THE GENESEE FARMER. 



59 



A Mr. Clakk, of Albany, a few yeai-s ago, snc- 

 eeeded in raising the Wild Pigeon in confinement; 

 and from Lis successful experiment we learn that it 

 lays two eegs, and sets fifteen days. In eight days 

 after being'' hatched, they are completely feathered, 

 and fiy from the nests. They hare three or four 

 broods between May and September. Tbe same 

 success has attended Lord Stanley in England, upon 

 a number sent out to him from this country ._ It is 

 very desirable to reclaim and domesticate this yexj 

 prolific and hardy spec-ies, although its extremely 

 erratic disposition will probably render this difti- 

 cult. Its food consists of beech-nuts, acorns, ber- 

 ries, wheat, rice, and so forth. It ranges through- 

 out this country, from 25° to 62° north latitude, 



Sp7'i!i0side, Dec, 1S5T. C. N. BEMENT. 



THE GENESEE FARMER, AND AGRICULTURAL 

 LITERATURE. 



Yesterbat we received our bound volume of 

 this paper, which for the last seventeen years we 

 have scarcely missed from our table. During our 

 association together, it has never once led us into 

 bad company ; and we have many a beautiful model 

 of growing tree, plant, and flower, stored from its 

 well-freighted pages. When it first came into oiir 

 possession, we were but a boy, ami looked upon its 

 illustrations wonderingly, never dreaming that they 

 were real representations of farm animals. But we 

 were not content to look at the pictures ; we began 

 to read, and were soon interested, as every child 

 almost will be, with the descriptions of the higher 

 attainments possible to the farmer. We read, and 

 continued to read. Our mind was improved, our 

 heart enlarged, and thought quickened; and we 

 have continued to read ever since. We have read 

 of our occupation ; and we do not know why the 

 literature now patroni2eu by tlie farmer is not as 

 well calculated to cultivate and develop the mind, 

 and strengthen it, as the study of any other pro- 

 duct of the pen, or of politics, or medicine, or law. 

 The study of his profession by the farmer, with its 

 practical illustrations and connections, is certainly 

 calculated to bring out as many of the finer feelings 

 as the studies we have named. 



As a specimen of agricultural literature, the 

 Farmer compares favorably with any other publi- 

 cation, and we believe has contributed as much 

 to^vard the improvement which has ah-eady taken 

 place in the farm-worker among men, as any other 

 paper. While its signified auu has been to improve 

 the cultivation of the farm, it has done as much,_ or 

 more, in another direction, by cultivating or im- 

 proving the cultivation of the oicner of the farm. 



Of the cultivation of the farm-worker, it has said 

 nothing of its intentions or success ; and when, in 

 the closing remarks of the last volume, the editor 

 asks, "Have we made any progress in agriculture 

 during the present year? " he never once hints that 

 the farmer himself has improved, as we claim to 

 have done. 



We hold that no agriculturist can read a volume 

 of the Genesee Farmer without improving, and 

 believe it is the manifest intention of its editor all 

 the while to make it a man-improving as well as 

 farm-improving paper^ We think we discover this 

 fact stickiug out all through the volume spoken of 

 It can not be claimed as accidental; it is intentional 

 — done with malice j^re^ense and aforethought. 



In eonehision, we ask, is the man-improving work 

 spoken of a laudable one? We claim the improve- 

 ment of his home, and farm, and country, to be. 

 It strengthens our civilization. In fact, agricul- 

 tural improvement is the basis of civilization. It 

 strengthens our government. The man may do- all 

 this without improvement.. Yes ; but the farmer m 

 the defence and hope of his country — he is a soMer 

 on furlough,, with his ballot to represent the sword 

 of his defence. Anything tending to educate him, 

 and give a mind above the groveling narrowness- 

 of nature, is commendable. It will make a more 

 intelligent voter of him, and he will rear that about 

 his home which will be better loved and more 

 worthy of being defended. 



The agricultural paper, as compared with the 

 political, is doing much more toward making our 

 ruralists intelligent voters, as well as good farmers^ 

 Their mission is, then, a noble one. Theii- teach- 

 ings reach and interest the circle aromnd the hearth- 

 stone, for they talk of things which the most illit- 

 erate readily understand. The subjects of the agri- 

 cultural paper are not laid in far-distant climes; 

 the garden, the field, every homestead, is described, 

 and thousands have been brought to improve theiL- 

 farms and themselves by reading such papers as- the 

 one before us. 



It is the manifest duty, then, of every farmer 

 who would seek to build up happiness, industry, 

 ;aud self-culture among his class,, to increase the 

 circulation of this paper and other agricultural 

 literature. It is good seed, and wiU produce good 

 and abiding fruits. w. n. g. 



Lee Center, Lee Co., Jll., Dec, 1S5I. 



» ■ 



Pig Breeding. — An experienced English pig 

 breeder says: "In breeding, the sow should be 

 larger than the male, and the male the most perfect 

 of the two, as the sows will generally breed to tha 

 boar ; that is, the good or bad points of the male 

 will preponderate more in the young ones than 

 those of" the sow. And I have found tliat the boar 

 tlie sow may have had pigs to, the litter hetore, has 

 a great deal to do with the following litter. I oncet 

 put a black sow to a white boai-, and had some 

 black and white pfgs ; I then put her to a black 

 boar, and still had some black and white ; and I 

 had to wait for three litters before getting rid of 

 the white. I once purchased a large-bred York- 

 shire boar, and more than 90 per cent, of his stock 

 died from inflammation of the lungs, or were more 

 or less affected. I afterwards fearri^ed that the sire 

 of the boar died from the same complaint. All this 

 convinced me how particular one should be in using- 

 a pure and sound male animal." 



Eattenixg Sheep in Winter. — Put them iu a 



dry, warm place, and let them have plenty of fresh 

 air ; give them one quart of oats each, morning and 

 evening, with hay and pure water. I fed one iQ 

 this way, last winter, for three montlis, and it was 

 admitted by competent judges to be as fat a sheep 

 as they ever saw. I sold iit to a butcher fou- $11.. 

 Silas Bush. — Shaneateles, Onondaga Qd.^ N. Y. 



The best Time to Cut Timber is about the first 

 of February. At this season the timber is free froiQ 

 sap. I have taken up posts cut at this season, which 

 had been set twenty years, and they were perfectly 

 sound. John Johnson.— i/^.. Washinqtoii^ Ohio^ 



