S12 



THE GEIfESEE FARMER. 



TEAZING ANIMALS AT FAIRS-A WOED OF CAUTION 



In one of his recent letters from England, San- 

 ford Howard gives a much needed word of caution 

 to persons attending agricultural fairs. 



Perliaps you will have seen, before this reaches 

 you, tliat Lord Feversham's prize Short-horn bull 

 killed a man in the show-yard at North Allerton. 

 Tlie occasion justifies some remarks. It is on the 

 whole remarkable, that accidents do not occur more 

 frequently, when we see how such animals are 

 treated ; the case in hand may be taken as an ex- 

 ample, though with some attendant circumstances 

 not usually met with. The bull in question was 

 the taker of the first prize in his class at Chester, 

 and the award was the subject of free comment 

 with the crowd. lie was again the winner of the 

 first prize at North Allerton— liis most formidable 

 competitor taking the second — the relative position 

 of the two animals being precisely the same as at 

 the show of the Royal Society. The second deci- 

 sion was the topic of much discussion, and the two 

 bulls were constantly under the eyes and fingers of 

 critics. They were not allowed to rest a moment. 

 Though loaded with fat to a degree that their legs 

 could hardly support the enormous weight of their 

 bodies, the spectators would give them no time to 

 lie down ; but for niany hours together they -were 

 made to attitudinize for the gratification of the 

 crowd. Of course, the patience of an animal must 

 wear out under such misery, and he must either 

 give up in despair, or, if he has spirit enough, show 

 proper resentment. I noticed that Lord^.'s bull 

 grew fretful under his torture. The man who was 

 killed, a respectable tenant of Lord F., went near the 

 head of the bull, or forward of him, as he stood in 

 the stall, and while in this situation received the 

 fatal blow. It is to be hoped tliat his fate may be 

 a warning to others, and that animals at shows may 

 have less cause for acts of self-defence and retaliation. 



EASTESN FARMERS WANTED IN IOWA. 



Editoes Geneske Faemek: — The last number 

 contains some capital essays on the subject of 

 Farmers Homes. By reading their articles, one 

 can form an idea ot what kind of farmers they are. 

 I would say that they are a neat set of farnx^rs 

 living on small farms, every thing fixed to enjoy 

 life— a place tor everything and everything in" its 

 place, I am well satisfied that the Yankee farmers 

 make more clear money oft' of ten acres of land than 

 ■we do oflf of one hnndred. This is owing to the 

 way things are managed. I will here say that our 

 farmers will never make it a profitable business 

 until they draw in sail and learn to crawl before 

 they walk ; or, in other words, do less and do it 

 better, and live within their income. We need a 

 lot of eastern farmers, just such ones as write for 

 the^ Oenesee Farmer^ out here, to set us an example, 

 while tliere is a stagnation in all kinds of business. 

 We nQQiS. farmers — men of intelligence, experience, 

 and capital — men devoted to their calling, and who 

 are willing, and who have the means, to open up 

 farms that will serve as modes for those who follow 

 after, and at the same time furnish our towns with 

 all the luxuries of tlie older States, such as vege- 

 ables, fruits, animals of improved breeds, etc. 



Miiicatine, Iowa, July 25. E. L. SUMNEJB. 



SUGGESTED INFERENCES. 



"When I see a farmer evincing no interest what- 

 ever in adorning and beautifying his farm and 

 home, the inference is, that I have discovered a 

 culpable defect in his operations, and one which 

 will instil in his sons a radical dislike to farm life, 

 which will ultimately induce them to forsake it, 

 and select one which appears less odious or unat- 

 tractive. 



AVhen I see a farmer's dwelling standing exposed 

 to the scorching rays of a summer's sun, or the 

 rude blast of a wintry sky, destitute of the requisite 

 defences, I soliloquiziugly conclude, that if that man 

 had possessed any degree of taste in improving his 

 home, he would have availed himself of some of 

 the numerous facilities offered in propagating and 

 transplanting young trees; and thereby giving his 

 home an air of pleasantness, which nothing else 

 can impart. 



When I see an orchard consisting of a few 

 dwarfed, dilapidated, nnpruned trees, producing 

 an unwholesome decayed fruit, I silently cogitate 

 within myself how this deficiency might be sup- 

 plied, and thereby promote the profitableness of 

 the farm, and make farm life congenial to our incli- 

 nations. 



When I see a farmer laboring incessantly, good 

 weather and bad, in order to put in cultivation a 

 superabundant quantity of land without adequate 

 assistance and forethought, I am then very dubious 

 as to whether he will succeed in consummating his 

 labor in time to exi>erience results commensurate 

 to it. 



Besides, I think if he would apply more of his 

 time in studying the nature of his soil, the affini- 

 ties of his seed to his soil, he might avoid many of 

 the evils occasioned by over-cropping, and be en- 

 abled to prosecute all of his designs with better 

 success, and in the end realize the fact that his avo- 

 cation of all others, is the most pleasant, lucrative, 

 and most conducive both to mental and physical 

 health. oyeus hampton. 



B-utler Co., Kij. 



ROTES FilOM MINNESOTA. 



Editors Genesee Farmer : — I am sorry that I 

 can not tell you a better story of om* crops this 

 season. I never saw such hot and loet weather as 

 we have had this year. We had magnificent pyro- 

 technic exhibitions in 'the heavens almost every 

 night for more than one month. About the time 

 that the small grain was ripening, we had scalding 

 showers nearly every day. Of course, the wheat 

 became rusty, and it is my impression that we shall 

 not have half a crop. The incessant rains also beat 

 the wlieat and oats down very badly. A severe 

 hail storm passed over a portion of Southern Min- 

 nesota. Barley, which is not very extensively cul- 

 tivated here, did not fare qnite so badly. The 

 corn crop promises to be much better than we 

 have raised before. Some is already out of the 

 way of the frost. I have difficulty to get a mess 

 for cooking in a field of 16 acres. Potatoes will be 

 good, if the rot or blight does not take them. — 

 Vines, cabbages, and other garden vegetables, are 

 growing finely. A smaller growth of vines, etc., 

 would promise more fruit. 



Garden strawberries, raspberries, etc., grow 



