78 



Dairy Maid and Blossom. — A nohle Landlord. 



VOL.V. 



From tlie Inquirer and Courier. 



We invite attention to the communication 

 of James Gowen, Esq., inserted in another 

 part of our paper : we point to it with plea- 

 sure, as an evidence of liberal public spirit, 

 on the part of an enterprising agriculturist 

 of Philadelphia county. This kind of gene- 

 rous and patriotic rivalry is altogether lauda- 

 ble ; its results cannot but prove salutary. 



Dairy Maid* and Blossom.t 



To the Editor of the Inquirer: 



Dear Sir, — On looking over the " Farmers' 

 Cabinet" for this present month, I saw, for 

 the first time, Mr. Samuel Canby's statement 

 of one week's yield of milk of his Durham 

 cow " Blossom," copied from the Delaware 

 Journal, by which it appears that Blossom 

 gave over 35 quarts per day, a result which 

 affords me great satisfaction, inasmuch, as 

 when I furnished you with the yield of my 

 Durham cow, " Dairy Maid," for one week, 

 showing over 33^ quarts per day, I felt a little 

 concerned, lest some of your readers might 

 think I had been rather poetical in my prose; 

 but Mr. Canby's statement of over 35 quarts 

 per day, covers my position, and must bring 

 the sceptics to admit, that if his was possible, 

 mine was not so improbable as they have 

 thought it to be. 



I fear Mr. Canby quotes my remark, that 

 Dairy Maid's yield of 33| per day " was un- 

 precedented," in the sense as though I had 

 said that it could not be beaten, for he seems 

 to place Blossom's yield in opposition to it. 

 I did not intend a challenge by the remark, 

 but simply, that I believed it to be unprece- 

 dented at the time I made use of the expres- 

 sion. I could not say so now, being informed 

 of the yield of Blossom, but this is subsequent 

 to the time I made the statement of Dairy 

 Maid's yield public. Up to that time, for 

 aught I knew, it was unprecedented, and 

 Dairy Maid stood first in the rank of milkers 

 — that she has to yield now, in appearance, to 

 Blossom's exceedingly abundant fruit, is easily 

 accounted for in the freshness of Blossom. 



Dairy Maid calved on the 16th of February, 

 and was milked for trial on the first week of 

 June, being the fourth month from calving. 

 "Blossom," according to Mr. Canby's state- 

 ment, calved 16th of May, and was milked 

 for trial in the week beginning on the 13th 

 of June, just one month from calving. Now, 

 every breeder or dairy-man must perceive 

 that " Dairy Maid's" giving 33^ quarts a day 

 3 J months from calving, after suckling a calf 

 three months, which was the case, gives to 

 " Blossom," who milked 35 quarts one month 

 from calving, but a questionable triumph over 

 " Dairy Maid." 



* See page 380, vol. iv. Cabinet, 

 t See page 41, vol. v. Cabinet. 



Mr. Canby seems to hold out, if he does 

 not actually tlirow the glove " for the credit 

 of little Delaware," and as I am not slow in 

 taking a hint, I shall not keep him long in 

 suspense, if he will allow me to premise a 

 few words. First, no one can have a higher 

 opinion of " Little Delaware" than I have. 

 In men she always was and now is able to 

 compete with any State in the Union. In 

 cattle she may surpass Pennsylvania, for we 

 have been for a long time the jest of the 

 traders from the East and West, who, when 

 speaking of a Dutch Pennsylvania Dairy, 

 sum it up as consisting of " eleven horses and 

 three cotes," But notwithstanding all that, 

 there are some good dairies in Pennsylvania, 

 and some good cattle too, and it will not be 

 the fault of some few citizens of Philadel- 

 phia and adjoining counties, if in a few years 

 Pennsylvania cannot brag the whole Union. 

 In the mean time, I'll try my hand at " Little 

 Delaware," by proposing to Mr. Canby to put 

 " Dairy Maid" in competition against his cow 

 "Blossom," in a trial of one week's milking, 

 to take place at any time over three months 

 from calving, as may suit the convenience of 

 their respective owners. If Mr. Canby's cow 

 " Blossom" yields a greater quantity of milk 

 in the week than " Dairy Maid," then am I 

 to pay to the Delaware Agricultural Society, 

 for its use, the sum of five hundred dollars — 

 if, on the contrary, " Dairy Maid" yields the 

 most, then will Mr. Canby have to pay to the 

 Philadelphia Society for promoting Agricul- 

 ture, a similar sum. Any communication re- 

 lating to these premises will meet with due 

 attention. 



Very respectfully, your ob't. servant, 



James Gowen. 



Pliilad. Aug. 17, 1840. 



A Noble Landlord. 



We cannot resist the pleasure of copying 

 into our pages a few extracts from a speech 

 of the Duke of Buckingham, delivered at a 

 meeting of his tenants, at his residence, the 

 first year after the decease of his father ; it 

 contains sentiments that do him honour. 



" Gentlemen, and I may add, my very kind 

 and much-respected friends and tenantry, let 

 me hasten to thank you for your enthusiastic 

 reception of this toast, and my old friend and 

 tenant Bennet, for giving it. I take the ear- 

 liest opportunity afforded me, of marking the 

 respect I entertain for you by meeting you, 

 and of expressing the pleasure and gratifica- # 

 tion I experience in seeing so many present. 1 

 It is my delight, and it is my intention to 

 meet you often — always to be accessible to 

 your application — and ready to listen with 

 attention to your statements, wishes and 

 opinions. 



