AND H O R T I C U L T U R A I. REGISTER. 



PUBLISHED BY JOSEPH BRECK it CO., NO. 52 NOliTH MARKET STREET, (Aobicultuhal WAaeHoi-ais.) 



Alio 



BOSTON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 10, 1844. 



[NM. !t8' 



N. E. FARMER. 



For the New England Farmer. 



IMPROVEMENT OF STOCK. 

 Breck — As there have been several arti- 



nte numbers of the Former, upon the sub- 



iiiprovintf our stock, anil as the topic seems 

 lu considerable interest at this time amonor 

 ; for the a^'ricultiiral press, I have thoufrht 

 e re-publication in your paper of an article 

 T on the subject, by that successful breeder 

 le friend of the agricultural interest, the 

 lOH.N Welles, would be of service, in sup- 



the ri^lit side of the question, viz : the use 

 best foreifrn breeds to improve our own. His 

 is in the matter are entitled to great weight, 



amon^ us have had more experience in 

 ng ; and his eminent success attests the 

 ii of his course. The article appeared orig- 

 in vol. X. No. 4 of the " Mft.^s. Agricult. Re- 

 ¥ and Journal." 



recent destruction by fire of a large portion 

 Welles' imprnved stock, is much to ho re- 

 I, not on his own account alone, but as a 



loss. These animals elicited the admiration 

 jeholders — and would, no doubt, have been 



ai s of much improvement in others, had they 

 en doomed to an untimely death by the evil 

 if the incendiary. IIow all depraved must 



luart that subjrcted these innocent, help- 

 ni)lfending creatures to the prolonged and 

 .ng tortures of a death by fire! It is to be 



such atrocious guilt, such unmitigated de- 

 y, may not go long " unwhipt of justice." 

 ow me to say, in closing, that, for one, I 

 i be pleased to lenrn Mr Welles' present 

 ns concerning the worth of the improved 

 ■Horns compared with other noted breeds, and 

 )ur own ; also his experience in crossing dif- 

 , breeds, during the twelve years which have 

 ■d since the accompanying article was writ- 

 and though the infirmities of age may render 

 sk of writing more irksonie and less agreea- 

 I hini than formerly, I hope, nevertheless, that 

 ly be induced to communicate through the 

 er some of his information relative to the 

 -mentioned points. 



Yours, D. 



Imported Stock. 



; PuhUshing Committee of the Mass. Society for Pro- 

 moting Agriculture : 

 ntlemen — It is certainly to be regretted that 

 respectable farmers show a disposition not 

 to indulge prejudice against the imported 

 8 of cattle, but to e.xcite these impressions on 

 linds of others. They appeal to a popular 

 ig, and a very natural one, which too easily 

 3 us — "our own superiority." "The true 

 1 of our ancient breed," says one, " as to their 

 etition, is much neglected." Again — "our 

 iccustomcd breeds are unnoticed." In the 

 approved practices of breeding of stock, per- 

 no better reoson need be given for a change, 



than this very fact, that it is our old accnstomcd 

 breed on which a cross would be beneficial for that 

 cause only. As the disadvantage of breeding 

 " in and in" for a length of time, has been long 

 admitted, the principle of a change of breed or 

 cros.'S, by judicious selections, lias, it is believed, 

 induced almost universal assent and practice. 



Some contend that a given weight may be placed 

 on any part of animals, to correct a deficiency ; and 

 others, that every disposition and property may be 

 improved by a skilful observation and practice 

 herein. The attention of agriculturists in Europe, 

 has been for the greater part of the last century, 

 engaged in this process. In England, more espe- 

 cially, if we can believe all we see — or all we 

 hear — or any part of it — animals of extraordinary 

 production, as well as those of great beauty, size, 

 and power, with a favorable disposition to fatten, 

 have been brought to view. Instances might be 

 hero fjuoted, but they are ton well known to need 

 it.* Wherever, in any country, a judicious selec- 

 tion of stock has been in careful continued prac- 

 tice, we must shut our eyes and seal up our senses 

 not to perceive the beneficial result. And why 

 should we doubt our power in this particular ? It 

 seems the all-wise intention in our condition, that 

 we should cultivate and improve every thing about 

 us. And do we not so do? How is it with the 

 horse, and various other animals? Are they not 

 bred and reared, for various uses, by careful selec- 

 tion and attention ? And why should we easily 

 and indolently admit that nothing is to be effected 

 in our cattle, forming, as they do, the great sources 

 of our comfort and support ? 



