1859. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



241 



SHORT HORN DOUBLE DUKE. 



OWNED 1!Y THK HARVEST CLUB, SPRINGFIELD, MASS. 



Double Duke was bred by J. M. Sherwood, 

 Esq., of New York, calved June 6th, 1856, and 

 is of a roan color. His pedigree may be traced 

 back distinctly to the year 1739. We are ena- 

 bled to present this beautiful portrait of one of 

 our best breeds of neat cattle to the reader, 

 through the kindness of Mr. Secretary Flint, 

 who very properly prefaces the Sixth Annual Re- 

 port of the Massachusetts Transactions with it. 



A particular description of this breed of cat- 

 tle is not deemed necessary here, as it is often 

 alluded to and discussed in these columns. 



For the New England Farmer. 



PEARS— ORCHARD CUIiTURE. 



As regards the pear for farm culture, I feel as- 

 sured that the hardy fall and winter cooking vari- 

 eties will give the bast returns in sales. There 

 is standing in Salem a large pear tree which is 

 at least forty years old, bearing annually, good 

 crops. That of 1847 sold for thirty dollars. This 

 variety is Rushmore's Bon Chretien, a native ; 

 late fall or early winter fruit, much cultivated on 

 Long Island, for the market. Of Uvedale's St. 

 Germaine, or Pound, Black Pear of Worcester, 

 Catalac, Chelmsford and Vicar of Winkfield ,we 

 should say with the late Robert Manning, that 

 "the extensive cultivation of these sorts in large 

 orchards, would produce greater and surer in- 

 come for the capital employed, than any other 

 investment." 



I The best varieties of pears for culture general- 

 jly, are those that have originated in our own 

 'country, and in the more temperate or colder lat- 

 itudes of Europe. Thus we should commend 

 our fine American seedlings; they are generally 

 hardy, and of thrifty growth. Among the large 

 collection of pears which have from time to time 

 been introduced from abroad, only a small pro- 

 I portion, comparatively, have proved of good 

 j quality in Massachusetts ; a variety maybe called 

 \iirst-rate in our country, and second-rate in Eu- 

 rope, and vice versa. The Bartlett, called in Eng- 

 land, William's Bon Chretien, is tliere second- 

 rate ; we, on the contrary, (taking into consider- 

 ation its productiveness in almost all soils, as 

 well as the quality of the fruit,) consider it one 

 of the best for cultivation. The Beurre d'Arem- 

 berg is with them a first-rate winter fruit for cul- 

 ture ; with us, (from its uncertainty in ripening, 

 as well as bearing,) it has disappointed most cul- 

 tivators in Massachusetts. I should infinitely 

 prefer such fine winter eating pears as the Win- 

 ter Nelis and Lawrence. J. M. I. 

 Salem, Mass., 1859. 



Milking Young Cows. — It is said that young 

 cows, the first year they give milk, may be made, 

 with careful milking and good keeping, to give 

 milk almost any length of time deemed desira- 

 ble ; but that if they are allowed to dry up early 

 in fall, they will, if they have a calf at the same 

 season, dry up at the same time each succeeding 

 year, and nothing but extra feed will prevent it, 

 and that but for a short time. 



