1837.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



693 



rendering service to their country's best interests. But 

 if it were possible that the pecuniary profit could 

 amount even to fifty per cent, or that' such returns 

 could be expected by the most sanguine, it would be 

 very sliort-sighled policy to destroy all ground for 

 such hopes, and thus remove the only never-failing 

 iiiolive to serve the public, which is presented in self- 

 inlerest. But such an institution, however profitable 

 to agriculture, and to the community in general, is not 

 to be expected even to support itself, much less to 

 yield a pecuniary profit on the investment — and the 

 state, that will receive so much benefit therefrom, 

 ought, both in justice, and in good policy, to pay all 

 that may be wanting for the expense. Every youth 

 thus educated, and who would devote his life to the 

 labors for which he had been so admirably trained and 

 prepared by the studies and hibors of the school, would 

 be of more value to his country than ten times the whole 

 cost of his education at the agricultural school ; and 

 the state would make a capital bargain to defray only 

 half the expense oi thus educating annually any num- 

 ber of boys, who would, by their labor or their money, 

 pay the other half of the necessary expense of such 

 an education. This would be in accordance with the 

 excellent plan of New York of sustaining common 

 schools and agricultural societies — w'hich is by aiding 

 individual efforts, in proportion to the amount of 

 money contributed by individuals — and not by grants 

 entirely gratuitous, as annually and lavishly made to 

 to the altogether worthless primary (or pauper) school 

 system in Virginia. 



From the Genesee Farmer. 

 FATTENING ANIMAl-S. 



The hifjh prices of grain the preseni season, 

 has brought the question home to the business and 

 bosoms of farn)ers, whether merchuntable gram 

 of any kind can profitably be used in fattening 

 beef or pork for sale. VVe think that it cannot; 

 and we have no doubt the verdict of practical far- 

 mers will in general be with us, even when the 

 high prices of" meat are taken into consideration. 



The confessions of some of the most celebrated 

 dealers in cattle in England, admit thai where cat- 

 tle are purchased lor fattening, and fiid in the most 

 accurate and scientific manner from the best mate- 

 rials, that there is oltener a loss than a gain by the 

 process ; and that most of the compensation con- 

 sists in the pleasure of seeing a number of beau- 

 tiful and fat stall-fed cattle. Where the process of 

 fattening in this country is carried on in the same 

 way, with merchantable grain, the result has m 

 general been found very similar. Where the feed- 

 ing has commenced on grass, been carried on with 

 roots, and finished with these, or wiih meal, a 

 handsome profit is frequently realized by the 

 feeder. 



80 with pork. The farmer who commences 

 with sound corn, and finishes with the same, as he 

 must if he begins with it — will have most likely 

 good pork, but of a price which will more than 

 compensate for any superior excellence it may 

 possess. On the contrary, the farmer who allows 

 his pigs a clover field, the gleanings of his orch- 

 ard, and the benefit of his dairy through the sum- 



mer; things that are worth little in themselves^ 

 will find them when the time arrives for fattening, 

 well grown, and in good conditiun — in attainiiTo- 

 which two things, nearly one-half the corn oiven 

 jiigs is usually consumed. I;i this slate, when 

 put up, little of valuable food is lost in the fiitten- 

 ing; but the peas, barley or corn given them, 

 ground or steamed, tells at oiico and perce[)tibly. 



'J'he introduction of the root, culture, especially 

 the ruta baga, has effected a complete revolution 

 in the manner and profits of fattening cattle 

 among fl^rmers who are willing to be taught by 

 experience. The saving in time and expense 

 given in this way to the feeder, and the rapidity 

 with which fat will be taken on by the animal 

 that eats freely, would surprise one who had not 

 tried the experiment. There existed at one time 

 a' senseless prejudice against the ruta baga for 

 fattening cattle, grounded on the assumption, that 

 the roots gave an unpleasant flavor to the' beef. 

 This notion may still exist among those who have 

 not tried them, but twenty years experience in 

 England and in this country, has s|iown the fiilla- 

 cy of such a supposition. 



We saw a smal] cow knocked down the other 

 day, that had been dried oil' late in autumn, put 

 into good clover-f(?ed for a month, and then fed 

 with ruta baga for about the same tiiiie. She 

 would eat a bushel in the morning, and another in 

 the evening; and had a supply of good hav and 

 salt, with occasionally a basket of soft corn, in the 

 room ol the turnips. The beef was of a verv su- 

 periorquality. and she gave one hundred and forty 

 pounds of tried tallow. We do not mention this 

 as any thing extraordinary ; but, since the turnips 

 at the most did not cost over six cents per bushel, 

 it is evident the profits of this mode of feeding 

 must be much greater, as well as made far less 

 troublesome, than that formerly practised. 



From the New England Farmer. 



THIRD ANNUAL, RKPORT OP THE MANA- 

 GERS OF THE BOSTON ASYLUSl' AND FARM 

 SCHOOL. 



The managers of the above institution respect- 

 fully submit to the corporation the Ibilowing re- 

 port :— 



The present board of manajrers was elected in 

 the month of June last, and this report commen- 

 ces wiih that period. 



The objects of the institution are presumed to 

 be well understood. To rescue fi'om the ills and 

 the temptations of povertj^and neglect, those who 

 have been left without a parent's care ; to reclaim 

 li'om moral exposure those who are treading the 

 paths of danger; toi" place the solitary in fami- 

 lies ;" to give to those who know nothii:g of the 

 ties or influences of home, some taste and fond- 

 ness tor a local habitation, at the least ; and to of- 

 \'ev to those, whose only training would otherwise 

 have been in the walks of vice, if not of crime, 

 the greatest blessing which New England can be- 

 stow upon her most favored sons, a good educa- 

 tion, are some of the purposes for which the Asy- 

 lum and Farm School was endowed. Under the 

 blessing of God, success has tlius far attended the 

 exertions which have been made to accomplish 

 these objects. From the monthly reports of the 

 superintendent, and from the personal examina- 



