1869. 



NEW ENGLAJJD FARMER. 



103 



rocky bills and in a cold climate, where the 

 grass starts late, and the cattle must be taken 

 early from the pasture and then fed upon hay 

 of an inferior quality, smaller breeds will 

 thrive better and yield better returns for the 

 cost of keeping. 



But what is the object of the farmer in 

 keeping stock? If he is near th? market, 

 where his milk can be daily served to his cus- 

 tomers, and where the butcher will pay the 

 highest price for his calves, he will raise but lit- 

 tle stock, and make only butter for his own 

 family, if he even do that. He will seek for 

 those cows that will yield the most milk, with- 

 out reference to beef, or the quality of the 

 milk. He is satisfied with any cow that will 

 fill his pail at a reasonable cost of keeping, 

 without regard to breed or grade. He will go 

 among the beef raisers or dairymen, and pur- 

 chase those that have the points of large milk- 

 ers, believing it cheaper than to raise them 

 himself. This c.Iass of men will generally, in 

 New England, keep the Ayrshire cows or their 

 grades, and we think they will find that the 

 more Ayrshire blood they get the better their 

 wants will be met. In the lower part of the 

 valley of the Connecticut, in the neighbor- 

 hood of New York, Philadelphia or Cincin- 

 nati!, where there is an abundance of rich 

 pasturage, they will prefer the Short-horns or 

 their grades, because while they give an equal 

 quantity of milk, their calves are worth more 

 for veal, and the cows themselves, when they 

 cease to give milk, are worth more for beef. 



If the object is butter making, the same 

 considerations of soil and climate will go far 

 to decide what breed shall be kept. Where 

 the soil and climate are suited to them, the 

 Short-horns or their grades will be chosen. In 

 the colder States the Devons or their grades 

 with the Ayrshires will be preferred. Some 

 prefer to keep a few Alderneys, believing that 

 their cream added to that of the rest of the 

 herd, makes the butter of the whole better. 

 Those who keep one or two cows for the use 

 of the family, will be glad to get Ald6rneys, 

 on account of the superior quality of both the 

 milk and butter, — beef and veal being of no 

 consideration with such, in comparison to the 

 quality of the milk and butter. 



The stock raisers, too, must be governed 

 by considerations of soil and climate. The 

 Vermont stock raisers generally prefer the 



Devons on account of their hardiness and early 

 maturity, believing that they yield abetter re- 

 turn for the cost of keeping than the larger 

 breeds. In Western New York, Peunsylva- 

 nla, Ohio, Illinois and Kentucky, the Short- 

 horns are justly preferred. In these States 

 we find the most magnificent specimens of this 

 race. Their pastures afford the very condi- 

 tions they need. Hence the breeders of these 

 States attach but little value to the smaller 

 breeds. 



The question, then, which is the best breed 

 of cows, like the question, which is the best 

 grape, must be answered by reference to lo- 

 cal considerations. There is no one breed of 

 cattle, and no one grape that is best through- 

 out our widely extended country, with its 

 great diversity of soil and climate. That 

 breed or plant is best for any locality that is 

 best suited to the soil or climate, or that can 

 best resist the obstacles to its thrift and popu- 

 lation. We will close with a single remark — 

 never keep a poor cow of any breed, and es- 

 pecially never attempt to raise her progeny. 



ioittm 



A SPIDER'S MATfiRNAL AFFECTION". 



A correspondent of Ilardwicke' s Science 

 Gossip says : — 



"In the course of last summer, when out 

 for a naturalist's 'constitutional,' a circum- 

 stance came under my notice, which, In justice 

 to the 'poison-fang fraternity,' I have thought 

 ought to be told. In an old hedge, dry as 

 dust, I found a great many varieties of spiders. 

 One of these, a dark colored, grizzly-looking 

 jade, I captured, with a view to our becoming 

 better acquainted. Under and in immediate 

 contact with the abdomen, she carried a 

 cocoon, containing (I presume) eggs or baby- 

 spiders. 



In form and size it resembled a small grain 

 and you shall never be put to shame. Now 

 of hempseed, and was kept in its place by the 

 first pair of legs clasping it. When the co- 

 coon was severed from her, the mother would 

 not leave the palm of my hand on which I held 

 them, but stood at a short distance apparently 

 watching intently her precious load, towards 

 which she several times made a rush, and with 

 a rapidity that eluded my sight, picked it up 

 and attempted to make off with it. I several 

 times deprived this dutiful mother of her 

 charge, and as often she proved that she val- 

 ued her own life less than its loss. Indeed, 

 the 'first law of nature,' self-preservation, 

 seemed in her case to have been suspended." 



