410 



NEW ENGLAND PARMER. 



SepI' 



tion, especially by those farmers who make milk 

 for the market. We believe the demand for this 

 atock was never greater than at the present mo- 

 ment, and that it is now worth from ten to twenty 

 percent, more than any other stock in the market. 

 We do not think that the butter-making qualities 

 of this stock are equal to those of the Alderneya, 

 but ^ye do think that the quantity of milk they 

 yield is greater than that yielded by them. We 

 observe in this volume, that several of the premi- 

 um cows in different parts of the State were Ayr- 

 shire cows, either full-blooded or mixed. The 

 truth is, that in some sections of the State, the 

 quality of the milk is more regarded than the num- 

 ber of quarts, while in other sections, quarts are 

 of more importance than quality. Hence the dif- 

 ference of opinion with respect to different kinds 

 of stock. 



From the manner of the report, we should in- 

 fer that some apology was thought necessary for 

 importing the Alderney stock, and ceasing to make 

 efforts to extend the culture of the Ayrshires. Now 

 we don't think that any apology is needed. But 

 rather that the society should import samples of 

 all the good varieties with which they may be- 

 come acquainted. We would gladly see specimens 

 of all the good varieties known in the civilized 

 world. One race may be better suited for one pur- 

 pose, and another for another purpose. We can- 

 not expect to find all the good qualities of the dif- 

 ferent kinds of stock, united in any one of them. 

 One race is best fjr beef, another for milk, anoth- 

 er for butter, another fji* the plow. Now, per- 

 haps, by crossing these different races with each 

 other, and with our native stock, we may obtain a 

 variffty that shall combine more good quahties than 

 any one of them does at present ; and indeed, un- 

 less we are much mistaken, some of our milk 

 raisers are obtaining a fine variety from a cross be 

 tween the Durhams and Ayrshires. We hope it 

 will not be many yea,r3 before the mulctra fumaii- 

 iia (foaming milk-pails) of Virgil will constitute 

 the general rule, and not the exception, as at pre- 

 sent, in all our dairies. j. b. 



Concord, July 29. 



For the New England Farmer. 



THE SWALLOWS. 



Mr. Brown : — In the last Farmer you wished cor- 

 respondents in different sections of the country, to 

 note the time of the departure of the "swallows." 

 Last year I noticed the barn swallow here, as late 

 as the 25th to the 28th of August. I think I have 

 seen the chimney swallow as late as the last of 

 September, or middle of October. As to the bank 

 swallow and martin swallow, I cannot say at what 

 time they leave the north. Last year I had a vis- 

 it of birds which you call the Labrador swallow. 

 They came in numbers, and built about a dozen 

 nests in the space of about ten by twelve feet, un- 

 der a corn liouse. They left with their broods 

 about the first week in August, and were not seen 

 again that season. Tliis year they came back and 

 built about tliirty nests in the same place. They 

 left with their broods about the 15th of July, and 

 probably will not be seen here again until next 

 season. 



These birds build a curious nest, mostly of mud, 

 and when done it looks something like a hornet's 

 nest, with a small hole left near the top just 



large enough for the bird to enter. Most of these 

 nests were near to each other, or joined together 

 as near as they could well be. These birds ate 

 about the size of the common barn swallow, with 

 a broad fan tail like the martin swallow. They 

 appear to be very tame in their habits, as we could 

 easily take them in their nests by a little caution. 

 In the last four or five years we have had an oc- 

 casional nest of these birds built under the eaves 

 of the barn. But never did they come in any 

 numbers until last season. During their stay here, 

 particularly in the morning, they would fill the 

 yard with their swift gyrations. And although, 

 strictly speaking, the swallow is not a bird of song, 

 their brisk clatter kept up together, is not dull 

 music after all. 



Whether these birds have bred in other places 

 near here I cannot say, but am inclined to think 

 they have not to any extent. Any further infor- 

 mation in regard to the swallow, by you or any of 

 your correspondents, would be gladly received. 

 Yours truly, L. Durant. 



Derby, Ct., Ju/y 26, 1853. 



H^" Below we give another extract from ^^The 

 Elements of Agricultural Chemistry, ^^ by Profes- 

 sor Johnston, and soon to be published by Saxton, 

 of N. Y. We think the reader will find this, as 

 well as the article last week on "■Ammonia," 

 as plain as a "pike staff." 



LAYING DOWN TO GRASS. 



IMPROVEMENT OF THE SOIL EY LAYING DOWN TO GRASS. 

 FACTS WHICH HAVE BEEN ASCERTAINED. 



On this subject, two facts seem to be pretty 

 generally acknowledged. 



First, That land laid down to artificial grasses 

 for one, two, three, or more years, is in some de- 

 gree rested or recruited, and is fitted for the better 

 production of crops of corn. Letting it lie a year 

 or two longer in grass, therefore, is one of the re- 

 ceived modes of bringing back to a sound condi- 

 tion a soil that has been exhausted by injudicious 

 cropping. 



Second, That land thus laid down with artifi- 

 cial grasses diminishes in value again after two, 

 three, or five years — more or less — and only by 

 slow degrees acquires a thick sward of rich, nour- 

 ishing natural herbage. Hence the opinion that 

 grass land improves in quality the longer it is 

 permitted to lie — the unwillingness to plow up old 

 pasture — and the comparatively high rents which, 

 in some parts of the country, old grass land is 

 known to yield. 



Granting that grass land does thus generally 

 increase in value, three important facts must be 

 borne in mind before we attempt to assign the 

 cause of this Improvement, or the circumstances 

 under which it is likely to take place for the 

 longest time and to the greatest extent. 



1. The valueof the grass in any given spot may 

 increase for an indefinite period, but it.will never 

 improve beyond a certain extent — it will necessa- 

 rily be limited, as all other crops are, by the qual- 

 ity of the land. Hence the mere laying down to 

 grass will not make all land good, however long 

 it may lie. The extensive commons, heaths, and 

 wastes, which have been in grass from the most 

 remote times, are evidence of this. They have, 



