54 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



ATTG. 16, 184 3. 



ANn HORTICULTURAL RK.GISTER. 



Boston, VVEUNEsnAv, Aucdst 16, 1843. 



NEW ENGLAND STOCK. 



Last week we slated that the reasons why New Eng- 

 land farmers liavc urgent need to icnprove their slock, 

 deserve considt.Tation. The special reasons arc few, 

 and may bo very briefly stated. The Stale of Ohio 

 now sends catlle to Brighton market. The expense of 

 ririving over a large part of the route is a mere trifle — the 

 wages and board of ihe diovers. The journeying is 

 slow, not more than S, 10 or 12 miles per day, and the 

 drove feeds and faitens upon the unenclosed lands by 

 the way-side. The original cost of raising the cattle at 

 the West is very small. Consequently these western 

 catlle can be sold in our market at a low rate. They 

 will necessarily keep down the price of beef here. Our 

 cattle must be sold low ; but the cost of raising here, 

 especially in the vicinity of our cities, is great. The 

 feed, whether grass, hay or grain, is valuable. Ordina- 

 ry cattle must cost us more than their market value. It 

 is only the individuals of uncommon excellence in our 

 herds, that yield any profit. We are in want of ani- 

 mals that shall give us the largest possible amount of 

 milk, butter, labor and beef in proportiojt to the cost of 

 keeping. It is only with good animals that we can save 

 ourselves in this competition with the West. The far- 

 mers of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, being 

 obliged to feed at the barn for si.x months of the year, 

 will find it hard to live, while the West comes here to 

 compete with them, unless they can furnish us belter 

 stock than Ohio sends. 



That the East and North dn give us better stock for 

 our uses here, tlian is sent on from the West, is proba 

 biy true. The western cattle are — very many of them 

 at least — long-legged and raw-boned. They are larger, 

 or if not /aro-er, they are taller than the eastern cattle ; 

 but we should judge them to be less hardy and less 

 Ihrifiy. 



While this is true, as we think, it is equally true that 

 very many of our Eastern and Norlhern cattle are need- 

 lessly raw-boned and raw hided. This is the result of 

 want of skill and lon^'-continued care in the selection 

 of breeders. Our farmers need instruction as to the 

 principles of breeding — ihey need to learn what points 

 are desirable and what are objectionable in their cattle — 

 they need to have the eye and the hand trained to ob- 

 serve and to determine accurately what properties an 

 animal does possess. 



And it should be ihi-ir purpose to breed from the 

 hest — be they natives, Durhams, Ayrshires, Herefords, 

 or a cross — take tke hest. There are good individuals in 

 every lireed. and care should be taken to breed from 

 Buch as much as possible. 



Taking the libeity to step a little aside from the sub- 

 ject with which we started, we feel disposed to contro- 

 vert, in part, a statement that has been printed and cir- 

 culated the world over, viz : that it costs no more to 

 keep a good cow than to keep a poor one. 



The good cow on the farm is generally better fed 

 than the ordinary one. Wherever the produce of a cow 

 is absolutely great in milk or butler, it is cerlain ihat 

 she is better fed, taking the year through, than are the 

 mass of cows in this vicinity. The common feed, viz : 

 fresh-meadow hay, grain straw, and corn-stalks, for 

 two, three or four munlhs in winter, and English hay 

 for a few weeks in the spring, together with a range in 

 the pastures and fields in summer and autumn, that are 



generally stockr-d so close that the cow must bo busy 

 all day in order to fill herself, — this is common keeping ; 

 and on this, though one cow may do, and will do, vastly 

 better than another, yet on such keeping nlone^ no cow 

 comes up to lier 20 quarts of milk per day, or her 15 lbs. 

 of butler per week. Generally, the cow Ihat yields as 

 much as two common cows, does, and must, cat mote 

 than one common one. But she does not eat as much, 

 in quantity or value, as the tico common ones. Econo- 

 my, therefore, requires us to choose the good one, even 

 though she do eat more than the other. 



Tile good working ox, loo, is usually more hearty at 

 1 he crib, than the indiflferenl one. We have for some 

 years chusen a differently formed ox for the yoke from 

 that which we should choose for the stall. For labor, 

 we would take an ox that is relatively heavier at ihe 

 shoulders than behind ; — we like to see a capacious 

 place for lungs. But where the lungs are large, more 

 of the carbon of the food is consumed in the brealhincr, 

 and less goes to form fat. We think that these animals 

 with large lungs consume the most food and will do the 

 most work, and that the gain in work is greater than 

 the extra cost of feed. 



If we are selecting oxen for stall-feeding, we take 

 those in which the lungs are small, and in which the 

 hind quarters will be relatively heavy. The beef of the 

 hind quarter is worth the most, and animals of small 

 lungs consume less of the carbon of their food in breath- 

 ing, and consequently have more left for making fat. 



These statements will show what principles would 

 guide us, were we to attend Brighton market for the 

 purpose of purchasing. But were we engaged in breed- 

 ing cattle, we should prefer animals in which the should- 

 ers and the hinder parts bore the proportions which 

 they have in what we call a well proportioned ox — or 

 an ox of perfect form. Such a form would be good for 

 either the yoke or the stall. 



The basis of excellence in stock has been brought up 

 with such definiteness by the New York State Agricul. 

 Society, that it will be a matter of much discussion in 

 the agricultural press. We are willing to help it on. 

 This willingness has caused us to make the above dis- 

 tinctions between the working ox and the ox for beef. 

 We know not whether another individual living has 

 ever thought the same. The opinion wiih us, is derived 

 from our remembrance of the ii-w oxen ihat we have 

 worked and fed, or have had opportunity to observe 

 frequently and carefully within the last few years. If 

 the opinion is unsound, we will cheerfully relinquish it 

 upon satisfactory reasons being given to show that it is 

 so. But if it be correct, it may possil/ltf be turned to 

 some trifling account occasionally. 



