86 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



SEPT. J5, 1841. 



AND HORTICULTURAL REGISTER. 



Boston, Wednesday, Septembeb 16, 1841. 



CATTLK SHOWS. 



Theae rarmers' festivals — these 'ipportunities to meet 

 with brother farmers — these occasions for showing the 

 best productiiins of one's own farm and of witnessing; 

 the fine animnis, the skillful plowing, or the large and 

 fair fruits of his brother farmers — these occasions are 

 now close at hand, and we trust that every farmer will 

 give them his presence and aid. To every one wlio 

 would improve in his modes of husbandry, these gath- 

 rrings of the tillers of the earth, bringing wiih them 

 their beasts and the products of their fields, can and do 

 leach many valuable lessons. 



It would b« but slight departure from fact to call our 

 cattle shows as efficient instruments fur awakening an 

 interest in agricultural pursuits, as any means that are 

 in operation. Here something ran always be seen that 

 will arrest alteniion — that will furnish some useful sug- 

 gestion or hint. Hero animals, and fine specimens of 

 animals, of different breeds may be compared with each 

 other. Here one can learn whether he probably has as 

 good a i>reed of swine, sheep or cattle as the county or 

 Slate contains. The fruits and vegetables exhibited 

 will bring to his notice some valuable kind which is not 

 on his own premises. Here inquiries can be made of 

 the Buccessful growers of crops as to their modes of 

 treatment and other particulars upon which information 

 is desirable. It is an occasion for giving and imparting 

 infoimalion that may be highly serviceable in extend- 

 ing the fruiis of experience from one farmer to another 



VVe hope that these meetings will continue their hold 

 upon public favor, and that all wh" ran cnitributo In 

 their interest and usefulness will cheerfully lend their 

 aid. 



THE PROPER ARTICLES FOR EXHIBITION 

 AT CATTLE SHOWS. 



Is there reasun for supposing that penpio are accus- 

 tomed In exhibit at these fairs the iar^tiJ squash, pump- 

 kin, or rula baga — the largest calf.— the largest steers, 

 and every thing the largest of its kind .' Is size the 

 principal thing regarded ? And do the members of c(jm- 

 mitlecs make size the criterion of merit.' Such ques- 

 tions should find no place in our columns if ive did not 

 suppose they must in too many instances ba answeted 

 in the afTirmativo. Now what wo wish to see is the 

 best, nol tb« largest merely. And it often happens — it 

 ordinarily happens — ihat the very large calf is a coarse 

 made animal, unfit for a breeder. There are exccp- 

 lions to this remark, and yet it is true as a general state- 

 ment. Alio, many members of committees regard form 

 and firmness of make, in fixing upon their awards. Still 

 we never attended a show where we could feel satisfied 

 that size was not too much regarded. If in our judg- 

 ment wo are correct, the influence of cattle shows tends 

 in some degree at least to the introduction of a large 

 and raw-boned breed of cattle, which nn well-wisher to 

 the forming interest would ever desire to encourage. — 

 Other things being equal, we should prefer, as a matter 

 of profit, to be th« owner of a cow or bull that was but 

 little above the medium size, rather than of one extraor- 

 dinarily large. 



Firmness of bone, symmetry of form, apparent thrift 

 and hardiness of constitution — these ore the important 

 points. And in relation to young animals, intended to 

 be kept as breeders, we should regard it as highly im- 



portant to know something of the pedigree, so that we ] 

 might guess whether the gnod points were merely acci- j 

 denial or whether they were fixed in the blood, and 

 would be likely lo reappear in the offspring. A very 

 finely formed bull, which happens to come from coarse 

 parents, will in but very few instances produce his like, i 

 and for this reasim We should make the parentage a 

 matter of importance. Not that we should be anxious ' 

 to encourage in this region of short pasturage, the gene- ! 

 ral introduction of *■ Herd Book" animals — hut we 

 should like to know ihat the parents fur two or three ' 

 generations back had been well formed and profitable 

 in our climate, and upon such feed as is usual here. i 



When we come to fruits and vegetables, the matter is I 

 still worse. If a squash, from some mysterious and un- 1 

 conjectured cause, h:ippens to become a mammoth, or to 

 bo curiously distorted in form, that is the one that must 

 be carried to the show, while the cartloads that are fine- 

 ly formed, of good quality, and the causes of whose ex- 

 cellence can be explained and reapplied by the producer ] 

 and by others — these are left at home. So it is, losome 

 extent, in relation to many other vegetables and to 

 fruits. 



Now what we wish to see is, a fair specimen of a good 

 crop, and accompanying that we desire a statement of 

 the mode of culture, so that we may obtain instruction i 

 that will be of service to us in our own agricultural or i 

 horticultural operations in future years. The mam- 

 moths, the dwarfs, the deformed, which nature has 

 made in sport, and which cannot be produced again by 

 any particular proce«se9 of cultivalion — these things 

 are mere curiosities, and convey no useful information. 

 The fairest, finest and best specimens (not in all cases 

 the largest,) are the proper ones to be exhibited on these 

 occasions. 



If the foregoing remarks contain any good advice, we 

 bestow it must freely upon our brother farmers, and 

 trust llial they will use it freely and fully. 



