1877.J 



THE LANCASTER FARMER 



37 



"will grow in any kind of soil, but tlirives 

 best in a j;ood one well manured, and is culti- 

 vated at a small expense." It sustains droiiglit, 

 excessive rains and severe cold, and as it rises 

 early in the year, affords an excellent sprini; 

 supply. Its growtli is so rapid tliat it may be 

 cut tliree or four times every year, or more 

 frequently. Its produce in bulk and in weight 

 is superior to tliat of trefoil and even of lu- 

 cerne. Tliere is no need of preparing cattle to 

 use it as food. It is as wholesome as it is 

 abundant, sweetens their blood, and preserves 

 tliem from disease. In particular, it causes 

 cows to give more milk without communicat- 

 ing any of its bitterness, and furnishes, eight 

 months in the year, an excellent resource for 

 the farmer, affording the lirst lierbagc for cut- 

 ting in the spring and the last in autumn." 

 Tills is conied verbatim from Du Tour, who 

 was deemed good authority. I give it because 

 it conflicts with Dr. Darlington's opinion. 

 Hence, if a xcccd, its growing qualities make 

 it the more objectionable ; but if Du Tour is 

 correct, it may deserve some attention from 

 our formers, who will make an experiment 

 and test the matter, apart from its adulteration 

 in coffee. Very respectfully submitted for 

 further examination, by J. Stauffer. 



other part of the body does not argue im- 

 purity of blood, yet, it is to be discouraged, 

 in oi'clerthat a luiiformity of color may be at- 

 tained by the breeders. White upon one ear, 

 or a bronze or copper spot on some other part 

 of the body, indicates no impurity, but rather 

 a reappearing of original colors, but wliite mark- 

 ings other tlian those aforenamed are suspic- 

 ious, and a pig so marked should be rejected, 

 i^ace— short, line and well dished, broad be- 

 tween the eyes. Ears — generally almost erect, 

 but sometimes inclining forward with advanc- 

 ing age ; small, thin, soft and showing veins. 

 Jowl — full. iVt'cA;— short and thick. !:ShoHlilc,- 

 — short from neck to middling, deep from back 

 down. Back — broad and straight, or very 

 little archc<l. liibs—loug and well sprung, 

 giving rotundity of body, short-ribs of good 

 length, giving breadth and Icvelness of loin, 

 j'f/p.s — of good length from point of hips to 

 rump Hamx — thick, round and deep, hold- 

 ing their thickness well back and down to the 

 hocks. Tail— fine and small, set on liisih up. 

 Lrgs — short and fine, but straight and very 

 strong, with hoofs erect, legs set wide apart, 

 size medium, length medium ; extremes are to 

 be avoided. Bone— fine and compact. Offal 

 —very light. Hair — fine and sol't, no bristles. 

 iSiii!— pliable. 



which can be marketed in from f> to 18 months. 

 They are very liardy, with higli vital powers, 

 but guard against those with lomj snouts. 



For The LAKOtsTEB Fabhxb. 

 THE TOBACCO WORM.* 



"Will the unusually large crop of 'Tobacco- 

 worms' the past year, be likely to jiroducc a 

 correspondingly abundant progeny the com- 

 ing season V" 



This question was referred to me for answer, 

 at the February meeting of this society ; and, 

 as tobacco growing is becoming one of the 

 leading agricultural interests of Lancaster 

 county, it is very natural that those engaged 

 in it shoidd manifest a reasonable solicitude in 

 all that relates to its success or failure. 



In reply, permit me to say that a redundancy 

 of noxious insects in one season, may po.tsihhj 

 be the iirogenitors of the same or an increas- 

 ed number the season next following ; yet, it 

 is not always jirohable, nor is it by any means 

 a matter of course. 



There are jirior conditions ; intermediate 

 casualties ; and subsequent contingencies, 

 which are more or less related to the case, ana 

 which ex< icisc a modifying influence over it. 

