250 



Crack Stock. 



Vol. VI. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Crack Stock. 



Sir, — I have said, it is not necessary that 

 the stock of the improving breeder should 

 consist of high-priced animals of any variety ; 

 and I am led to the re-consideration of the 

 important observation, by seeing the adver- 

 tisement of sale of Co!. Jaques's stock of 

 " Cream-pot" cattle, which are made to ap- 

 pear upon paper about as high in value as 

 those of any crack breed whatever, be they 

 short, or long, or middle horns; and yet they 

 are merely the produce of judgment in the 

 selection and care in the rearing, and cross- 

 ing with our native breeds. There are also 

 the grand red cattle, belonging to Mr. R. T. 

 Potts, which took premiums and won high 

 encomiums at our last agricultural exhibition, 

 and from which ho will, by his consummate 

 skill and care in the rearing, produce a stock 

 of cattle which — or I am much mistaken — 

 will far outvie many scores of those of which 

 we see and hear so much, with long pedi- 

 grees and heathen names ! There is also the 

 cow " Yellow Flower," a common cow of the 

 country, as she is termed by her owner, and 

 which superior animal I was so fortunate as 

 to see some months ago ; and the very fine 

 half-breed animal " Queen of Chester," whose 

 portrait is given at p. 25 of the present volume 

 of the Cabinet; as also a cow belonging to 

 Mr. Ken worthy, of Frankford, whose history 

 I will endeavour to procure for your pages 

 on a future occasion — from such stock I am 

 satisfied that a breed of cattle for the dairy 

 might be raised, far superior to a great pro- 

 portion of those which are sent over to us for 

 no other purpose, it would seem, than to "as- 

 tonish the natives." 



Now there can be no reason in the world 

 why persons should not amuse themselves in 

 any way they may choose, in the very lauda- 

 ble pursuit of rearing fine stock; but I do 

 protest against the right of those who have 

 thought proper to commit themselves so deep- 

 ly in a speculation, which, in my opinion, 

 is sure to deceive their expectation, to compel 

 us to believe that none but the breed which 

 they have chosen to lavish their favours upon 

 can be worthy of any consideration ; and I 

 am not willing to submit to the opinion, so 

 unceremoniously expressed by them, that a 

 man's judgment in stock must be measured 

 by the length of the horn of his favourite 

 breed, and the euphonious names, which it 

 has been his pleasure to adorn them withal. 

 But thus it is, and there will always he some 

 new thing to urge us on, if it be only to sub- 

 stitute one thing for another — the size and 

 colour of our animals for instance — and then 

 away go the cost of thousands, perhaps, in a 

 twinkling — witness the great white ho<r that 



has been brought over from England by A. 

 B. Allen, and which is to take the place of 

 the black-and-white Albany humbugs — both 

 small and great — in about another year, a 

 space of time that would have sufficed to set- 

 tle the disputes of Messrs. Bennet and Loss- 

 ing, without giving them the necessity of 

 showing themselves up to the public in the 

 way in which they have long been amusing 

 one another, to the edification of those who 

 have expended their hundreds of dollars for 

 white hairs in the tail and three white feet 

 on a black hog ! But I would fain ask, what 

 more need be desired in tiie shape of a hog, 

 than what we already possess in our own 

 Chester and Delaware-county breeds'? Wit- 

 ness the account furnished by Homer Eachus 

 at p. 329, vol. 5, as also at p. 133 of the pre- 

 sent volume of the Cabinet. If less be re- 

 quired, it is only to cross by means of "one 

 dip" with the Berkshire, and then you have 

 whatever you desire. I tell you, Mr. Editor, 

 we are fooling away our time and money 

 by seeking abroad what we already possess 

 at home ; it is only for us to have more con- 

 fidence in our own judgment and exercise it 

 in the way they do in England, and there 

 will be no need of any one going to bring 

 over either white or black hogs, or long or 

 short-horned cattle, any more. 



But just as I am writing comes the "Dela- 

 ware Republican," in which is contained an 

 excellent article touching on this subject, 

 which I am induced to copy for insertion in 

 your very valuable pages, and with which I 

 conclude. Subscriber. 



" The cultivation of the soil, in a free coun- 

 try, is the highest and noblest profession in 

 which man can be engaged — as it is the 

 foundation of all true wealth. It is also the 

 solid basis of a nation's greatness. In the 

 vast resources of the soil, commerce finds ca- 

 pital and employment — from the rich grana- 

 ries of the nation are her manufactures cher- 

 ished ; the mechanic, artisan, and labourer 

 clothed and fed. 



" Many plans have been set on foot for the 

 encouragement of agriculture, and mostly by 

 those who have no practical knowledge of 

 farming, or the slow and tedious method of 

 cultivating the soil of their country by their 

 own manual labour. The schemes of wealth 

 and improvement set before the honest farm- 

 ers by these theoretical tillers of the soil, are 

 to be found in the management of the five 

 hundred dollar cow with the male that shall 

 cost one thousand dollars, requiring the atten- 

 tion of as many hands to keep them in the 

 high condition they are generally kept, as are 

 required in the management of a moderate 

 sized farm, including the stock. Good stock 

 is a desirable portion of the farmer's wealth 

 — yet the value of the stock by no means 



