1856. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



283 



planted ; but the farmers were busy in preparing 

 their fields, and by the 15th it was thought the 

 seed would generally be in the ground. The grass 

 crop is said never to have looked better than it 

 now does. The prospect is that it will be nearly 

 double what it was last year. 



The Rochester Democrat of the 5th says : "We 

 learn from Ephraim Goes, Esq., of Pittsford, who 

 has just returned from quite an extensive western 

 tour, that in the six States through portions of 

 which he passed, the wheat crop looks well, and 

 there is a pretty large breadth of land sown. 

 But in Southern Michigan, it surpasses any thing 

 heretofore sP'-'n in the western country. It is con- 

 siderably more forward than in Western New 

 York, and promises such a yield as has never been 

 surpassed in auy portion of the Union." 



The Bangor Whig of Monday says that the 

 grass is starting favorably in that region, and is 

 much more forward than at the corresponding 

 period of last year, notwithstanding the rains 

 have been light as yet. 



For the New England Farmer. 



WHAT A NATIVE COW IS. 



Mr. Editor : — Dear Sir, — In reply to the in- 

 quiry of "W. S. L.," in the Partner of the 5th 

 inst., "What constitutes a cow of native breed ?" 

 I would respectfully say, that when I use the 

 terra native, it is in the sense generally given to 

 it by practical, common sense men. Scarcely an 

 art'cle appears in relation to cattle, that does not 

 speak of native cattle. He says he means by 7ia- 

 tive breed one "indigenous to the country" — that 

 is, according to Webster, "born within it, not 

 exotic" — "not imported from abroad." How 

 long an animal must have been within the coun- 

 try to entitle its progeny to be called native, it 

 may not be easy to define. 1 have been accus- 

 tomed to look upon animals as native, that are 

 not clearly shown to be of a different character. 

 It was in this view of the subject that I said 

 '^nine-tenths of all the stock of New England are 

 natives. This expression may appear extravagant 

 to a gentleman who has been brought up to look 

 upon improved imported stock alone as worthy of 

 notice ; but I think it will not so appear to those 

 common sense farmers who never owned any of 

 the imported stock. 



Far be it from me to discourage, in any manner, 

 the introduction of such stock. I am glad to 

 know, from so good authority, the degree of at- 

 tention given to this stock in the county of 

 Worcester. I presume there is no other county 

 in the Commonwealth that can show a statement 

 any tiling like it. And, notwithstanding tlie in- 

 timation of the gentleman that some idea of the 

 general characteristics of the stock of the county 

 can be formed from these facts, I presume he will 

 not liazard the assertion that even one-fourth part 

 of the animals in his own chcrislied city are what 

 he would term "improved cattle." "By their 

 fruits ye shall know them," is a maxim as appli- 

 cable to cattle as to persons ; and when this rule- 

 is applied, and the best products of the county 



of Worcester are compared witl the common 

 products of some other counties within my know- 

 ledge, the improved character of their stock will 

 taper off to a point almost imperceptible. Iclieer- 

 fully admit that a stock of cows that yield a 

 pound of butter each daily, for six months in a 

 year, is entitled to be called good. I have rarely 

 seen or known a stock doing better than this, on 

 ordinary feed, whatever may be the br<'od. If I 

 could find six native cows that would do this, at 

 $50 each, I should prefer them to six of the best 

 improved, costing $200 each, wherever found. 

 May 7, 1855. Essex. 



RAIN IN SUMMER. 



BY B. P. SHILLABER. 



The farmer's heart was sad, his toil was vain, 

 His famished crops were crisping in the field. 



For not one drop of life-sustaining rain 

 Did the red clouds of 'summer deign to yield. 



The cattle 'neath the trees, with lolling tongue, 

 Gave up the search of herbage in despair, 



And listless in the shade their heads they hunp, 

 And ch"wed their cuds with most desponding air. 



The brook was dry, or stood a muddy pool. 

 Whose stagnant waters none might dare to drink, 



Which fete, in crystiil brightness, pure and cool. 

 Wooed with its song the thirsty to its brink. 



The burning sun drank up the pearly dew 



That evening pitying, on creation shed. 

 And o'er the parched earth his hot beams threw — 



The herbage sickened, and the flowers lay dead. 



The river shimmered in its lurid rays. 

 The corn grew dry and withered as it stood, 



The fainting birds scarce raised their tunely lays 

 In dim recesses of the ancient wood. 



Then man and vegetation prayed for rain — 

 The withered stalks, like famished hands werer.iised ; 



But day by day was man's petition vain. 

 The clouds arose and vanished as he gazed. 



At length the blessed boon, so long withheld. 

 Came like an angel down in man's dismay, 



Cheering the heart, that well-uigli had rebelled. 

 And giving joy where grief erewhile held sway. 



The thirsty earth drank in with greedy tongue, 

 The cooling flood that trickled o'er its breast — 



The trees abroad their arms enraptured flung. 



And grass and flower once more upreared their crest. 



The brooks again resumed their gladsome song, 

 And through the meadows took their cheerful way ; 



Onee more the corn its verdant pennons flung, 

 Once more the birds made merry on the spray. 



The farmer's heart grew glad, and on his knee, 

 ITis voice attuned with warm devotion's strain, 



He poured his soul in gratitude to see 

 The blessed coming of the summer rain, 



Which 'alls, like God's own spirit, on tlie dust 

 Of man's fallen nature, dead in sin and pain. 



Till with a newer hope and holier trust 

 It wakens into life and joy again. 



Co.ypARATivE Prices in 18-16 and 1855. — The N. 

 Y. Jonrnal of Co??i/«f7Tt' publishes a tabular state- 

 ment of the wholesale, or cargo prices of articles 

 of consumption for ten years past — fnuji 1840 to 

 1855, both inclusive. From this it appears that 

 while a few articles, such as sugars and iiKjlasses, 

 and certain kinds of tea and spices, are now ac- 

 tually lower than they wore in 184G, the great 



