242 [Assembly 



affections of the liver, owing, it is thonght, to the water of the 

 west ; feet get tender, often so bad as to lay them upon the road. 

 These are all considerable drawbacks on the profits of the drover 

 and grazier. Our flies are harder upon our cattle than they are 

 in Europe, especially in England; we have more hot sun, these 

 affect the delicate thin-skined Durhams most; indeed, all suffer 

 by them more or less. It is a common saying among our farmers, 

 that their cattle "do not do so well in fly-time." They are more 

 disturbed in their quiet and feed. Our farmers must and will 

 exercise their best judgment in these matters; all we can say is 

 that beauty and appearance in animals are very desirable, but 

 profit, we think, must and will have some weight with them as 

 with most people in every business, and it will not only weigh, 

 but preponderate in the scale of profit and loss. 



AMERICAN GRASSES, MANURE, AND INSECTS. 



[Communicated by a Member.] 



We embrace th'ese three subjects in the same article, intend- 

 ing the grass for the princpal one ; manure and insects as merely 

 incidental. These latter are important in the relation they bear 

 to the former ; manure makes the grasses grow, and increases them 

 much ; insects injure and destroy the grasses. It is essential then 

 for us not only to find or point out what will be the best soil and 

 food for the latter to secure the heaviest and most nutritious 

 crops, but how we can best combat their greatest enemy, the in- 

 sects, and kill them, or at least diminish their numbers so far as 

 to make them much less destructive. If we can throw no new 

 light on the various matters here inquired into, or our inquiries 

 contain errors or inferences drawn, not warranted by premises 

 or correct reasoning, we may induce or excite others more com- 

 petent to come forward, and who are able to detect errors and 

 enlighten and clear up what was before involved in doubt and 

 obscurity. On this ground we invite opposition and scrutiny, 

 and s^-all be pleased to have any errors of ours, in fact or reason- 

 ing, pointed out and corrected. With such a result, the public 

 will be gainers by our agitating the subject, and we shall have 



