164 



GENESEE FARMER. 



July. 



Breeding Neat Cattle. 



Col. Jaqces, proprietor of Ten Hills Farm, 

 near Boston, who is known as a skillful, and 

 most successful breeder of cows and other domes- 

 tic animals, gives the following judicious direc- 

 tions in 1 elation to this important branch of rural 

 economy : 



" Upon the subject of selecting and breeding 

 domestic animals generally, it has been my ob- 

 ject to combine as much as possible all the most 

 desirable properties adapted to the soil, climate, 

 and habits of New England. I wish, however, 

 it may be distinctly understood, that whatever I 

 may say upon thissubject, I do not desire to dic- 

 tate to others, but hope those v/ho are better 

 informed may make known their practice and 

 experience. 



"My principles are, that the hlood — the red 

 fluid, in every living creature, in whose body it 

 flows, is, by the laws of nature, the sole agent 

 and controlling power, in developing the general 

 character; and that by crossing and mixing the 

 blood of the dilferent varieties of the same species, 

 the strongest strains of blood will be found to 

 "predominate — and that health or disease — good 

 or bad properties — are transmissible to the prog- 

 eny and descent, both in the human and animal 

 creation — even the color may be shaded to suit 

 the fancy. 



" From over fifty year's practice and experi- 

 ence upon these principles, I consider the follow- 

 ing, among many points, important to be observed 

 in neat cattle generally, but in bulls and cows 

 particularly, viz: — Muzzle fine, with yellow 

 nose; eyes IriUiant ; head and horns light; ears 

 thin, the inside yellow, not unlike as though 

 sprinkled with yellow ; neck of cows thin and 

 clean, fore shoulders quite close, and well laid in, 

 giving the fore hand a very light appearance, in 

 proportion to the other parts of the cow ; bulls' 

 necks may project from the breast and shoulders 

 stout, very muscular and strong, but tapering 

 fine, so that the bulls' and cows' neck be joined 

 to the head very neatly. Throats clean and free 

 from much dewlap. Bosom or b.-east, broad and 

 full, projecting well forward ; legs straight, with 

 fine bone, and well set apart ; the fore arms well 

 covered with muscle, tapering downwards fine ; 

 shoulders smooth and well laid in ; chine full ; 

 back straight and broad ; ribs well rounding out, 

 the last rib projecting most, and not too far from 

 the hips ; broad in the loins and hips; hips full 

 and globular — neither too close nor ragged, but 

 placed on a level with the back ; rumps long 

 and broad— very little, if any, sloping; pelvis, 

 broad and full ; tails set on strong, and on a level 

 with the back — tapering down to the end fine, 

 where they should be well covered with long, 

 silky and glossy hair ; and on opening the hair 

 here, there should be the same yellow appear- 

 ance on the skin as is mentioned above on the 

 inside of the ears. Not too full in the twist, 



(which is, a fullness between the hind legs or 

 thighs,) nor too thick in the thighs. Flanks quite 

 deep. It is important that the whole skin should 

 be yellow. The color of the hair is pretty much 

 fancy. A good coat of hair, even if it inclines 

 to be long, is not unfiworable ; but it should be 

 very silky and glossy. The elastic handle, or 

 touch of the flesh, with the silki/ and glossy coats, 

 are of the greatest importance, as these proper- 

 ties indicate their value as much, in comparison, 

 as in broadcloth of from two dollars to ten dol- 

 lars per yard. The bag or udder of cows should 

 be capacious, projecting well, both fore and aft j 

 hanging moderately deep, when full, but after 

 the milk is drawn, to be quite the reverse. It is 

 very desirable in a cow that she should have 

 teats well spread apart and of medium size. — 

 Cows possessing most of the above mentioned 

 points I have found generally to be deep and rich 

 milkers — also, neat cattle generally I have found 

 to be of good temper, good spirits, vigorous, ac- 

 tive, good walkers, easily kept, taking on flesh 

 readily, and that, too, on the most valuable parts; 

 and the bulls and cows well adapted for good 

 breeders, for the dairy, the yoke, and the sham- 

 bles." 



We have no doubt that this theory of breed- 

 ing is oi-iginal with Col. Jaques. AVlien he first 

 spoke of it in public, some persons thought him 

 a little too enthusiastic, and some thought that 

 his enthusiasm had impaired his judgment ; but 

 there are few intelligent breeders of cattle, now, 

 who do not acknowledge the soundness of his 

 theory and admire the success which has attend- 

 ed his efforts. Col. Jaques boasts of nothing, we 

 believe, which he is not able to perform. Since 

 the development of his principles, we have un- 

 derstood that some person has advocated them, 

 and claimed the credit of originating them. But 

 to him alone belongs the credit of their concep- 

 tion, and the first efforts to prove their accuracy 

 by their practical results. 



Deep Plowing. — The editor of the Visitor 

 tells us that by using the subsoil plow his crops 

 of potatoes were increased last year one third ; 

 that where the subsoil followed the other plow, 

 three baskets were gathered to two where it was 

 omitted — the same kind and quantity of manure 

 being used in both cases. At two hundred bush- 

 els to the acre, is a gain of three hundred bush- 

 els on six acres of land ; these at fifty cents per 

 bushel would amount to one-hundred and fifty 

 dollars for subsoiling six acres in a single year — 

 to say nothing of the gain on the crops for the 

 next half a dozen years. The difference upon 

 each farm of any size would in twenty years 

 amount to a fortune. 



Plantinc trees in Great Britain, and through- 

 out the continent, is now extensively prosecuted. 

 In some instances thousands of acres are planted 

 on a single estate. 



