1871. 



NEW ENGLAND FAKMER. 



661 



reach a certain stage of growth are deficient in 

 nutrient matter, and therefore it is a waste to 

 feed them too early. The corn plant, like all 

 other vegetable structures, has but one object 

 or aim in its growth, and that is to produce 

 seed. It is engaged during its whole life in 

 storing up large quantities of starch, which is 

 to be used when the pressing occasion arrives, 

 or the seed vessels mature, to form by some 

 subtle mysterious changes the rich nutrient 

 principles which are found in seeds. As soon 

 as this struggle is over, the corn plant, like all 

 annuals, dies a natural death. It is not neces- 

 sary for frost to strike it ; it dies from simple 

 exhaustion. 



The proper time to cut and feed corn stalks 

 is during the four or five weeks which succeed 

 inflorescence, or in other words they should 

 not be cut until the flower is fairly developed, 

 and the ear commences to form ; and any corn 

 that is so planted that the ear cannot form and 

 mature \s pradicallij loorlhless as fodder. 



Farmers may learn from these facts that 

 corn designed to be cut for fodder should be 

 planted at two or three periods during the sea- 

 son ; some fields quite early, others somewhat 

 later, and still others as late as is safe. In 

 this way, when the hot, dry months of July 

 and August are reached, and the pastures fal- 

 ter, a supply of fodder is secured, at a proper 

 stage of growth to afford the largest amount 

 of nutriment. — Boston Journal of Chemistry. 



PURE BREEDS, 



It seldom occurs that topics of farm busi- 

 ness afford a subject of conversation among 

 the general public ; yet this year the extreme 

 prizes for thoroughbred stock have been con- 

 tinually remarked, even by those who know 

 scarcely anything of cattle. One thousand 

 five hundred guineas [about $7, .500] for a six 

 year old cow, and two thousand five hundred 

 guineas for a pair of two year old heifers, may 

 well cause surprise. These sums were actual- 

 ly paid, and with no luck penny, for pure 

 short-horns bred by Mr. Booth and Captain 

 Gunter. At Oxford and Yorkshire shows, 

 other high sums were paid — the first prize 

 yearling heifer sold for .500 guineas, and the 

 second prize 350 guineas. Twelve guineas 

 were paid for Leicester gimmers [tbat is, a fe- 

 male lamb, just weaned] . Cotswold command 

 similar sums, and even pigs sold as high as 

 thirtj-five guineas each ! But these prices, 

 high as they seem, fall in the shade when 5800 

 guineas were paid for the thoroughbred Glad- 

 iateur. 



It maj' be asked how such prices came about? 

 Is there a scarcity of stock ? or is the axiom 

 of "fools and their money" found to be truer 

 as it grows older ? 



Scarcity of animals of certain pedigrees 

 there undoubtedly is, hence tlie rise in the 

 market for animals of pure Bates and Booth 

 tribes ; but there is not such a scarcity of thor- 



oughbred stock. The slaughter of continental 

 cattle may have caused an increased price for 

 graziers, and thus tempted farmers to breed 

 more than to buy in and graze. Moreover, 

 our agriculturists are every day becoming 

 more enlightened as to the profits of improved 

 stock, and selection-in breeding the lower ani- 

 mals. Every huntsman knows the value of 

 propagating certain qualities of scent and en- 

 durance in the kennel. Of how much more 

 value, then, is it to the farmer to breed ani- 

 mals whose very management alone tends to 

 benefit his business ? In keeping stock, well 

 bred cattle get done a little better than com- 

 mon things ; it is a well known fact that ani- 

 mals fed well when young never lose their calf 

 flesh. The better keeping leaves a richer and 

 larger quantity of manure, which, in turn, 

 produces better crops of grain and roots. 

 Many men in our own district have long since 

 known the benefit of this. The late Earl Ducie 

 was one of the first to make it apparent to an 

 eye witness, and the Royal Agricultural Col- 

 lege still demonstrates it. But, argues the 

 doubter, who can compete with a lord in buy- 

 ing pedigree stock at such prices ? It don't 

 pay. The late Mr. William Hewer, at Seven- 

 hampton, for thirty years proved that weU 

 bred stock would pay. He bought large- 

 framed pedigree cows, showing dairy proper- 

 ties, and put them to the best bull he could 

 purchase. In this way he produced a class of 

 cattle that would give their twenty-five quarts 

 of milk a day, and when dry, feed in a short 

 time to upwards of 150 stone. [In weighing 

 animals a "stone" is 14 lbs., but varies in other 

 articles.] The same way with his stock of 

 B rkshire pigs, by judiciously selecting, and 

 feeding them well when younsr, he brought out 

 swine that won the first prize at the Royal 

 shows for years in succession. — Eng. Country 

 Gentleman'' s Magazine. 



A POUND OP MILK. 

 The Country Gentleman says : — A corres- 

 pondent who criticises the very excellent cus- 

 tom which has become almost or quite univer- 

 sal at butter and cheese factories, and is rapid- 

 ly spreading elsewhere, of reckoning milk by 

 the pound instead of by the gallon, is not 

 aware of the origin of the custom, and is in 

 error in basing his criticism upon the supposed 

 fact that e%'erybody "knows what is a quart of 

 milk." There are several standards as regards 

 measures of capacity, especially the wine gal- 

 lon of 231 cubic inches and the beer gallon of 

 282 cubic inches. One of these is sometimes 

 used and sometimes the other. In the early 

 history of the factories, farmers were often in- 

 duced to give beer gallons instead of wine gal- 

 lon, because they wished the price per gallon 

 to be nominally as large as possible ; and the 

 system of buying and selling by measure rap- 

 idly came into disfavor. A pound is a stand- 

 ard weight, and has the same meaning wherev- 



