1865 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



187 



2. The brass hoops actually cost a little more 

 €xtra, than our extra charge. The iron hoops 

 give us a little more profit than the brass. 



3. The method of putting in the head, or rather 

 the bottom. At present we are conforming to the 

 shaker method as far as is consistent with strength 

 and durability. 



We will close, by adding that we feel confident 

 of the truth of the remark recently made by a 

 distinguished agriculturalist of New England, 

 that "as soon as the real merits of the Air Pres- 

 sure Churn are known, it will supersede all other 

 churns in use." 



N. E. Air Pres. Churn Co., 



51 & 52 North Market Street, Boston. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 BBEED OF CATTLE 



BEST FITTED FOR THE FARJrS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



No one who has taken an interest in the agri- 

 culture of the State, for the last 40 years, can fail 

 to appreciate the importance of this question. 

 Next in value to the land we till, is the stock up- 

 on it. What breed of stock, all things taken in- 

 to view, is it best to obtain ? That is, suppose a 

 man is starting in life, to pursue the occupation 

 of a farmer, to secure a living thereby, what class 

 of animals shall he introduce upon his farm ? 

 There ai-e the Durhams, or short horns, the Dev- 

 ons, the Ayrshires, the Alderneys or Jerseys, and 

 last, though not least, the New England or na- 

 tives. Each of these have their good points, and 

 each have their exceptions. A very large part of 

 all the animals on our farms are what are called 

 ■natives, and such as have sprung from crossing 

 with the other classes. When we say natives, we 

 do not mean that they sprung from the soil, but 

 they descended from importations made so long 

 ago, that "memory runneth not to the contrary," 

 and they have become acclimated here. 



So far as I have seen and learned, after much 

 observation of animals, I am of the opinion, that 

 the natives are the best animals to introduce up- 

 on our farms. In the first place, they can be ob- 

 tained at half the expense of either of the other 

 classes. No man can import an animal from Eu- 

 rope, at less than $100 expense. The best of na- 

 tives can be bought for $50. If a herd of 20 head 

 is to be formed, here would be a saving of $1000 

 in starting, or $60 a year, an item worthy of con- 

 sideration by those who work for a living ; and 

 it is for their benefit alone that the subject is 

 worthy of discussion. 



It was a favorite idea of Col. Pickering, one of 

 the pioneers of agricultural improvement in Mas- 

 sachusetts, that as pure animals can be reared by 

 selecting the best of our native stock, and paying 

 attention to their breeding, as could be obtained 

 in any other manner. 



First, see to it that your bulls are of the right 

 age and form, and properly trained for the ser- 

 vice expected of them. They should be fed with 

 as much liberality and care as any other animal, 

 and they should not be over worked. They should 

 be of the right parentage. Many seem to think 

 it of no consequence, if he be but a bull, whether 

 he have a straight or crumpled horn, whether he 

 be raw-boned or gawky, plump or sleek, whether 

 he have descended from a good milking family, 



or otherwise. Now the milking properties of the 

 oifspring depend quite as much upon the bull as 

 upon the cow that bears them. I have known 

 good milkers thus to be continued in the same 

 herd, for many generations. 



Feb. 25, 1861. p. 



EXTRACTS AND BEPLIES. 

 HUNGARIAN GRASS. 



I wrote you about this grass last year, but 

 having more experience now, I write again. Last 

 spring I sowed the seed about the time of plant- 

 ing corn, on sward land just plowed. The year 

 before the land yielded half a ton of hay to the 

 acre, where I cut over two tons of the Hungarian 

 grass ! On a rich, strong soil, I have cut four 

 tons to the acre, on good sandy loam three, and 

 on a rather poor sandy soil, one and a half to 

 two tons. Cut early, cattle and sheep eat it bet- 

 ter than other hay. Cows fed on it after the seed 

 is threshed out give more milk than they did on 

 stalks, or other hay. It is a very easy crop to 

 raise. The seed will weigh fifty pounds to the 

 bushel. A neighbor sowed five bushels of seed 

 on ten acres, and thinks he cut twenty-five tons 

 of hay. Some of this he allowed to ripen, and 

 threshed from it seventy-five bushels of seed. 

 Another neighbor plowed green sward, sowed in 

 June and raised a large crop. Sowed in May or 

 the first of June, and cut early, the hay will be 

 better than clover or herdsgrass. The seed sells 

 for from $4 to $5, per bushel, some of which 

 may be obtained in this vicinity. 



Painesville, Vt., 1861. H. Griffin. 



LIME AS MANURE. 



I have just commenced farming and want you 

 to tell me about lime for manure. Fresh burnt 

 lime costs here seven cents per bushel ; will it 

 pay to use it freely ? On what kind of soil is it 

 best ? To what kind of crops is it best adapted, 

 and is it good for all ? What is the best manner 

 of applying it, and how many bushels to the acre .•* 

 Is is good for old apple, pear and cherry trees ? 

 Will it make good compost mixed with mud from 

 the banks of a river ? If so, in what proportion ? 



The farmers of New England give more atten- 

 tion to the different kinds of manure than those 

 of other sections of our country, and seem always 

 ready to impart information, so I want to benefit 

 by their experience. A. H. 



Norristown, Pa., Feb., 1861. 



Remarks. — We will lay before our correspon- 

 dent what Professor Johnston says in relation 

 to the effects of lime upon different soils, and 

 then he can judge for himself whether it will be 

 profitable to use it. 



The purposes served by lime as a chemical 

 constituent of the soil are at least of four distinct 

 kinds : 



1. It supplies a kind of inorganic food which 

 appears to be necessary to the healthy growth of 

 all our cultivated plants. 



2. It neutralizes acid substances which are nat- 

 urally formed in the soil, and decomposes or ren- 

 ders harmless noxious compounds which are not 

 unfrequently within reach of the roots of plants. 



