60 



Cattle Breeding. 



Vol. VIIL 



tildes, the poor fellow was condemned to 

 have one of his wint^s clipped, that as a de- 

 graded biped, he mij^ht, like his accusers, 

 walk on the face of the earth. It is vexins: 

 to see him, when he attempts to fly with the 

 remaining win?, falling down to the ground 

 after being provokingly twirled round. 



The only way in which he can now taste 

 some of the departed joys of exalted station, 

 is by mounting an old apple-tree in the gar- 

 . den, the lowest branches being within his 

 reach, and when he has reached the highest, 

 he shows how delighted he is, by proud caw- 

 ings and cacklings. 



He is a very cleanly bird, as his glossy 

 plumage shows. When a pail of water is 

 placed within his reach, he immediately 

 enters it and splashes it about with great 

 delight. He is still more delighted when 

 there is a fall of snow, for he rolls in it, 

 flaps and flutters amongst it, taking it up in 

 his bill and throwing it about with the great- 

 est glee and merriment. 



Long live this kind-hearted rook ! and as 

 tjoe have reason and revelation to guide, may 

 we remember that we are bound to surpass 

 him in his amiable qualities. 



I am, dear Sirs, yours, &c., 



David Landsborough. 



Manse, of Ste version, Ayrshire, 

 Feb. 13th, 1843. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Cattle Breeding. 



Mr. Editor, — 



I FOUND in the last number of your valu- 

 able Cabinet of farming treasures, its usual 

 rich collection of agricultural subjects; but 

 of all these, nothing interested me so much 

 as the Circular in the number preceding the 

 last, from the committee of the New York 

 State Agricultural Society, calling together 

 a Convention of breeders, not of its own 

 particular State, but from all parts of tlie 

 Union. This is as it should be ; and it is 

 hoped that the call will be fully responded 

 to, by an able representation from the seve- 

 ral States. The circular is a short, simple, 

 but able paper, summing up, in a few words, 

 all that need be said on the subject. And 

 no one, I think, will read it without feeling 

 the importance of the objects it has in view, 

 and the judicious precaution which has been 

 taken to guard against that most unprofitable 

 discussion on the relative value of different 

 breeds; this question, when it has been 

 argued, is treated as though the objects to 

 be obtained, were always identical; as 

 though circumstances in relation to stock, 

 were always the same; as though there 

 were but one soil, one climate, one market ! 

 A controversy of the same character also 



exists in relation to ox and horse labour; 

 and always must exist, as long as it con- 

 tinues to be argued under all the variety of 

 circumstances in which their respective ad- 

 vocates use and view them. It were to my 

 thinking, about as wise to contend, under 

 the same vague premises, which were the 

 better conveyance, a wheeled carriage or a 

 sleigh ; a wheel-barrow or a wagon. 



But to return — I anticipate from this in- 

 vestigation, to be made under " a full and 

 free discussion," the establishment of certain 

 generally allowed data, and fixed principles, 

 by which animals of the respective breeds, 

 are to be judged and estimated; and by 

 which, the young breeder, if he be so 

 minded, may govern himself, feeling some 

 assurance that his stock will be judged on 

 the same principles which have regulated 

 their breeding. As things now are ; to the 

 question of, " What are you going to take to 

 the fair!" I am frequently answered, "I 

 really can't say; if I knew who were the 

 judges, I should know what to do:" meaning 

 no distrust of the integrity of the gentle- 

 men who may be chosen as a committee ; 

 but knowing, as there are no fixed or gene- 

 rally admitted rules on the subject, they 

 will, of course, measurably be governed by 

 their own individual tastes and favourite 

 points; one may consider quality as all in 

 all — another may give the same importance 

 to weight; a third, to style; a fourth, to 

 size, &c. 



Breeding improved stock is of recent date 

 with us, and information is much wanted on 

 the subject by our young men, and indeed 

 by all of us : and as the very nature of our 

 pursuit prevents that frequent personal in- 

 terchange and comparing of opinion, so ne- 

 cessary to rapid dissemination of knowledge 

 in any particular branch, we shall hope to 

 see in your valuable periodical, a, full report 

 not only of the results to which the conven- 

 tion arrives, but if possible, of the mate- 

 rials from which its conclusions have been 

 drawn. Yours, with respect, 



A Breeder. 



Aug. 22nd, 1843. 



It is said that rents for land in the vicinity 

 of Edinburgh, range from £7 to £15 per 

 acre, also round about Dublin. In the Lo- 

 thians, farm rents range from £4 to j£6 per 

 acre. " Farm 340 acres ; old lease of 19 

 years, lately expired ; old rent, £1,700, or 

 £5 per acre. The farmer took off £18,000 

 to £20,000, and has bought a handsome 

 estate in this neighbourhood, which he is 

 improving ; this farm is re-let, on a new 

 lease for 19 years, at a rent of £2,000, or 

 £6 per acre." — Boston Cultivator. 



