196 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 



week at the fair, and walked back, without falling 

 oflFa pint from their usual yield of milk. Farming 

 was a system and science of averages, and thus 

 we must speak of averages. As a general rule, the 

 largest yield of milk produced the least butter 

 and the most cheese. The speaker thought a mis- 

 take was made in using the milk of the Devons, 

 because from its superior richness, it was less 

 healthy than the thinner milk of the Ayrshire and 

 Durham. No man could make up or greatly im- 

 prove a breed in much less than sixty years. The 

 speaker had practised for twenty years, and could 

 not count with any degree of certainty upon the 

 result of his endeavors. As a whole the Durhams 

 were not good workers. They could not back a 

 man's hat off. It was considered by some that 

 young bulls were the best for use, but the speaker 

 did not consider the age a matter of much impor- 

 tance. For beef, in Massachusetts, the Herefords 

 were better than the Durhams, whose fat was laid 

 on the outside, and was tallowy in its character. 

 They were better workers, as a general rule, than 

 the Devon or Ayrsliire. 



Mr. Howard, of the Cultivator, said the qual- 

 ities of beef were best determined by the Eng- 

 lish prices current, and it was found that first of 

 all stood the Scotch Highland, next the Hereford 

 and Devon, and next the Short-horns ; the first 

 being worth two pence more the pound, than the 

 last. 



Mr. W. J. BucKMlNSTER, of the Ploughnan, 

 alluded to the Jersey cow Flora, belonging to Mr. 

 Motley, of West Roxbury, which yielded, in 12 

 consecutive months, 511 pounds of butter. These 

 were the most extraordinary figures on record. 

 He believed that the richest butter-making milk 

 was not desirable for the table. 



The subject for discussion at the next meeting 

 will be, ''Drainage^''' 



For the New England Farmer. 



CHOPS IN "WISCONSII3". 



Mr. Editor : — This flourishing county has for 

 its western boundary the Mississippi river, and 

 has generally a rolling or hilly surface, and is 

 naturally divided into timber, opening and prai- 

 rie. The western part may be called mountain- 

 ous or bluffs, rising from ont to three hundred 

 feet above the river. The soil is excellent, black 

 marl predominating in the lowest timber and 

 prairie lands, and is often four feet deep. The 

 black land is the most common in the openings, 

 and on the rolling prairies, and is cultivated with 

 the best success. The climate is mild and salu- 

 brious, and is very healthy. The average crop of 

 wheat last season was 25 bushels per acre. Corn 

 75 do. Potatoes 200 do. Vegetables grew with 

 rapidity. Owing to the great range of pasturing 

 on the hills and prairies, it is a fine grazing 

 country. Manufactures are still in their infancy, 

 although but few counties have equal natural 

 facilities for extensive operations. 



Our principal ports on the Mississippi river 

 are De Sota and Victory. The last named place 

 is where Black Hawk's tribe was at last defeated. 

 Unimproved lands are held at from $3 to $10 per 

 acre. 



What a change has come over this new coun- 

 try in the short space of two years. At that time 

 nothing could be seen but the rude log cabin, to 

 shelter its inmates from the blasts of winter, and 

 the scorching rays of the noonday sun. Now we 

 can look abroad and see convenient structures by 

 hundreds. Villages have sprung into existence, 

 as if by magic ; schools may be found in every 

 part of this county. In fact every thing is taking 

 a new shape. C. W. Sanderson. 



Badax, Wis. 



"GOB SAVE THE PLOW. 



BY MRS. SIGOURNET. 



See how the glittering share 

 Make earth's bosom fair, 



Crowning the brow ; 

 Bread in its furrow springs, 

 Health and repose it brings. 

 Treasures that mock at kinga — 



God save the plow. 



Look to the warrior's blade, 

 While o'er the crimson'd glade, 



Hate breathes its vow — 

 Wrath it unsheathing wakes, 

 Love at its flashing quakes, 

 Weeping and woe it makes — 



God save the plow ! 



Ships o'er the ocean ride, 



Storm wrecks their bannered pride, 



Waves whelm their prow — 

 While the untroubled wain 

 Garneth the golden grain, 

 Gladdening the reaper train ! 



God save the plow ! 



Who are the truly great ? 

 Minions of pomp and state. 



Where the crowd bow ? 

 Give us hard hands and free — 

 Cultures of field and tree — 

 True sons of liberty — 



God save the plow. 



A Chimney. — Professor Faraday has shown 

 the chimney to possess very important functions 

 in sanitary -economy. Thus a parlor fire will con- 

 sume forty pounds of coal in twelve hours, the 

 combustion rendering 42,000 gallons of air unfit 

 to support life. Not only is that large amount 

 of deleterious product carried away, and rendered 

 innoxious by the chimney, but five times that 

 quantity of air is also carried up by the draft, 

 and ventilation is thus effectually maintained. — 

 S. American. 



Making Wood Fire-proof. — Professor Ro- 

 chelder, of Prague, has just discovered a new 

 antiphlogistic material, which promises to become 

 of importance. It is a liquid chemical composi- 

 tion, the secret of which is not yet divulged, 

 which renders wood and other articles indestruct- 

 ible by fire. Several successful experiments have 

 been made, and others are promised on a larger 

 scale. — California Farmer. 



