning not to be dis- 

 regarded. On this point as respects swine, I am 

 enabled to speak positively. I have long possess- 

 ed a valuable breed, jirodncing frequently, and 

 sniTieicni nmnbers in a litter, and also attaining a 

 di:sirable size. By breeding in and in, I gradual- 

 ly lost size and number, till some sows produced 

 only one, while others never evinced a desire for 

 the male, and the few young ones I could obtain 

 wore seldom, or with difficulty, reared. Valuing 

 highly the fattening properties and form of this 

 breed I retained and still possess some of the 

 sows, which I have crossed. The result is strik- 

 ing and strongly to the point. They continue to 

 produce few at a litter ; but this produce, which 

 is from the cross, I rear without difficulty, and 

 they bring as many pigs as ever I obtained when 

 my breed was unaffected by the practice which 

 lias almost ruined it." 



These observations and facts, Mr Editor, ap- 

 pear to me of great importance. I pretend to no 

 lirariical skill or knowledge in the ease ; but I 

 have alwa3S felt a particular interest in fine ani- 

 mals of every description, from even a glow worm 

 or a butterfly to that most attractive of all the 

 Creator's works, a beautiful woman, flushed with 

 the bloom of youth and health, buoyant in inno- 

 cence and cheerfulness, and with a countenance 

 radiant with genius and intelligence. 



Everything relating to the iinpi-oveinent of our 

 domestic animals, is so connected with our agri- 

 cultural improvement and prosperity, that I make 

 no apology for this communication ; persuaded 

 that if it shoidd contribute to exact and intelligent 

 experiments and observation ; or call forth a dis- 

 cussion of the general subject, among those who 

 are experienced and competent, it cannot fail to 

 be of public utility. Yours respectfully, 



Mv. 7, 1S28. A. Z. 



ON PREMIUMS FOR STOCK. 



Mr Fessenden — In looking over the report of 

 the Committee at the late Brighton Show on Cows 

 and Heifers, some doubts have occurred to me as 

 to the propriety of the course, which they have 

 adopted in bestowing their premiums. I have en- 

 tire respect for the impartiality and good judg- 

 ment of the gentlemen, who composed the Com- 

 mittee ; and according to the rules which have al- 

 waj's been followed, do not think they could have 

 decided difl'erently ; but my difficulty is with the 

 rules themselves. 



The object of the premiums in this ca.sc, I un- 

 derstand, to be the improvement of our Live 

 Stock. How this is to be effected by rewarding 

 the man, who is by accident the ovvne>r of a fine 

 animal, who has taken no pains in rearing her, 

 and is under no obligations to raise her progeny, I 

 do not well see. The owner of the cow, who ob- 

 tained the first premium, came by an accidental 

 purchase into possession of her less than a year 

 ago. She was then of full age, and the previous 

 owner selected her by chance from a drove of cat- 

 tle, without any knowledge of her good qualities. 

 There was nothing in her appearance to recom- 

 mend her, as the Committee allow that she had 

 no remarkable points whatever, and was a home- 



ly animal. She it seems has given an extraordi- 

 nary quantity of milk, averaging ten quarts a day 

 for more than ten months ; and of a superior qual- 

 ity, though I could not learn from the report, by 



vvhat evidence this latter fact was established 



The Conuiiittee give no statement of any meas- 

 urement of her cream or any amount of butter 

 produced by her. The quantity of her inilk was 

 certainly extraordinary among us ; — yet still I am 

 at a loss to know why the accidental owner of 

 such an animal, lot her be ever so distinguished, 

 should be rewarded with a premium for the Im- 

 provement of Live Stock. How is that end to be 

 promoted, if nothing more is requisite than that 

 he should present the animal at the Show. 



My opinimi is, that such a premium should nol 

 be bestowed, excepting where the owner has 

 shown either particular skill in the selection, or 

 particular care in the raising of the animal : — 

 and will give security to the Tru.stees that he v/ill 

 (extraordinary accidents excepted) raise one or 

 more of her progeny. Suppose for example, in 

 case of obtaining the first premium of thirty dol- 

 lars, fifteen or twenty dollars .should be paid at 

 the time ; a bond should be taken that the owner 

 rear the next calf; and the balance of the pre- 

 mium should be paid to him, on his exhibiting 

 such calf at least a year old, at the Brighton show. 

 This, which I by no means suggest as the best 

 mode, would certainly conduce much more to the 

 objects of the premium than the course now pur- 

 sued. 



In the present instance, the last calf, which this 

 cow produced was sold, I understand, to the 

 butcher ; and she has been .sent the present sea- 

 son to an ordinary bull ; as the owner has no ob- 

 ject but to make the most from the sale of her 

 milk. 



I beg leave through your useful paper to sug- 

 gest these considerations to the Tru.stees of the 

 Society, to whose enlightened, disinterested, and 

 patriotic services, no one bears a more grateful 

 testimony than 



Your obedient servant, 

 JVuv. 12, 1828. A. Z. 



REMEDY FOR CANKER WOR5IS. 



BIr Fessenoen — In reading some weeks since 

 in the New England Farmer, a description of" an 

 apparatus for i)rotecting trees from the ravages of 

 the canker worm," I was reminded of a plan that 

 I once formed, which is somewhat similar to the 

 one invented by Mr Houghton. 



If in your opinion it promises to be of utility, 

 you will please to publish it in your valuable pa- 

 per. 



My plan is to place around the trunk of tiie 

 tree a small quantity of earth, or what would be 

 preferable, compost manure, upon which and 

 around the tree is to be placed a square, wooden 

 frame in which is cut a trough or channel, an inch 

 in width to bo filled with lime-water. The spaces 

 between the frame and tree are to be filled with 

 clay mortar. Nothing further is necessary than 

 to keep the trough full, or perhaps to remove the 

 grubs that might fall therein. In my opinion the 

 final expense would be less than that of tarrino-, 

 as the frame can remain, if necessary, several 



