124 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



March 



such only for reproduction. At the end of a cer- 

 tain number of generations, following the same 

 principle, the pomts selected in all the reprodu- 

 cers, both male and female, become permanent ; 

 and thus the breed is estabhshed. This mode of 

 proceeding appears extremely simple ; but what is 

 less so, is the choice of those qualities to be repro- 

 duced to arrive at the best result. Many breeders 

 mistake these, and, in a measure, work contrary to 

 their desired object. Bakewell deserved his suc- 

 cess, and profited by it. He let his rams for one 

 season for the enormous sum of $50,000. But the 

 wealth he conferred on his country was incalcula- 

 ble. EUman proceeded on the same principles, 

 which succeeded so well with BackeAvell, and at the 

 present day the Southdown sheep gives, on an av- 

 erage, eighty to one hundred pounds net mutton. 

 The Southdown has spread widely, and made its 

 way wherever the soil, not rich enough for the 

 Dishley breed, is yet sufficient to provide a proper 

 quantity of winter' food, in addition to good summer 

 pasture. It predominates in all districts of Hme for- 

 mation. 



The history of the Cheviot sheep is not quite so 

 brilliant as that of the Southdowns and Dishleys. 

 Still the breed is not less valuable than the others. 

 It is a mountainous breed, and its shape is now as 

 perfect as well can be — fattening often now in the 

 second year, and yielding on an average sixty to 

 eighty pounds of excellent meat. Their fleece is 

 white and short. They spend even the winter 

 months on their native mountains, and are seldom 

 sheltered. 



These three breeds tend now to a1:)sorb all oth- 

 ers, and take entire possession of Great Britain. 

 Throughout England, the sheep farmer now seeks 

 either to improve his breed by itself, or by crossing 

 it with others already improved, or else he substi- 

 tutes one of these breeds for his own — whichever 

 method appears to him most efficacious for increas- 

 ing precosity and giving roundness of form to his 

 flock. 



English agriculture is, then, first of all, rich in its 

 flocks of magnificent sheep. M. 



they would probably like better. We have fed 

 turnips to sheep through the winter and spring 

 months, for several years, and found that they were 

 economical and appropriate food. 



ARE ENGLISH TURNIPS GOOD FOR 

 SHEEP ? 



Mr. Editor : — I wish to inquire, through the 

 columns of your paper, if English turnips are good 

 feed for sheep ? I have a few sheep of a superior 

 breed, which I wish to raise lambs from the com- 

 ing spring. I am now giving them turnips, (cut 

 fine,) at the rate of one quart each per day ,( and 

 some of my neighbors tell me that turnips will kill 

 all the lambs. If you or some of your correspon- 

 dents will express your views on this particular 

 point, you will greatly oblige A SUBSCRIBER. 



JVew Gloucester, Dec. 21, 1855. 



Note. — We have fed sheep with English turnips 

 and never knew any harm come to the sheep or 

 lambs either, from them. Probably more lambs 

 die for the want of turnips than from their moth- 

 ers being fed with them. — Maine Farmer. 



Another Note. — ^^Ve agree with you, brother 

 Holmes. Roots of all kinds are far from bemg 

 properly appreciated, as feed for stock. Turnips 

 are excellent for sheep, making a most grateful 

 change with their dry food. A variety of roots 



THE MODEL FARMER. 



We cheerfully give insertion to the following 

 communication from one of our agricultural subscri- 

 bers, descriptive of a model farm and farmer in 

 Dracut. We were not aware that there were any 

 such farms or farmers hereabouts, or mdeed this 

 side of New York and Ohio. 



Mr. Editor : — Perhaps it may not be known to 

 the numerous readers of your widely circulated 

 journal, that the largest and most extensive culti- 

 vator of the soil in this county is a resident of the 

 ancient town of Dracut. C'apt. Nathaniel Fox is 

 one of the largest farmers in the State, and the 

 largest in old Middlesex. He is the owner of 

 nearly nine hundred acres of land, a large propor- 

 tion consisting of field and pasture. He employs 

 from six to eight men in the winter, the rest of the 

 year from twelve to fifteen, with an addition of 

 eight or ten through the hay season. I will give 

 as near as may be the amount of some of the prin- 

 cipal products of liis farm. He raises upon an av- 

 erage some two thousand bushels of potatoes, fif- 

 teen hundred do. of roots, eight hundred do. of 

 corn, and of other kinds of grain about eight hun- 

 dred bushels ; one hundred barrels of cider, aiid 

 five hundred do. of winter apples. Under the skil- 

 ful management of the Capt. (for, by the way, he 

 takes charge in person of all his farming opera- 

 tions,) the increased productiveness of his farm has 

 forced him to enlarge his store-room, although he 

 already has three good-sized barns and several out- 

 buildings. The past year he has put up a large 

 granary, and the largest barn in the country, at a 

 cost of over four thousand dollars. It is built of 

 the best material, and in the most w'orkmanlike 

 manner ; it is one hundred feet long, forty-six wide, 

 and twentv-two and one half feet posts ; height at 

 ridge-pole'forty-fom- feet ; it sets over a cellar ten 

 feet deep, and the wall is built of split stone. He 

 keeps four horses, six oxen, and over seventy cows, 

 which he intends to mcrease to one hundred ; the 

 milk is carried to the Lowell market. From this 

 source alone he realizes over five thousand dollars 

 a year. — Lotvell Courier. 



{S^ Well, we should Uke to see the Capt. and 

 the farm, too.— Ed. JV. E. Farmer. 



For the New England Farmer. 



MOWING MACHINES. 



Mr. Editor -.—At the farmers' meeting, last 

 week, a gentleman, (a member of the upper House, 

 I believe,) argued that mowing machines could not 

 be advantageously used in his region, because, 

 where the best grass grew, the surface was so un- 

 even ; and anv attempt to level it and make it 

 smooth and fit for the use of the mower, would dis- 

 close too many stones. Perhaps there may be a few- 

 fields in the central part of the State, just reclamied 

 from their forest condition, where this is true. Such 

 fields bear a very small proportion to all the lands 

 to be mowed. Take, for instance, the thousands of 

 acres of interval land, on the borders of the Con- 



