344 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



per cent, of lime, 4 of magnesia, 36^ of potash, 2^ 

 of chloride of potassium, and li of common salt. 

 So these substances, or the elements that compose 

 them, should exist in the soil iu liberal quantity 

 where we undertake to raise cheese. The ashes 

 of other plants show most of these constituents, 

 but in very different proportions, and a knowledge 

 of these differences, with a careful study of our 

 crops (in various soils, will enable us to improve 

 upon .tlie bad ])ractice of putting the same grasses 

 on all sorts of soils, which some of us miserable 

 farmers have been guilty of. 



One fact in regard to the analyses of these ashes 

 strikes me as having an important practical bear- 

 ing for us. It is this — that the ashes of those 

 plants that had ripened their seed exhibit invaria- 

 bly a largely increased per centage of lime and 

 salt, above those of the same species taken when 

 in flower. May not this be supposed to indicate 

 that lime and salt would be useful additions to the 

 soil, when the seeds of plants are the desired part 

 of the crop, whether of the cereal or of the forage 

 grasses ? 



OUB BEST CATTLE AND SHEEP. 



One of the serious evils of the day, so far as 

 agricultural improvement is involved, is the al- 

 most universal practice of d'mjwsing of the best and 

 viost perfectly developed animals to the butcher, and 

 retaining the poorest and most insigmficant to 

 propagate from. 



Our herds and flocks are annually "picked" in 

 this way, and of course, annually diminished in 

 value by it. If a farmer has a good lamb or calf, 

 he is, usually, as certain to dispose of it as he is 

 to receive an ofiier for it, and to supply its place — 

 often by purchase — by a poorer and "less expen- 

 sive" one. 



The analogy between the vegetable and animal 

 kingdom is very close and ■ obvious so far as the 

 laws of propagation are involved ; yet very few 

 appear to consider this fact as they ought. No 

 farmer plants poor corn, or sows poor wheat if he 

 can avoid it ; and no one should think of breed- 

 ing good and well-developed animals from parents 

 which are unhealthy, or physically deformed. If 

 you have a well- formed colt, calf or iamb, let no 

 price induce you to part with it. It is often well 

 in agriculture, as in commerce, to disregard pres- 

 ent profit for the sake of future gain. The "points" 

 of animals, whether good or bad, are hereditary, 

 and we are often enabled to trace the progeny of 

 a good or indifferent animal through many gene- 

 rations. 



Witness our horses, where the several breeds 

 are recognizable at once, and by marks which be- 

 come more perfectly and strikingly developed with 

 the lapse of every year. A breeder, in whose 

 sheep fold we stood was offered six hundred dol- 

 lars each for two of the lambs before ns, and yet he 

 declined the offer, and most wisely, too. He has 

 since taken many high prizes for his pure and ex- 

 cellent stock, and it is just reported that he has 



taken one or two prizes on his sheep at the great 

 agricultural fair in Germany ! He went to Spain m 

 in the first instance, and selected his flock from 

 the best he could find in that country. If the of- 

 had been $1,000 each for the lambs he would, 

 probably, have refused it. His knowledge and 

 practice are in harmony. 



In another column, an article may be found on 

 another branch of this subject, to which the read- 

 er is referred. 



EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. 



JERSEY AND ALDEBNET CATTLE. 



Will the editor of the Farmer please inform me 

 whether the "Jersey" and "Aldcrncy" breed or breeds 

 of cattle are identical or not ? If not are they alike 

 in many respects ? Monthly Reader. 



Remarks. — There is no difference in the Jersey and 

 Alderney cattle. They .ire descended from the Nor- 

 man stock, introduced into the Channel Isl.inds from 

 the north of France, and the breeding of so many suo- 

 coessivc generations tnay have slightly changed some 

 of the characteristics of the breed, as shown in the 

 animals from the different islands, but the names are 

 applied indiscriminately to the Channel Island cattle. 



HEMLOCK bark. 



Intended to peel 100 cords of hemlock bark this sea 

 son, as it is wortli here $6 00 per cord. The weather 

 was fine for peeling, drying and piling in June, but it 

 soon came on foggy, hot ancTdamp. Notwithstanding 

 the bark was well dried and packed up, it was found 

 to be contractnig moisture, mikh wing and moulding. 

 It is badly spotted, and looks some like a boy's face 

 that is well tanned. It is spotted with large black 

 spots, but not rotten or fermented. Tanners and buy- 

 ers say this has injured it. Others, as well informed, 

 say that it has not, and that the strength is all still re- 

 tained in the bark. If some person who is competent, 

 will test it, I will send different samples of the bark 

 to experiment with. 



I think if some one who is qualified would publish, 

 in your paper, or iu pamphlet form, the best mode of 

 curing hemlock bark, and the percentage it loses by 

 taint, or mould, he would do the public a special favor. 



The question which I wish answered is, — IIoic tmich 

 injury has this bark, which I have described, received, if 

 any, from the moisture ivhich it contracted dining the 

 hot, damp weather which occurred not 'ong after it 

 was peeled ? I hope sonic one will favor me, and 

 many others, with an early reply. k. t. 



Marlotc, N. H., Sept., 1863. 



Remarks. — We have searched the books in vain to 

 find something to aid our correspondent in his inquiry. 

 Hemlock does not abonnd in this region, consequent- 

 ly there ai'e no persons engaged in preserving the bark 

 for the purposes of tanning, of whom we might make 

 inquiries. We hope sonic of our readers will be able 

 to answer the question propounded. 



west's improved pump. 



In the Monthly Farmer for August, 1862, yon men- 

 tion West's Patent Pump, and say that you will tell 

 us how it wcjrks after j-ou have tried it. I want a new 

 pump, and don't know what kind to get. 1 should 

 like to know how yours works, and if it is a good 

 pump for a f;\rmer who pumps water for the family 

 and for the cattle from the same well ? Does it freeze ? 

 Does it work casj' ? Is it lial)lc to get out of order? 

 If you will answer these questions for an old sub- 

 scriber and give such other information as will be use- 

 ful, you will greatly oblige 



Byficld, Scpte?nbcr, lS6i3. Geoece C. Notes. 



Remarks. — We have used West's Patent Pump for 

 two seasons, taking it down in the winter, as wc only 



