1860. 



NEW ENGLAND FARRIER. 



479 



AYRSHIRE STOCK._ 



I noticed lately in the Salem Gazette a carefully 

 prepared statement of the milk products of two Ayr- 

 shire heifers recently imported by the Hon. E. S. 

 Poor, of South Danver.-;. Tliey were two years old in 

 April, and then had their first calves. From the 20th 

 of May to the 30ih of June, on grass feed alone, they 

 yielded four gallons Qf milk, each, daily, or nearly 

 this. Their milk was said to be of very good quality, 

 much like the milk of Jei-sey animals. 



Perhaps the gentleman who lately asked for a com- 

 parison of the milking properties of these two classes 

 of animals would like to examine these heifers of Mr. 

 Poor. I believe they will be found worthy the atten- 

 tion of the curious in those matters, as I know his own 

 Jerseys to be. *. 



NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN CLOVER SEED. 



I would like to inquire if there is any way by which 

 the seed of Northern clover can be distinguished from 

 that of the dwarfish Southern article ? For the last six 

 or eight years I have paid an extra price for Northern 

 seed, but have obtained it only once, the rest of it all 

 proving to be tlie small Southern article, getting dead 

 ripe befoi-e the herdsgrass blossomed. j. h. c. 



Mclndoe's Falls, Vt., 1860. 



Remarks. — We have inquired of a gentleman who 

 buys and sells large quantities of clover seed, and he 

 says it is very difficult to distinguish the Northern 

 from the Southern seed. 



SAVING HUNGARIAN GRASS SEED. 



In answer to "I.W.," of Clarendon, Vt., I would say, 

 let it stand till the seed is mostly ripe, at which time 

 the blades arc usually about one-half turned yellow. 

 When cut at this time and well cured, you will have a 

 good crop of both hay and seed. 



I think it best to thresh it right from the field. The 

 seed and hay are very much inclined to heat, and 

 should be closely looked to, till perfectly dry. 



William Richards. 



Richmond, Mass., Sept. 4, 1860. 



EXTRACTING COLORING MATTER FROM MAPLE SUGAR. 



Can you, or your readers, give a process of extract- 

 ing the coloring matter from maple syrup so that it 

 will be clear like honey ? If so, they will do the pub- 

 lic a favor. e. g. c. 



West Rutland, Vt., 1860. 



The Bees and the Mathematicl\ns. — 

 Reaumur, the eminent French entomolgist, pro- 

 posed to M. Konig, one of the ablest mathemati- 

 cians of his day, the following problem : 



Amongst all possible forms of hexagonal cells 

 having a pyramidal base composed of three simi- 

 lar and equal rhombs, to determine that which 

 can be constructed with the least expenditure of 

 material. 



The mathematician undertook the solution of 

 this very beautiful theorem, and at last demon- 

 strated that, of all such cells, that would require 

 the least material the angles of which should 

 measure, respectively, 106° 26' and 70° 34'. M. 

 Marraldi, another eminent naturalist, had in the 

 meanwhile calculated, with as much accuracy as 

 he was able, the real angles in the cell of the bee, 

 and found them to be 106° 28' and 70° 32', leav- 

 ing only two minutes difference betv/een the cal- 

 culation and the result of the measurement ; and 

 more recent researches, conducted with the deli- 

 cate instruments of modern science, have shown 

 even that slight discrepancy to be erroneous, and 

 proved that the angles pointed out by mathemat- 

 ical research and those adopted by the insect la- 

 borer are precisely identical. — Joneses Natural 

 History of Animals. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 KUTLAKTD COUIJTY PAIB. 



Mr. Editor : — Being called by business up to 

 this State, it has been my good fortune to be pres- 

 ent on the opening day of the Rutland County 

 Agricultural Society, which is being holden at 

 this thriving village, and I have thought I would 

 give you my impressions in regard to it. The so- 

 ciety have some forty acres enclosed by a substan- 

 tial fence, which is admirably suited for the pur- 

 poses for which it was designed, on which are 

 built good, substantial buildings for the various 

 uses of the society, together with that ever-present 

 nuisance, a race-course. 



Vermont has ever been famous for her good 

 horses, and in the show to-day, Rutland county 

 has done herself credit, the Black Hawk stock, I 

 think, claiming its full share of attention. I 

 would like to mention some very fine animals no- 

 ticed, but stock and all articles are entered by 

 number, and without the owner's name and resi- 

 dence attached, which makes it very inconvenient 

 ascertaining the owners amid the bustle of a race 

 course, where the Vermonters are especially proud 

 of exhibiting their stock. The shov/ of cattle was 

 very good, mostly native blood, although some 

 very good Durhams and Devons are on exhibi- 

 tion. My im])ression is, the Vermont farmers do 

 not pay enough attention to their breed of cattle, 

 and that the infusion of more Short Horn blood 

 into their stock would be very much to their ad- 

 vantage. 



The show of sheep was far below my expecta- 

 tions in point of numbers, yet there were some 

 very fine animals on exhibition of the various 

 breeds of French and Spanish Merinos, Leicester, 

 and the various crosses between them. The Span- 

 ish largely predominated, and as far I could learn, 

 are taking the preference among the majority of 

 wool-growers. J. B. Proctor, of Centre Rutland, 

 exhibited some very choice stock of Spanish Me- 

 rino sheep, which to my mind Avere the best on 

 the ground. One yearling buck in particular was 

 the nearest perfect of any sheep I ever saw. He 

 also exhibited ewes, ewe lambs and buck lambs, 

 vv hicli are a credit to his skill as a breeder. Messrs. 

 Farr & Rich also exhibited good sheep, and oth- 

 ers wliose names I did not learn. The show of 

 dairy products and vegetables was good, but not 

 superior. The show of fruit was very meagre, 

 showing plainly that the Green Mountain boys 

 pay more attention to their sheep than to their 

 orchards. I leave for Addison County Fair to- 

 morrow, and may give you a few notes in regard 

 to it. W. 



Rutland, Vt., Sept. 6, 1860. 



Remarks. — Thank you, sir — we sha^J be glad 

 to get them. 



Art of Thinking. — To think clearly is among 

 the first requirements of a public teacher. The 

 faculty may be improved, like other faculties of 

 mind or body. 



One of the best modes of improving in the art 

 of thinking is, to think over some subject before 

 you read upon it, and then to observe after what 

 manner it has occurred to the mind of some great 

 master ; you will then observe whether you have 

 been too rash or too timid, in what you have ex- 



