THE GEKESEE EAEMEE. 



213 



adapted to milking purposes. As a specimen of 

 what a dairy cow ought to be, we at once ])oint to a 

 cow (No. 951) exhibited by Mr. Stead, of Owlerton, 

 near Sheflield. This cow was apparently a cross be- 

 tween tlie Yorkshire dairy cow and Durham bull." 



"•Heifers in Calf or Alill-. — The tirst j)rize was 

 awarded to two roan Durham heifers, which rep- 

 resented every tiling good but milking qualities." 



'■'■Yearling Heifers. — There were again in this 

 class some tirst-rate specimens of the 'established' 

 Short-horn breed : so much so, that the best pair 

 of heifers, exhibited by Mr. Ambler, of Watkinson 

 Hall, were selected by some Australian breeders 

 for exportation, and were sold for 250Z." "Mr. 

 Douglas, of Athelstaneford, exhibited a pair of 

 red Ayrshire heifers, which, for uniformity of shape 

 and promise of milking qualities, were highly ap- 

 proved by the dairy tarraers. The tirst cross be- 

 tween the Alderney and Short-horn bull is found to 

 be especially good for dairy purposes, and is worthy 

 of trial. The Alderney and Ayrshire also mix well 

 for these purposes. The breeding of cows for 

 'dairy purposes' is a subject that requires consider- 

 able forethought and practicse. Dairy produce is 

 now at its top figure ; and as a commercial eye is 

 now being turned in that direction, the question 

 need no longer be asked. Does a dairy pay ? but 

 rather, 'What is a dairy cow V 



GREAT FECUNDITY OF PIGS. 



Morton's Encyclopedia of Agriculture says : 

 "It is certain that none of our domesticated ani- 

 mals will attord such a large amount of food for 

 human sustenance as the pig, in proportion to the 

 readiness and expense with which it is raised, and 

 the time necessary for raising it. Tlie numbers 

 now bred and fed are exceedingly great, and are 

 yearly increasing. There is no class of animals 

 equally prolific that are of any great value to man. 

 Let it be supposed that a sow has her first litter 

 when she is twelve mouths old ; that she has a lit- 

 ter every six nionths; that she has an average of 

 six pigs every litter; that she is kept in a breeding 

 state till three years old, and then fattened off to 

 average 4 cwt. when killed, and all the pigs to be 

 fattened off by the time they are twelve mouths 

 old, and to average 2 cwt. when killed ; and it is a 

 mere matter of calculation to show that there would 

 be, at the end of six years, of breeding pigs — 



612 2X years old. 

 2 years old. 

 IX years old. 

 1 year old. 

 }4 year old. 

 sucking pigs. 



5,386 

 8,159 

 7.1o5 

 16,281 

 86,936 



65,529 

 fi3,21T 



115,746 la all. besides the sale of 27,508 cwt. of 

 bacon ; and besides 16,281 hogs J4 year old, and 36,936 sucking pigs. 



"This is of course a ludicrously extravagant cal- 

 culation, but it shows how very rapidly pigs can 

 be made, under careful management, to propagate 

 their species ; they may not come up to the esti- 

 mate above, but they may approach it." 



A FEW years ago, several varieties of oats were 

 imported into Canada from Great Britain. They 

 retained their superiority one or two years, but 

 rapidly degenerated afterward. 



WHEAT op THE SOUTH- 



Eds. Genesee Farmer: — The impression made 

 by reading the following, from Herodotus, many 

 years ago, has never been eradicated from the mind ; 

 and we now maintain it is the only reliable mode 

 of acquiring accurate and correct information. He 

 says: "The Egyptians, whenevei* any unusual cir- 

 cumstance occurred, committed the particulars to 

 writing, and marked the results which followed it: 

 if thejr afterward observed any similar indication, 

 they considered that the results would be similar 

 also.''' 



This principle has its foundation in the idea that 

 the laws of the Creator are without exceptions. 

 This being true, we rely upon similar observations 

 and investigations to prove the correctness of the 

 following propositions : 



•'irst — That all plants are thermometers, with 

 their zero points or vegetation degrees, below which 

 the vital principle is congealed, and above the same 

 is vegetable life and activity. This degree is difi'er- 

 ent in each different plant, each having its own de- 

 gree of vegetation or point of departure. 



Second — Plants, after vegetation has commenced, 

 require also a certain amount or quantum of heat., 

 not any certain duration or continuation thereof. 

 It is the amount, not the duration, that is essential 

 to mature plants. "It is plain that a great heat 

 during a short period must produce the same effect 

 on plants with a less degree of heat daring a longer 

 term." Nor will any one doubt, but there is a 

 greater amount of heat in a given number of days 

 multiplied by a mean Southern temperature, than 

 there is in the same number of days multiplied by 

 a mean Northern temperature. If Ave are right — 

 and we are supported by the very highest authority 

 — then two propositions or results must follow: 

 1st, the degree of vegetation is reached earlier in 

 the season South than it would be at the North. 

 2d, the amount of heat is realized in fewer days 

 South than at the North, which is an additional 

 amount of time gained. 



So when the effect of both is appreciated, it will 

 be found that Northern trees, tulips, roses, and 

 icheat, will vegetate before, bloom sooner, and ripe7i 

 earlier, South, than they would have done at the 

 North. "VVe know that Northern autunm and win- 

 ter apples become summer and fall fruit further 

 South. 



If these facts prove anything, it is, that if we 

 want icheat that will ripen earlier., it should come 

 from the North, because it w-ill commence growing 

 sooner., and ripen in ftwer days. The reverse of 

 all this would follow from planting Southern wheat. 



N. S. N. 



« i ^1 



Chester White Hogs. — In the June No. of your 

 most excellent Genesee Farmer, I notice an inquiry 

 in relation to the Chester White Hogs. I reply : 

 1st — the thorough bred are peculiar for being al- 

 ways white; 2d — they are peculiar for being very 

 quiet and peaceable ; and Sd — they are peculiar for 

 being in good condition for slaughtering at any 

 time after being six weeks old. They are short- 

 legged, broad on the back, and have short heads 

 and noses; very quiet, easily tattened at any age, 

 and have ofteu weighed, at from 10 to 18 months 

 old, over GOO lbs. — Bela Dunbar, N'orth Chili, 

 June 6th, 1800. 