I'LOWS— TRIALS OF THEM 



In the list of premiums offered by the New York Slate 

 Agricultural Society, will bo found one upon plows. — 

 The Essex Co. Agricultural Society has olfered one up- 

 on the same article. The attention which is now paid 

 to this important implement will not be besiowed in 

 vain. The improvements in its structure within the 

 last few years, give grounds for supposing that further 

 improvements may be discovered. No other premium 

 offered by any Society will probably be so serviceable 

 as this. 



But it is no easy matter to make a full and satisfacto- 

 ry trial of this implement; and yet if ihis be not done, 

 Iherc is danger ihat public opinion may be misled. 



A mere inspection of the work accomplished by a 

 plow, gives some indication of its fitness for use. Where 

 it cleans out the furrow well from sidn to side on iho 

 bottom, and whore it lays the invoried sward as one 

 would like to see it, there two points arc at a glance de- 

 lermincd. A practiced hand will also ascertain in a 

 very few minutes whether the plow will hold on in its 

 proper course in clear land, without much aid from the 

 plowman, or whether it will require from him the aid 

 of a slifi" arm, steady hand and watchful eye. — Tlie 

 quality of its work at difl'crcnt dcplhs and widths, any 

 one can determine by a fow trials. But when you 

 come to determine the comparative power of drafl re- 

 quired, there are dinicullics in the way of arriving at ii 

 nalisfaclory result, unless the plows upon trial are all 

 of one size and the furrows are all of the same depth 

 ond width. 



Should you require plows of unequal size lo take a 

 furrow of one given depth and width, say 10 inches 



wide and C deep, then the plow which was of ihe pro^ 

 per size for such work would have an undue adranlagu 

 over the wider instrument, which not only has mon) 

 friction upon the bottom in consequence of its own| r, 

 greater width and weight, but is also obliged to shot* :, 

 the furrow off two or three inches farther than th'^ 

 small plow does in making a path wide enough for iB 

 self tu move forward in : the furrow slice must not onl 

 be turned over by the large plow, but be pressed 

 some distance : this pressing off must require some po< 

 er. If therefore you apply the dynamometer and de 

 mine what power is actually required for the drafl 

 each, you have failed to do it under proper circui 

 stances. 



Take then a different course — the one which 

 taken at Worcester last autumn. Let each inslrumeni 

 cut a furrow of the depth and width to which it is best 

 suited, (and this is the only position in which it c«i 

 fairly show the quality of its work,) and by ihe applici^ 

 lion of the dynamometer, determine the streiigili p4 

 forth by the learn; then measure the depth and uuitl 

 of the furrow and calculate tho number of square iinhei 

 of earth turned over by a fiundred pounds draft, lloif 

 the trial is not satisfactory ; for the power required U 

 cut at the land-side — the power needed to carry lln cut- 

 ter — is as great where the furrow is but ton inehes ii 

 where it is twelve inches wide. Again — where ttu- (iu> 

 row is but five inches deep, the share, in most gruundi, 

 will be obliged to work through tougher grass root-' thai 

 if you go seven inches deep. The wider and ileepai 

 the furrow, the less will be tho power required lo luit 

 a given number of square inches. '' 



In neither case then, are you free from obstacles 

 the way of a perfectly accurate decision. Approx 

 lion to accuracy is all that should be expected at preaei 

 excepted in cases where the plows are of Ihe same siat; 

 and even there a difliculty may occur, for it is seldqjl 

 that the sward upon a field is of uniform toughneES^- , 

 the grass roots will be thicker and firmer in some spall | 

 than in others, and consequently may render Ihe pon|| 

 required in one spot much greater than in other placM 



This article we have written fur our private con»* 

 nience, ns a circular to those gentlemen who are asso- 

 ciated with us on the committee in Essex couniy lo tij 

 plows. VN e wish them to come lu the trial wilU niindl 

 made up ;is to the moilo of proceeding. — But though it 

 answeis a private purpose, it is no secret, and rniy be M 

 instructivi* tu the readers of the Farmer as any ihmL,' vie 

 can furiiisii. 



f 

 aef; 



THE MECHANICS' FAIR 

 To be lu Id in duincy Hall, Boston, cummii.r . i 

 the :.'Oth insiant. On Saturday last we saw < , >r.i^ 

 down the street, what was imagined lo be the skcUiim if 

 the sea serpent — but closer inspection showed it tu bell 

 wood — but wood in such form and position as it tcldoc 

 gets into. Imagine a tube CO or 70 feet long, and | 

 feet in diameter; — but slop — it Is only (Ae ribs of a tJk 

 of that size, held together by a few narrow slrips if 

 boards wound round it in directions of the strip* 

 a barber's sign that we mean, — imagine this — and wj 

 you have imagined it, you will liave the best idea 

 can give you of what is to be used as a bridge frum FaJ 

 euil Hall to Cluincy Hall. Come to the Fair, ami yM 

 may have the pleasure of walking through Ihe.-c niu— 

 and should you chance to fancy that the sea serpent liW 

 swallowed you, we will guarantee that the whim sliili 

 leave you in less time than iho length of Jonnli ^ \tt 

 prisonment in the sea monster 



THE CATTLE SHOW OF THE ES.SE.\ COL NTI 

 AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY 

 Will be held al Georgetown, on Wednesday, the 

 instant. Remember it, and be on the spot. 



i 



NTI 



