1856. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



113 



'i^^AK 







GRADE COW, BEAUTY. 



One of the marked evidences of the improvement 

 among farmers, is the attention wliich has been 

 given of late years to neat stock. It is not alone 

 an effort to introduce new crosses, or distinct breeds, 

 but a better appreciation of their wants, and a bet- 

 ter knowledge of their physiological structure. 

 Few cattle-breeders now leave their stock exposed 

 to the elements, or expect them to thrive, unless 

 kept in a comfortable condition. But the time has 

 been, when we heard an aged farmer, of a good deal 

 of experience, say that a portion of liis stock throve 

 as well in the open air through the winter, as did 

 those who were sheltered in his barn ! It is now 

 generally believed, that the food of the animal, 

 like fuel in the stove, generates heat, and that ex- 

 posure creates a new demand for food. 



Stock is tended better, every way, than it used to 

 be. They are fed more liberally, kept warmer, 

 cleaner, and protected from dogs, and the stronger 

 ones of the herds. Their natures, constitution, 

 habits and wants are studied mere, and are better 

 understood. 



The Grade Cow, Beauty, represented above, is 

 the result of the new interest in stock which we 

 have spoken of above. She is the property of 

 Georgk M. Barrett, Esq., of Concord, in this 



feed only, and gave seven quarts a day on the 20th 

 June last, when he discontinued milking her. She 

 dropped her last calf on the 23d of August, 1855, 

 and since that time, up to the first of November, 

 (when his statement was made to us,) gave sxxltm 

 quarts of milk per day on grass, with an occasional 

 feed of corn-fodder. 



We understand that this cow, as well as other ani- 

 mals of his stock, prove to be excellent in every 

 way ; are good milkers and feeders, hardy, gentle, 

 and lay on fat or flesh as rapidly as any other stock, 

 M-hen producing the same amount of milk. 



There is plenty of room still for improvement in 

 our cattle. What is required is patience, study and 

 intelligence ; and without these, there can be little 

 hope of permanent and important improvement. 



Trees from Seed. — "A few years ago we made 

 a large collection of the seeds of shade and orna- 

 mental trees, both deciduous and evergreen, and 

 planted with much care, but did not get a seed to 

 vegetate. This season we have found out what was 

 the matter ; we planted too deep. It is well known 

 that in the pine-regions of Georgia, this has been a 

 great mast year, and we now find everywhere 

 where the winged seeds have met the surface soil, 

 they have thrown out roots, and begun the form of 



"iJt.T+o ^.,„ ,. ., , ^ i", , /. ' „ a tree. They had no planting but what nature gave 



State, one ot the largest and best farmers, as well as them, and dame nature is a tolerable horticulturist, 

 one ot the best citizens of the commonwealth. She VVe invariably plant tree seeds; just soil enough to 



received the first premium at the late United States 

 Fair ; is four years old last July, half Ayrshire, and 

 ■ raised from Mr. B.'s Ayrshire and native stock ; 

 had her first calf Sept. 8th, 1854, and averaged fif- 

 teen quarts of milk a day for two mouths, on grass 



preserve the moisture is all that is necessary. An 

 ornamental trpe, grown from seed, may lie made 

 anything the cultivator wishes it. A fruit tree 

 grown by seed is most likely to be healthy, and may 

 prove a sure and valuable variety. It has been a 

 question of time with most of us ; we could not 