Large Crop of Rye. — Mr Charles Cushing, of Dor- 

 chester, informs us that on two acres of rather rough 

 land which he is improving, sown with two bushels of 

 seed, he has just obtained eighty bushels of winter rye. 



Omission. — In our notice last week of Dr. Valentine's 

 method of making manure, we omiited to stale that, af- 

 ter having filled the cask with his mixture, he covered 

 it with sods, compactly placed, and thus prevented the 

 escape of the gases. 



[Ij'We are indebted to Redding &. Co , 8 Slate street, 

 for a copy of" The Farmer's Manual — a practical Trea- 

 tise on the Nature and Value of Manures, founded from 

 Experiments of various crops,'' &c. " By T. Falkncr, 

 Esq , and Aulhor of British Husbandry." New York : 

 D. Applelon & Co — A glimpse at this work has given 

 us a favorable impression. Price, 31 1-4 els. 



MASS. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



EXHIBITION OF FLOWERS. 



Saturday, .iug. 12, 1843. 



The copious and constant rains of the pasi week, cui 

 tailed, in a niciisurf , the exhibition today, yet a yery ii 

 sppctabie show of flowers were in the stands. 



From S. Walker, a number of very beauliful bouquet; 

 and a fine display of Fbloxee, several fine old kinds, an 

 fourteen secedlings, among ihem several superior spec 

 mens ; a fine whitK, purple, and a very sin;;ularly varu 

 galled one, quite a novelty. 



From the Botanic Garden, Cambridge, by Win. F 

 Carter — a good display of Phloxes, in variety ; Orchii 

 Achimenes longiflora, pot plant, in bloom, (fine) — hot 

 quels, &c. 



From M. W. Quaint, gardener to Col. Perkins- 

 fine display of variegated double Bi^lsanis. 



From S. II. Johnson, an array of cut flowers — con 

 pribing Roses, Balsams, double-flowering Pomegranulr 

 Phloxes, Verbenas, &c. ; a branch of a rosebush (vai 

 Mad. Uesprei) had upwards of 50 roses and buds upo 

 it — very fine. 



From Ed. Winslow, a good show of Dahlias, Carna 

 lions and Picotees. 



From J. Breck & Co., fourteen varieties of Phloie; 

 Several of the seedlings were superior specimens. 



From J. L. L. F. VVarren, large and showy Bouquet! 

 Dahlia, var. Sir F. Johnson, (new) fine. 



From Mr Kenrick, Miss Russell, Dr. Ilowaid and J 

 Hovey — Bouquets and Dahlias. 



From J. Bowditch, Hisbiscus, Rosa sinensis, pot plant 



From the President, (M. P. Wilder, Esq ) Liliumspe 

 cinsum, and L. lancifoUum album, (nev,") from Japan 

 These, unquestionably, were the most splendid speci 

 mens of the lily tribe 'ever produced in the country 

 The first, finely spoiled with deep crimson, on a pini 

 and white frosted ground; the second, a pure while ; boll 

 vars. of the most perfect form ; petals lanceolate, arch 

 ing finely from the centre, slighily curled, highly fra 

 grant, and, as a whole, pre-eminently beautiful. Thi 

 Society and the public are greatly indebted lo Col 

 Wilder for the inlroduction of these rare varielie: 

 among us. Bulbs have been sold in England for tei 

 guineas, so highly are they appreciated in that land u. 

 flowers. Fur the Commiitee, 



HENRY W. DUTTON. 



EXHIBITION or FRCITS. 



From Otis Johnson, large and handsome Early Bougb' 

 Apples; fine specimens of Citron des Carnies Pears . 

 Zinfendal and Black Hamburg Grapes. 



[The Black Hamburg grapes from Mr Johnson, wen 

 extra fine fruit. The bunches were of full size, the 

 berries large, in fresh bloom, highly and deeply colored, 

 and fine in flavor — well grown in every particular.] 



From Samuel Pond, Apricot and Italian Damask 

 Plums; the latter very handsome. 



From J. Loveit, 2d, fine Early Harvest and Red As- 

 tracan Apples. 



From Hovey & Co., Black Naples Currants — large 



From John Trask, Lynn ; Plums, wiihrut name. 



From Samuel Walker, Sugar Top, Cilron des Carmea 

 and Green Chisel Pears. 



From B. V. French, Heath's Early Red Nonesuch 

 Apples. 



From Cheever Newhall, Early Apples (?) 



From James Munroe, Cambridge ; fine large speci- 

 mens of the River Apple. 



From J. C. Howard, Bergamot d'Ele, Green Sugar 

 and Jargonelle Pears; fine Black Hamburg and White 

 Chasselas Grapes. 



From J. L. L. F.Warren, Sugar Top Pears; very 

 handsome Early Harvest and River Apples ; Franconia 

 Raspberries and Figs; also, specimens of Red Juneat- 

 ing. Early Bough, and Early Harvest Apples, received 

 by iiiin from a friend in Rhode Island. 



For the Commiitee, P. B. HOVEY, Jr. 



EXIIIlITIOIf OF VEGETABLES. 



Three varieties of extra large and fine Tomatoes, 

 were exhibited by Dr. Howard. 



An Address before the New Haven Horticultural So- 

 ciety : Miiy, 1343. By Alfred S. Monson, M. D. 

 This address is of the right kind — plain ami practical, 



giving wise instructions to fruit-growers. 



inrOur exchange papers lead us to believe Ihat the 

 wheat crop of the country will be full an average one. 



