2.56 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 4 



formed, without regard lo the principle on which 

 success depends. A ram, for instance, of good 

 breed, may have been introduced to a flock of a 

 different one, and after several generations, allow- 

 ing opportunity i()r both sexes to possess some of 

 his blood, it may have been found, that distinctive- 

 ly a new race has been produced, essentially dif- 

 fering, both from the first progenitors, and the first 

 direct or mongrel cross. If the principle be true, 

 its benefits might be obtained, in most cases, with- 

 out the liability of incurring the evils of breeding 

 in and in. And the proper commixture of the two 

 races experimented on, could be better settled by 

 skill in the breeder, than when left to accident. 



But my object at this time is to make some re- 

 marks on the subject of hybrids. It appears to 

 have been ordained, that, as a general rule, these 

 should not breed. The wisdom of this law of na- 

 ture — as it prevents the extinction of original spe- 

 cies and the filling the world with monsters — will 

 be readily perceived. I can, however, see nothing 

 outrageous in the supposition, that many new spe- 

 cies may have been formed since the creation, and 

 that many more may be formed. Economy in the 

 use of means, shows so conspicuously in all the 

 works of nature, that it requires no stretch of ima- 

 gination to suppose, that the many species of plants 

 and animals would hardly have been directly 

 formed, when, possibly, the whole of them miiiht 

 be produced imm two species of each genus. We 

 find that hybrid animals discover no defect of sex- 

 ual desires, and I do not think it violent to suppose, 

 that these might lead to the production of offspring, 

 were it not for some modification in the structure 

 of their sexual organs, which might require pecu- 



liar circumstances to effect such an object. These 

 circumstances I have supposed simply to be, that 

 such animals should come into company with 

 others similarly descended, but Avith parents of 

 opposite sexes. I think it highly probable that 

 procreation would ensue from an association of the 

 itJraale mule with the male hinny, and vice versa. 

 We have mdubitable evidence that hybrids do 

 sometimes breed, and that Mr. Kilby of Nanse- 

 mond ha? a mare mule which has produced two 

 colts. (See vol. III. Farmers' Register, page 440.) 

 Now, suppose this gentleman were to put the mule 

 to an ass, and it should produce a colt differing in 

 sex from the one now living, there is much reason 

 to believe that a continuation of the mule as a dis- 

 tinct and independent species, might be kept up 

 from the two colts thus produced. If Mr. Kilby 

 should think proper to raise more colts from his 

 mule, I think it probable that he would find them 

 more hardy and serviceable vvhen produced from 

 the ass, than from the horse; the hinny — the pro- 

 geny of the horse and the she-ass — being said to 

 be a very delicate and useless animal. 



Having tailed in my attempts for many years, 

 from a variety of accidents, to test the principle on 

 which the foregoing speculation is founded, by 

 using the different species of ducks, and finding 

 that Mr. Kilby has it in his power to make a fair 

 experiment, I have determined to submit the no- 

 tion to you, to him, and, if you think proper, to the 

 public, and am, sir. 



Most respectfully, 



Yours, &c. 



A. B. C. 



Table of Contents of Fanners'' Register. J\\f, 4, F*ol. IT*. 



ORIGINAL, COMMUNICATIONS. 



Oil tfie culture of wheat - - P^ge 193 



Answer to queries respecting the housing of corn 



of the last crop .... 201 

 Essay on the nature, formation, properties and pro- 

 ductions of argillaceous soils - - 202 

 Analyses and qualities of Magnesian soils - 212 

 On mixing other grasses with clover, to prevent it's 



salivating horses fed on it - - - 220 



Fact stated of remarkable iuiprovement of land 232 

 Germination of wheat in ice - - - 232 



On the Echelon Cultivator and Expanding Har- 

 row ..... 237 

 Fertilizing effects of clover ... 240 

 Facts and estimates respecting beet sugar - 247 

 Notices of seasons in olden times 247 

 Anticipated change in the agriculture of the Uni- 

 ted States. Silk and beet sugar culture - 251 

 The marly (or gypseous) earth of Geneseo, N. Y. 252 

 Extracts of private correspondence - - 253 

 Wheat crop in the Northern Neck - - 254 

 The season, and wheat crop ... 254 

 Commercial report .... 254 

 Accounts, and collections of payments - 255 

 Remarks on the propagation of hybrid animals 255 



SKLKCTIONS. 



History of the nutmeg - - - 195 



Effects of gases on vegetation - - 197 



To keep bugs from vines ... 197 



Defects in the existing law, and practice, in regard 



to the issuing of patents - - - 197 



On the Eastern Shore rail-way - - 200 

 Passage of the Maryland Internal Improvement 



bill .-...- 201 



Prickley comfrey — a new kind of food for cattle 216 



Culture of the tea plant in Ohio - - 217 



Preservation of leeches ... 217 



Resistance on rail-ways ... 217 



Trade of the United States - - - 218 

 Statement of draining and cultivating swampy 



land ----- 218 



Facts in regard to the germination of seeds - 221 



Crimson clover - - - - - 221 



The magic or tree onion ... 221 

 Mr. Van Mons' theory and method of raising 



good fruit trees from the seeds - - 222 

 General directions and remarks with respect to 



mulberry and silk culture ... 232 

 To promote early bearing of the apple and pear 234 

 Vegetable dyes .... 234 

 To determine the weight of hay, in the slack 234 

 On the tendency of plants to re-produce them- 

 selves ..... 234 

 List of patents for agricultural implements. Sec. 



issued in November, 1835 ... 235 

 Mineral manures, (continued) — lime kilns — com- 

 post — marl, &.C. .... 240 

 Lampas in horses .... 240 

 Hay and beet root sugar imported from France 247 

 Beet sugar - . . . . 260 

 Soil and climate for the sugar beet - - 252 



