80 



FAIIMERS' REGISTER— DRAINING LAKES. 



nearer v/ill be (lie approximation to perfection in 

 the more valuable parts, Avlictlier for beef or milk 

 — and this is all. So much has been most satisfac- 

 torily proved by the conclusive reasonings of 

 Mr. Cline, the eminent anatomist, in an essay 

 published by him a long time siiice.* 



The Ilolderness Breed have the small head and 

 short horns, but they ai-e esfcemed in England 

 much better fitted, in general, for tlie shambles 

 than for the dairy. An established dairy stock 

 might, no doubt, be raised from them by a careful 

 selection of individuals, 7nalc and female, from a 

 viilkfaviihj. Eut it v.ould be too much to say of 

 so large a class as the Durham, Denton or Here- 

 ford, though all short horns, that bearing either of 

 those names, they may be relied upon as good milk- 

 ers, and to produce unifbrndy good milkers. 



If the experience of the country Avill not bear 

 the writer out in this remark he will be glad to find 

 the dairy stock so much in advance of his opi- 

 nion. 



The Devon Cov,'s are not considered im England 

 to be so good for milk as some other kinds. And 

 yet Mr. Coke, the great' Norfolk farmer, sent to 

 a friend in Maryland, several years ago, a num- 

 ber of Devonshire cows, bred by himself, which 

 were remarkable for quantify and quality of milk. 



They were bred on the side of both male and fe- 

 male, we presume, from animals whose progeni- 

 tors were distinguished for this same quality T had 

 he frequently crossed the blood of the Devons v.itli 

 any of the several kinds of Sliort Horns, whose 

 descent, from an equally good stock for milk, had 

 not been so well guarded, this same family would 

 in a few generations have given evidences of mate- 

 rial depreciation. 



The truth really is, that we have yet the work 

 to do to establish a pure milk breed. 



To accomplish this, we must have a class of far- 

 mers who shall be professed breeders of a dairy 

 stock — they will employ no bulls but such as come 

 of good cows, they will I'aise no calves but from 

 first rate cows. They will keep the heifers for 

 some generations, sending olTto the butchers such 

 as turn out indifferent milkers ; as some there will 

 be, in whom the faults of remote parentage will be 

 found fo linger. — A herd thus carefully purged, 

 and finally, after a few years, exhibiting a uniform 

 character,jryr milk in the young, as they come in, 

 will prove a lasting and sure source of increasing- 

 profit to the skilful, intelligent breeder, and an im- 

 mense gain to the country. 



The writer Vv'ould ask, suppose a young farmer 

 at the present moment is about to stock a milk- 

 farm and is willing to pay the full value of good 

 cows — good, we mean as breeders — where sliall he 

 go for them, in New England.'' Wliere shall he 

 be sure to find an cstaldished milk breed that will 

 not disappoint him .' He will find improved breeds 

 enough — but who will venture to insure him that 

 the improvement will not be found to consist as 

 often in adaptation to the shambles as to the dairy } 



The idea suggested, whether well or ill founded, 

 let others judge, is that we have not yet a pure 

 jnilk-siock, tliat is, a stock descended for many gen- 

 erations from none but fine milkers. Some may 

 think that the art of breeding cannot be carried so 

 far as to secure a uniformity of excellence in this 

 particular quality in the progeny. The answer 



*MassacluiscUs Agricultural Repository. 



can only be that they liave attained to that degree 

 of perfection in England — that for half a century 

 thorough breeders, have been successful in this par- 

 ticular as in others. It is gratifying to be able to 

 state any one thing on this most important subject, 

 entitled to rank as an axiom and of a truly scienti- 

 fic character. 



Vie say that thorough breeders have been en- 

 tirely successful in England. Not that the far- 

 mers, generally in England have reached that de- 

 gree of excellence. This would be far from the 

 truth. All that is true even there, is the invalua- 

 ble fact that particular families of milch cows are 

 there known to transmit their peculiarity, as great 

 milkers, with uniform certainty, to their progeny. 

 This fact is as valuable, for our instruction and 

 example, as if tlie same thing were true of all the 

 milch cows in England. On the other hand, let 

 tlie following statement have its due weight, going 

 to show, as it does, that it is of some consequence 

 for breeding from what family an animal derives 

 its descent. "Mr. Woodward of Birlingham, 

 Worcestershire, England, purchased twelve deep 

 milking Yorkshire cows without pretensions to 

 breed, or disposition to fatten — with these cows he 

 used a high-bred Hereford Bull — and in the pro- 

 geny lost the disposition to milk which the mo- 

 thers had ; acquiring that of laying on fat, which 

 was the distinguishin"' merit of the fiimily to which 

 the bull belonged. * Here is a striking case, where 

 high blood enabled one of the parents to propagate 

 his own peculiar excellence, and to prevent the 

 transmission of the peculiar excellence of the mo- 

 thers — viz. their tendency to be great milkers ; 

 because this quality was accidental in them and 

 not derived from a select ancestry, and therefore 

 not firmly established in the constitution. 



■Draiiiiiig- li^kes in Holland. 



The slates of the provinces of Holland opened 

 their session en the 7th instant. The Governor, 

 in his speech, informed the assembly, that a plan 

 for draining the Lake of Haarlem and the Eyl- 

 meer was under consideration. He concluded by 

 holding out a confident expectation of this great 

 undertaking being accomplished. The lake of 

 Haarlem, which communicates with the Zuyder- 

 Zee by the river Y, is extensive, but not deep ; it 

 is about 14 miles long, and from 7 to 10 broad. 

 According to tradition, it was formed in the year 

 8G0, at the same time tliat the Rhine v/as intercep- 

 ted by the formation of sandbanks near Catwyck ; 

 but some persons who have investigated the sub- 

 ject, are of opinion that this event must have taken 

 place at a period considerably more recent. It is 

 stated in old chronicles, that an irruption of the sea 

 destroyed at once 17 villages and according to 

 accounts published not many years ago, vestiges 

 of habitations were still to be seen. There is a 

 popular story of a nobleman who resided in this 

 part of Holland escaping from the great inundation, 

 in consequence of observing a marine fish in one 

 of the lakes of his estate. He hence concluded, 

 that the sea was undermining part of the coast 

 which served as a bulwark against it; and imme- 

 diately removed with his family. A contract is 

 concluded with regard to the Bylmeer, and the 

 works are to commence next spring. 



*Pnze Essay cf the Rev. Henry Berry. 