But though our efforts, in this country, may have 

 been lees strenuous and uniform — and for a shorter 

 period of time — still we do not want proofs of what 

 may be done at home. Our cattle are susceptible 

 of improvement, as tho Sutton race will show. 

 Those who mcst dislike the imported breed, tell of 

 some native stock in their neighborhood which is 

 superior. Be it t^o. Our stock was mostly deriv- 

 ed from Great Britain, and is doubtless as capable 

 of improvement. 



All that is to be said is, that when thai which 

 time only can produce, has for nearly a century 

 been in careful progres.'ion, a prudent considera- 

 tion will avail of the advantage. 



It 13 further complained, " that much is said of 

 the imported, and little or nothing of our native 

 stock." If this alludes to any gener.il expression 

 or opinion, it will have its due weight, and no 

 nioVe. But the object of the Massachusetts Agri- 

 cultural Society has been, to promote a judicious 

 selection, as the f;nnt lliino; necessary — and so their 

 committees have uniformly urged. The premiums 

 on milch animals have been mostly given to native 

 stock, it is believed — some to the imported breed 

 to be sure, — the far greater number of the former 

 makes this natural. In many cases, the richness 

 of the milk, in the imported breed, has been re- 

 markable — and their general size, proportion and 

 beauty, has been thought to exceed our old races. 

 The disappoinlmeiil of a farmer, who has paid a 

 large price for an animal (as has occurred,) that 



has long legs, and " a bag that is dilFicult to bo 

 found," is to be regretted — but these things will 

 sometimes happen. But it is earnestly contended 

 for in Europe, and hy many here, that where there 

 has been a long transmission of improved blood in 

 stock, this occurs much more rarely. 



The improved Short-horiif are not generally es- 

 teemed a lone-legged race — many of them are 

 great milkers — though for this properly they are 

 thought by some to have too great a tendency to 

 become fat. By this facility they often disappoint > 

 those who wish to increase their breed. This dis- 

 position to fatten is so felt in England, that, at 

 their Smithfield cattle show last year, it was proud- 

 ly said, " Foreigners may boast of their sunny 

 climes — of the spontaneous produce of their soil — 

 of their grapes, and their wine, and their olive- 

 yards, — but no land but England can boast of their 

 fat cattle show." 



The object of the Trustees of the Mssaachusetts 

 Agricultural Society, is to encourage whatever is 

 connected with the great staples of the country — 

 not to write down one race of cattle, and set up 

 another. Whatever means [of improving our stock] 

 are at hand, let them be made use of; — but if oth- 

 ers, and superior, can be had, from abroad — brought 

 home, and used to greater advantage, let us not be 

 too steadfast in our old habits and practices, lest 

 we should perceive, too lata, that we have stood 

 still whilst others have advanced. 



I am yours, JOHN WELLES. 



Boston, March 22, 1833. 



Shipping Horses. — A brisk trade in horses and 

 cattle shipped to the West Indies, is carried on in 

 that quiet and beautiful city. New Haven, and they 

 seem to have the monopoly of the business. The 

 Courier says : 



" Most of them are sent out in large vessels, 

 called by the craft, ' horse jockies.' The deck of 

 the vessel is converted into a stable, by placing a 

 sort of roof, eight feet high, over the whole of it, 

 and the horses are lied in parrallel rows with their 

 heads towards each other. The water for their 

 use is earned in the ' hold' of the vessel, and the 

 hay, pressed in bundles, is laid upon the temporary 

 roof When tliey are shipped, they are parked as 

 closely as possible, like herrings in a box, so that 

 during the whole voyage they are compelled to 

 stand up. At first, this is tedious to the poor 

 brutes, and until they get their 'sea legs' on, thoy 

 suffer a great deal. Most of the mules are brought 

 here in largo droves from Canada, but oftentimes 

 they arc driven from the West, even as far as from 

 Ohio and Kentucky. In fact, these animals are 

 sent here from nearly every State in the Union." 



Speaking of farming in Belgium, a correspondent 

 of the N. Y. Tribune says : " It is one vast garden : 

 every inch of ground is compelled to produce its 

 utmost. Tho superficial farmers of America, who 

 imperfectly turn up the soil of a thousand acres, 

 might take a profitable lesson from the care and 

 skill which here enables every acre to support more 

 than Its man." 



