S44 



THE GENESEE FARifER. 



EMPROVINQ THE BREED OF COWS. 



The Encyclopedia Brittanica says: 



"The loss from breeding inferior cattle is far 

 greater tlian those concerned seem to be aware of. 

 It is impossible to estimate this loss accurately, but 

 from careful observation and inqiiiry, we feel con- 

 fident that- it amounts to not less than $12 a head 

 on one half of the fat cattle annually slaughtered 

 in (ireat Britain. If this be s\ it follows that 

 witiiout sjiending a farthing more than is done at 

 present on food, housing, and attendance, the prolit 

 which would accrue from using only the best class 

 bulls would be equivalent to an advance of three 

 cents a pound on the price of beef, as regards half 

 of tlie fat bullocks brought to market. This profit 

 could be secured by a very mc>derate outlay, for 

 if properly gone about, the best class of bulls might 

 be employed without adding more than a dollar a 

 head to the price of each calf reared. We may 

 surely antici])ate that such a palpable source of 

 profit will not continue to be neglected by breeders 

 of cattle." 



If these remarks are applicable to the farmers 

 of Great Britain they are even more worthy of the 

 attention of farmers of this country, where the 

 proportion of inferior cattle is far greater than in 

 England. The introduction of improved breeds 

 of cattle has already added millions of dollars to 

 the wealth of this country; but though much has 

 been done in this direction, there is still abundant 

 room for further improvement. The great majority 

 of cattle sent to market are of a very inferior order. 

 The following remarks, by the same writer, are 

 particularly applicable to our native cattle. When 

 crossed with a Short-horn, Devon, or Hereford 

 bull, the result is highly encouraging, so far at least 

 as beef producing qualities are concerned : 



" It is doubtless important to have both parents 

 good; but in the case of ruminants, the predomi- 

 nating influence of the male, in determining the 

 qualities of the progeny, is so well ascertained that 

 tJie selection of the bull is a matter of prime im- 

 portance. We are able to state from ample per- 

 sonal experience, that by using a bull that is at 

 once good himself, and of good descent, a level and 

 valuable lot of calves can be obtained from very 

 inditierent cows. In Berwicksliire it is the practice 

 to employ chietiy married laborers who reside on 

 the farm, and one i)art of whose wages is the keep 

 of a cow. These laborers usually give the prefer- 

 ence to small cows and — so that they are healtliy 

 and yield milk plentifully — care little about their 

 breed or other qualities. A good judge of grazing 

 cattle could not easily imagine a more unpromising 

 breeding stock than is turnished by these cottagers' 

 cows; and yet when they are coupled with a really 

 good Short-horn bull, it is truly surprising to see 

 what admirable cattle are produced from them." 



Broadcast vs. Dimllikq Wheat. — "In Scotland, 

 at least." says the Encyclopadia Brittanica, "often- 

 rupeated trials have shown that larger crops of wheat 

 are obtained by broadcasting than by drilling." 



MOWING MACHINES -FINALE. 



Editors Genesee Fakmer: — It is now nearly 

 two years since I undertook to show the impro[)ri- 

 ety, or rather that there was no necessity tor the 

 introduction of any kind of patent right maciiinery 

 into the State of Now York, or elsewhere, for the 

 l)urpose of saving the time or money of the farmer. 

 Since my first article on the sulject, in answer to 

 Mr. Stueet, of Oiiio, I have been induced to re[)ly 

 to several others in difierent parts of the country, 

 until I begin to feel, in common with niany of the 

 readers of tiie Fanner, that at)ont enough has been 

 said upon the occasion, at least for the present, 

 especially as Messrs. Street and Nichols liiive 

 become a little ])ersonal in their remarks. It is 

 true that I had hoped to have been the means of 

 doing a little more good toward all the gentlemen 

 on the wrong side of the question, but it li;is turned 

 out otherwise. In fact, I am afriad, like Epiiraim, 

 they are "joined to their idols" — iron mowing 

 machines, costing about $100 each — and we will 

 have to let them go. The "good seed" sown by 

 the w.'iy side in "days of old" was speedily de- 

 voured, and let us cast no more in any of the Streets 

 of benighted Ohio. Mr. Nichols has now favored 

 us with another instalment of his name — not a very 

 pretty one, and too Frenchified, or something worse, 

 for an old fashioned Yankee farmer to have much 

 hopes of, and we can alFord to let him go. So with 

 all the rest, excepting, perhaps, the "Small Boy"' 

 in Michigan, whom we will keep in hand a whild 

 longer, hoping to make something out of him on» 

 of tliese days. But if we should fail with young 

 hopeful also, to be candid, I think " the country 

 will still be safe," and that the farmers of New- 

 York and Ohio will always have a way to cut their 

 grass and grain at the proper time, and continue as 

 ever to contribute their large share toward the 

 prosperity and happiness of our common country. 



Long life and prosperity to all my adversaries in 

 the protracted discussion 7iow brought to a close. 



Or/ord, Chenango cou/nty, N. Y. E. B. BUNDT. 



Save yofk Hat-Seed. — Many farmers never 

 think of saving the otFal from the cattle or horse 

 manger, but throw it away, or into the manure 

 heap. In either case the seed is lost, and in the 

 last it becomes a great nuisance, if the manure be 

 applied to hoed crops. An old writer says he 

 "saved sufficient hay chaff one winter from feeding 

 twenty-three head of animals, to stock down ten 

 acres of meadow." Would it not be better, how- 

 ever, to cut the grass earlier and thus lessen tlift 

 quantity of seed which shells out in feeding? 



Cattle yards should be well littered with refuse 

 straw. It absorbs the liquid, and prevents much 

 of this valuable part of the manure from running 

 to waste. It augments the quantity of the manure, 

 and adds largely to the comfort of the stock. A 

 dry, sheltered, well-littered barn-yard, is a pleasant 

 place in winter — you will be inclined' to spend 

 considerable time there — and we all know that 

 cattle and sheep thrive much better for being 

 looked at ! 



