GRAZING CATTLE. 105 



the famous limestone region of Virginia, that one of the most fertile Counties of 

 the State does not average more than ten bushels of wheat to the acre. How 

 strongly am I thus warranted in claiming for the whole Valley not more thaa 

 twelve — might I not have named ten, and not exceeding seven for the counties 

 eastward, between the Blue Ridge and Fredericksburg ? Yet farther to show 

 that I have probably over rather than under rated either of these portions of the 

 State, it may be mentioned, as to another popular district, of more than a hun- 

 dred miles in length between Lynchburg and Richmond on the line of tlie James 

 River Canal, a valley of very unequal Avidth, that a gentleman of much more 

 than ordinary intelligence, Mr. B., resident there, rates the average produce of 

 wheat at not exceeding six bushels to the acre. In England the estimate is that 

 the average of the whole kingdom has been brought from 17 bushels, in 1821, to 

 26 bushels, in 1846, and this is ascribed chiefly to a better knowledge of the 

 principles of Agriculture ! — yet how few there are in the whole State of Vir- 

 ginia who read your Farmers' Library — in the comprehensive scope of v/hich 

 are embraced all' the discoveries and improvements in Agriculture that take place 

 not only in England but in all countries ? How can men learn without thinking ? 

 without inquiry? 



GRAZING CATTLE 



Is pursued as a business much more extensively in the Valley than in the Coun- 

 ties lying east of the Blue Ridge ; many farmers fatten there for mai ket from 50 

 to 100 head. The system is to buy stock-cattle, the rearing of which, in the 

 more western counties, forms a separate department of that great branch of in- 

 dustry, and the impression with old farmers is that the quality of 5/ocA-cattle has 

 deteriorated of late years ; 25 or 30 years ago they still showed the fine effect or 

 a cross from a stock called Miller's breed, which had been as many years before 

 imported and probably were of the best Short-Horns. That blood has been frittered 

 away until it has run out, and the breeders of stock-cattle seem not to have the 

 sagacity and energy (without which men should not expect to thrive in any 

 business) to purchase Short-Horn bulls in Kentucky or elsewhere. As these 

 breeders of stock-cattle often find their market as low down as Baltimore Countv 

 in Maryland, they should make it a rule to keep themselves supplied with bull's 

 from the noble herd of Patterson'' s Devons, near Sykesville, on the railroad be- 

 tween Frederick and Baltimore. There are none better than his in England, 

 and, as a herd, perhaps not one equal to it in number. These cattle are of a 

 genuine natural race, of middle size, very well put together, carrying perhaps 

 mere beef of the finest quality to the acre than any other breed — and of all oth- 

 ers, except the Scotch Highland cattle, (which unfortunately have not been tried 

 in our country) best adapted to the management and pastures which prevail in 

 the Western Counties of Virginia and the Eastern Counties of Tennessee — while 

 Kentucky and Ohio will do right to adhere to the Short-Horns as long as they 

 possess such luxuriant pastures, and corn in such abundance for fattening them. 

 But it may be doubted whether they would do so well in a region where — as 

 west of the swarm of springs — they subsist their cattle, in a great measure, 

 when the ground is covered with snow, on the boughs of the sugar-maple, which 

 are felled in great numbers for that purpose. Knowing the capacity and ines- 

 timable value of the ox, as he is fondled and followed bv the hardy farmer of 

 iSeAv-En gland, I would not desire, Mr. Editor of The Farmers' Library, a better 

 business— with a foundation of Patterson's Devons to go upon in East Teinessee 

 and Western Virginia— than to raise oxen, to be broken and trained under the 

 management of a Yankee teamster, and sent down under handsome yokes to 

 be sold annually in the tide-water Counties of Marvland and Virginia — large, 

 cherry-red oxen, that do their duty with unfailing accuracy, and by a sort of pias- 

 sionless instinct that is better than sense, since it never mistakes an order— such 

 oxen, in a word, as readily command in the Eastern States $100 per span. And 



why should they not, if you compare them with the horse, or even the mule ? 



the horse eating his hay and half bushel of oats, and dying at an average often 

 of the colic or the botts— the ox laboring day in and day'out through the year! 

 on grass or good hay, and at the same age giving you 800 pounds of good beef 

 for your harness tub, without any cost but a year's holiday. Thus, instead of a 

 total less of your capital, the ox gives it back to you at the"moment you take his 

 life. I am aware of the objection urged by my friends ai Winchester, as to their 



(249) 