 If there had been ten thousand tobacco-worms 



IMPORTED BERKSHIRE. THE COLLIER. Owned by BENSON & BURPEE, Philadslpha. 



"COLLIER." 



This fine Berkshire is two year.'! old, and 

 Wiis the winner of six honors and first prizes 

 in England Inst year, previous to his importa- 

 tion in August. ISTfi. 



Bred by B. St. J(>nN AcivER.s, Esq. Pink- 

 mar.sh Paik, Gloucester, Ensland, and is now 

 owned by Benson L. Burpee, Philadelphia, 

 Pa., (see our advertising columns). Aeeord- 

 intrto a report of a committee of the "Nation- 

 al Swine Breeder's Convention," the first im- 

 portation of Berkshire pigs, of which they 

 could find any record, was made in the year 

 182.'?, by Mr. Frenfnall, an English farmer, 

 who settled in New .Tersnv. The second im- 

 portation was made in 1832. bv Mr. Hawes. 

 another English farmer who lived in Albany. N 

 T. and others in the United Slatesand Canada 

 soon followed with Inrser importations. All 

 those eai'ly imported Berkshires were substan- 

 tially the same in size, quality, .style and 

 niarkinir. as the best of the present day. 



According to the same report the following 

 standard characteristics and marks were re- 

 cognized as belonginsTto the pure Berkshires. 

 Color — black, with white feet, face, and tip 

 of tail, and an occasional splash of white on 

 the arm. While a small spot of white on some 



The committee further says, that in one re- 

 spect, the Berkshires may be said to excel all 

 other breeds with which they are acquainted, 

 and that is in the superior weight and quality 

 of hams and shoulders, these yielding a much 

 greater proportion of tender, lean, .juicy, well 

 marbled meat, in comparison to the fat, than 

 can be found elsewhere. The sides all par- 

 take of the same admirable qualities and are 

 therefore of superior excellence for bacon. 

 Considering these, it is to be hoped that we 

 Americans, at least, will never attempt to 

 alter the breed by crossing other swine upon 

 it. for the only result will be deterioration. 

 The Berkshires can improve most other breeds, 

 but none can improve them. 



The experience and observation of Messrs. 

 Benson and Bupee, corroborate the views of 

 the committee alluded to, and they also say 

 that as the Berkshires are exceedingly active, 

 and will readily shift for themselves, yet when 

 it is desired to fatten them they will necessari- 

 ly consume, projiortionally, more food than a 

 quiet, lazy hog-enthusiastic, but prejudiced 

 fanciers, to the contrary notwithstanding, who 

 claims more flesh for the -same amount of 

 feed, than any other hogs. The sows are 

 good Bucklers and bring forth large litters, 



in an enclosure last year, and every one of 

 them had been destroyed, and had not been 

 permitted to burrow into the ground, you 

 would have much less reason to ai)prehend an 

 increased, or even the same number this year, 

 than you would have, had you onlv had ten 

 worms, all of which you had permitted to go 

 into thegroimd and pupate there ; for, it is in 

 this manner that the broods are carried over 

 from one season to another. There are per- 

 haps few insects that fall an easier prey to 

 careful, vigilant, and persevering "hand-pick- 

 ing," than the tob.acco-worm ; and this, under 

 any circumstances, is i)erhaps, the best remedy 

 that can be adopted for their extinction ; but, 

 this course .should be pursued by all growers, 

 for one indolent or indifferent cultivator may 

 permit a sulficient ninnbertoi)erpetuate them- 

 selves, to stock a whole neighborhood, no 

 matter how industriously his co-cidtivators 

 may be employed in destroying them. AVhile 

 this insect is in the larva or caterpillar state, 

 it is a slow and .sluggish traveler, and makes 

 no effort whatever to effect its escape ; more- 

 over, when it is a little advanced in its 

 growth, it is sufliciently conspicious to attract 



•Read before the AKricullnral »nd HortlciiHuroI Soolatj 

 of Lancaster county, Much 6, 1877, by S. S. BatbvoD, 



