1 14 [Assembly 



The fields of Indian corn, in general, looked vigorous, dark-color- 

 ed, and were just in tassel, although the land varied in character, 

 and had been differently tilled. We were particularly struck with 

 the vigor of one field of eight acres, to which had been applied, 

 broadcast, 400 loads, of 50 bushels each, of swale muck, mixed with 

 500 bushels oyster-shell lime. Another field of six acres, which pre- 

 viously had been cropped with grain, was manured with coal-ashes,^ 

 a pint to a hill, and looked well. 



Mr. Bell practices the system of soiling, in part, particularly with 

 his milch-cows, and highly approves of the plan. He sells, upon 

 an average, in this city, 500 quarts of milk per day, which amounts 

 to more than $7000 a year. From the milk of one cow alone, he 

 realized $530 in two years, notwithstanding she had a calf within 

 that time, but was never dry. 



Mr. Bell's bull is a thorough-bred Short-horn, imported from the 

 celebrated herd of the late Earl Spencer. He is a superb animal,, 

 and has taken several prizes, as the first in his class, at the exhibi- 

 tions of the New- York State Agricultural Society, and the American 

 Institute. 



Several of his cows are also thorough-bred Short-horns, but most 

 of his herd consists of high grades, a cross of his bull Marius, with 

 some of our best native stock. Of this cross, we observed 15 beau- 

 tiful yearling heifers, of great promise, which were so docile that 

 they could be approached and handled by any one who chose. This 

 gentleness Mr. Bell attributes to the early attachment they acquired 

 by bringing them up by hand when calves. The first three weeks 

 following their birth, they were allowed to suckle the cow, after 

 which they were fed a few weeks on skim milk, and then turned out 

 to grass. This kind of treatment, no doubt, has a tendency to soften 

 their dispositions, and greatly contributes to their gentleness when 

 they come to be cows. 



While looking at the herd, it was remarked by Mr. Bell, that 

 every cow, without exception, which had broad escutcheons or quids, 

 formed by the meeting of the hair that points in different directions 

 on the posterior parts of the animal, wide apart, were good milkers: 

 but this proves nothing further than it goes, for his premium cow 

 Shakeress, the best in the herd, has but a trifling development in 

 this point, being the one from which he realized $530 in two years 

 by the sale of her milk. 



