1858. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



379 



light and clean, even if we have to hire an extra 

 hand in the hay-field. We are apt to forget how 

 much cultivation has to do with the early growth 

 of corn — with its "getting a start," so as to be 

 able to feed itself from the food supplied in the 

 soil. This is also true of potatoes — and we may 

 add, beans, since our last year's experience in be- 

 ing hurried away into haying and harvest before 

 finishing the hoeing of the whole crop. Had we 

 hired it done, at two dollars per day, we should 

 have made money in the increased product, as 

 shown by the clean cultured over the weedy part. 

 And what farmer cannot look back and see when 

 he -'missed it," in not being more thorough, even 

 though it seemed as if he "couldn't aflbrd it," at 

 the time ? 



Let us urge the matter still. A few days in 

 finishing up the culture of our hoed crops — which 

 should all be done by the time they get one-quar- 

 ter of their growth — is of vast importance in se- 

 curing a well-ripened and heavy yield, and should 

 by no means be omitted. We must not fail here, 

 for these are important crops, and midsummer is 

 the pinch with them as regards their value, — es- 

 pecially corn, which the frost hardly gives time 

 to ripen, when the planting season is delayed as 

 of late years. j. 



Niagara Co., N. T. 



Do not, then, neglect the hoeing, in order to 

 hurry into haying, but let the former lap a little 

 into the latter, by cutting small pieces of early 

 grass in the morning, but not so much but that 

 it may be tended without entirely discontinuing 

 the hoeing. 



It is too costly an operation to plow land, ma- 

 nure, plant and cultivate it, until the crop is 

 about half grown, and then leave it to its own 

 fate, to struggle with hardy weeds, and lose the 

 benefit from atmospheric influences which it 

 would receive if the surface were in a proper con- 

 dition. 



Look at the practice — investigate it, and learn 

 whether you can afford to neglect the crops al- 

 ready half grown, for the sake of beginning hay- 

 ing a week earlier. 



For the New England Farmer. 



DAIRY STOCK. 



Who shall decide when doctors disagree ? — 

 Which has the greater influence in the produc- 

 tion of superior stock for dairy purposes, the 

 male or the female ? I had supposed it was gen- 

 erally understood that the male was entitled to 

 as much consideration as the female, until I saw 

 it somewhere authoritatively quoted from the 

 28th page of the Secretary's Report on Stock, 

 that "it is now conceded otherwise." If this be 

 so, I should like to see the data from which the 

 conclusion is drawn. Such has not been the 

 judgment or observation of those with whom I 

 have associated for the last thirty years. Such 

 has not been the principle upon which premiums 

 have been off"ered or awarded, so far as I have 

 understood the matter. I admit this is an age 

 of improvement, though I think the laws of gen 

 oration are not essentially changed. *. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 COLOR OF CATTLE. 



Mr. Editor : — In your paper of this month, I 

 read an article signed "Inquirer," April 8, ask- 

 ing information respecting the various colors in 

 horned cattle. I do not know that I can give 

 much light on the subject, but it is matter that 

 would be interesting to know about. It ap- 

 pears that in difi"erent sections of the country 

 and all over the world the color varies some- 

 what. Cattle that are driven from the Western 

 prairies for this market partake of grey, red and 

 white, while in the New England States they art 

 brown, red and black ; I am induced to think it 

 may be chance in cattle, as well as in other 

 things. 



I have raised this season two broods of chick- 

 ens of the Golden Bantam breed, having but one 

 male and two pullets, and no other fowls any- 

 where near, and the result has been from the first 

 brood of eight chickens, five pure golden chick- 

 ens, two white and one black ; in the second 

 brood of seven chickens, four pure golden, two 

 black and one white. Now this must be chance, 

 and why should not the same be chance in cattle 

 aj in fowls ? Still it may be in crossing the dif- 

 ferent breeds of cattle, but we have Scripture au- 

 thority that the difl"erent colors were produced by 

 Jacob in taking rods of green poplar and of the 

 hazel and chestnut tree, and pealed white streaks 

 in them, and set the rods before the flocks in the 

 gutters and watering troughs, and the flocks con- 

 ceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle 

 ring-streaked, speckled and spotted. I hope 

 some one acquainted with the raising of stock 

 will give some light on the subject. 



Old Jacob. 



A STREET SCENE. 



The other day, as I came down Broome Street, 

 I saw a street musician playing near the door of 

 a genteel dwelling. The organ was uncommonly 

 sweet and mellow in its tones, the tunes were 

 slow and plaintive, and I fancied that I saw in 

 the woman's Italian face an expression that indi- 

 cated sufficient refinement to prefer the tender 

 and the melancholy to the lively "trainer tunes" 

 in vogue with the populace. She looked like one 

 who had suff"ered much, and the sorrowful music 

 seemed her own appropriate voice. A little girl 

 clung to her scanty garments, as if afraid of all 

 things but her mother. As I looked at them, a 

 young lady of pleasing countenan'^e opened tht 

 window, and began to sing like a bird, in keep- 

 ing with the street organ. Two other young girls 

 came and leaned on her shoulder ; and still she 

 sang on. Blessings on her gentle heart ! It was 

 evidently the spontaneous gush of human love 

 and sympathy. The beauty of the incident at- 

 tracted attention. A group of gentlemen gradu- 

 ally collected round the organist ; and ever as the 

 tune ended, they bowed respectfully toward the 

 window, waved their hats, and called out, "More, 

 if you please !" One, whom I knew well for the 

 kindest and truest soul, passed round his hat ; 

 hearts were kindled, and the silver fell in freely. 

 In a m'nute, four or five dollars were collected 

 for the poor woman. She spoke no word of grat- 

 itude, but she gave such a look ! "Will you g' 

 to the next street, and play to a friend of mine ? 



