18G0. 



NEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



301 



one of the best on the island. Now please go 

 ■with mo to Hamakua, the name of another dis- 

 trict belonging to Waimea. Waimea station is 

 about twelve miles from the sea at Kawaihae, and 

 about the same distance from the sea at Waipio', 

 on the north side of the island. We will visit 

 Waipio. The first three miles the road is level, 

 Jrunning through a woody land, large scattering 

 ohia trees — a species of oak — the soil light, but 

 thickly covered with the oi or noxious Vvced, so 

 that it is well nigh impervious to man or beast. 

 We soon began to descend, and found the travel- 

 ling more difficult. As we approached the valley 

 of Waipio we turned from the beaten path, riding 

 through the wilderness of ferns and coarse, high 

 grass, till we reached the head of the valley some 

 two miles from the sea. The scenery was exceed- 

 ingly picturesque. We stood nearly opposite a 

 waterfall which only needs a large supply of water 

 to leave your Niagara all in the back ground. The 

 stream is small. It comes down from the high 

 land back of Waimea, quietly wending its way 

 through the Avoody country till it reaches the pre- 

 cipice of Waimea. Here it takes a leap, a short 

 one at first, one hundred feet perhaps, into a ba- 

 sin formed in the rock ; then, after a short pause, 

 comes the final fall, which is said to be nearly or 

 quite two thousand feet ; — yes, two thousand feet 

 into the valley. Much of the water goes upward 

 in mist, but it drips from the rocks and joins the 

 water in the stream which runs through the valley, 

 watering numerous kalo patches, and emptying 

 into the sea. Another fall, full as high, was shut 

 from our sight by a projecting precipice, but we 

 could see the stream made by it. The valley is a 

 fruitful one, and has quite a population ; is the 

 glory of Waimea, furnishing mucli provision for 

 less favored places. The people here are making 

 preparation for building a large stone meeting- 

 house, which they propose to christen Sana Paulo 

 —St. Paul's. 



DO ANIMALS COKTSTJME FOOD IN PHO- 

 POBTIOJT TO THEIR SIZE? 



We suppose that this question will generally 

 receive an afEmativc answer. Mr. John Johnson, 

 of New York, whose success in fattening stock 

 has given his opinion on this subject equal au- 

 thority with his opinion on draining, has recently 

 written some advice to a young farmer on buying 

 and fattening stock, which answers our question 

 in the negative, at least so far as fatting animals 

 are concerned. He says, in an article published 

 in the Country Gentleman, that 



"It takes no more feed to fat a lot of sheep av- 

 eraging 140 or 150 pounds, than it does the same 

 number averaging only 8o or 90 pounds ; there- 

 fore it is more profitable to feed heavy sheep than 

 light ones. It takes no more to fat a steer that 

 weighs 1400 pounds, live M-eight, than it does to 

 fat one weighing 900 or 1000 pounds, and the 

 largest v/ill always gain the most, with equal feed, 

 if they are of the same age. Then, when fat, the 

 largest are worth more per pound to the butcher ; 

 so there is a profit every way in fattening cattle 

 of a good size, according to their age." 



In confirmation of this opinion, he adds that he 



had heard those whom he regarded as men of 

 practical knowledge, say, that all animals, except 

 man, eat according to their size, and for a long 

 time he believed it, but when he come to feed 

 steers in stalls, some weighing 1000 pounds, some 

 1500 pounds, and found the largest putting on 

 the most fat and gaining the most in weight, 

 which they would always do, he found those men's 

 theories would not stand the test when tried by 

 practice. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 FAnM FENCES— ]Sro. 2. 



In my communication of Feb. 21, ISGO, I spoke 

 of the absolute necessity of fences, their immense 

 cost, their neglected condition throughout the 

 country, the consequent necessity for improve- 

 ment in them ; and the individual and national 

 benefits which would result from such improve- 

 ments ; also, some objections to the kinds in gen- 

 eral use, and also the necessity of calling the at- 

 tention of sensible and practical men to the sub- 

 ject. 



As a general thing, agricultural writers and 

 speakers seldom even allude to it. I do not re- 

 collect of reading more than three or four articles 

 in any paper u]ion the subject, one of Avhich was 

 from the pen of Judge French, upon wire fences, 

 and the others were reports of the discussions at 

 the Farmers' Club of the American Institute where 

 one of the speakers recommended doing without 

 them, — an idea not quite original with him, for, 

 in some parts of the country, immense fields of 

 once fertile and valuable land, by bad manage- 

 ment, have been made a barren waste and "turned 

 out" as not worth the cost of fencing. At our agri- 

 cultural fairs, farms, farm implements and farm- 

 products, horses, oxen, bulls, cows, calves, sheep, 

 hogs, pigs and poultry, hens, so rare, so prolific 

 and so beautiful that a few years ago they would 

 have caused "a fever," corn, oats "peas, beans 

 and barley ;" splendid cheeses and immense 

 squashes, big cabbage heads and nice honey ; per- 

 formances, pedestrian, equestrian, and, I had al- 

 most said, ridiculous ; plows, harrows, cultivators, 

 corn-shellers, mowing machines and patent sau- 

 sage-fillers, steam plows and improved apple par- 

 ers, all compete for the glittering prizes, and re- 

 ceive commendations of committees and orator, 

 while fences, which, like watchful sentinels, guard 

 and protect them all, and are a more costly pro- 

 duction than all put together, are passed by as of 

 little worth, or consequence. 



Let State agricultural societies offer liberal pre- 

 miums for specimens of the best new fences, and, 

 in a few years, we shall see fences much more 

 tasteful, durable and economical upon all well- 

 managed fimns, taking the place of those that are 

 now a reproach and burlesque upon the agricultu- 

 ral improvements of the age. 



_ In my remarks, I wish not to be understood as 

 discouraging_ the building of all the kinds offen- 

 ces that are in general use ; there are cases where 

 stone wall Avould be a very durable fence, also 

 where it might be expedient to build one of brush 

 or logs, as it is sometimes l)ettcr to build a log 

 house than any other ; but I do Avish to be under- 

 stood as opposing with all earnestness the divid- 



