146 



THE NEW GENESEE FARMER, 



Vol. 2. 



The Curciilio. ^ 



Every person wlio owns a plum irce.ought to feel an 

 inlereel in ilic bistoij of the Curculio, fir it has been 

 the chief obfllncle to raising plums, npricois, and nec- 

 Urince, tchere llure were trees. We believe it is not 

 known in Europe, ihough oilier species of the same 

 genus there, bove their peculiar mode of annoyance. 



Of tte benefit of our circular tin troughs, we can 

 »ay nothing decisive, because they were not applied 

 till after the Curculio had ascended the trees, and we 

 jarred the trees that had those appendages, as well as 

 the others. To the slaughter that we made of this 

 ins»ct in the early part of summer, we ascribe much of 

 the abundance that our trees have yielded; and in 

 confirmation of this opinion, we may mention that a 

 tree in the fruit garden which had been forgotten, 

 bore three apricots, while another young tree of rather 

 lees size bore half a bushel; and wc know of no other 

 reason for the diflercnce. 



Before this summer we had believed thai the young 

 Curculio continue 1 in the fruit till it fell, and only 

 escaped from its habitation after it had lain for some 

 lime on the ground. Late obscrvationa however, 

 have shown that impreesion to be incorrect. We 

 found both plums and apricots on llic trees, from 

 which the insect had taken its departure through a 

 «.miill orifice cut in the side of the fruit. 



We have had some cuiiosity to nstcrtain the where- 

 about o( the old Curculio, alter it had ceased to depo- 

 sit its nits in the fruit, (which is Eaid by Judge Dar- 

 ling of New Haven to be early in the sevenlh 

 month.) We therefore spread a sheet under sev- 

 eral plum trees, abou". the middle of theeighth month; 

 and on jarring tbem violently, caught several, though 

 in for less number than when we last examined the 

 trees about two months before. Indee ', under some 

 trees where we most expected them, we found none. 

 This failure however, may have been chiefly owing 

 to the hot weather, so favorable to the activity of all 

 insects, and which doubtless enabled them the better 

 to hold on. Wo hope to repeat the experiment in 

 cooler weatker. t 



Improved Hogs in Ohio. 



Nowhere in the course of our travels have wc ob- 

 terved greater need of improvement in ewine than in 

 the Stale of Ohio. For while it is ■. greatest pork 

 raising Sta;e in the Union, the common breed of hogs 

 is of the \ery worst description. Our Western New 

 Tork farn ea with their fine Leiceeters, Berkshires, 

 Byfields, &;., would bepuzzled to find n suitable 

 cognomen lor the animals called hogs in Ohio. We 

 ora at a loss to conceive from whence they origina- 

 ted; but imagine their form and character has grown 

 out of their uncivilized mode of life; as they seem to 

 be admirably calculated for tcaod rnvgers, or for 

 br jaking down the large stalks when employed in the 

 field as corn htishtrt. 



A work of reform has begun, however, and the 

 moie intelligent farmers have discovered that a saving 

 of about one-half the amount of food may be eflectcd 

 by adopting improved breeds of hogs, and a mor« 

 eciinomicol mode of feeding. Various crosses of the 

 Lcices er, Byfield, Bedford, Ac; and thoiough bred 

 Berkshires are rapidly multiplying in the State. The 

 latter in particular appear to be in great demand. 



MR. MAHARD'S BERKSHIRES-( V R 

 CLNCLNNATI.) 



This is the most numerous and (perhaps excepting 

 Mr. Allen's) the most beautil'ul lot of Swine we have 

 ever seen. BIr. Mahard has been careful to obtain 

 superior animals to breed from, and he displays ex- 

 ccl'ent judgment in their manogcmeni. lie has sev- 

 en or eight fine breeding sows ; several b<iars, and a 

 large number of piga of various a;;es, With his pre- 



:ient facilities he will soon be able to supply the great 

 demand which exists for these pigs in lliat region. 



Mr. Mahard is the proprietor of one of the large 

 pork slaughtering and packing establishments in 

 Cincinnati, and bis experience in that business has 

 given him superior knowledge of the relative value 

 of the diflerent breeds of hogs. The following re- 

 marks on this subject were written by him for the 

 Western Farmer & Gardener: — 



Mr. EriiTiiR — You arc aware that I am now, and 

 have been ever since 18^0, ^xiensivtly engaged in 

 the pork packing in this city; and 1 leel that 1 may 

 without presumption, lay claim to not a little expeii- 

 ence in the business. It is felly as much to niy in- 

 terest, and that of every one else engaged in coring 

 pork for market, as the interest ot the farmer, that 

 the very best breeds of hugs should be scattered over 

 the country. 



When 1 first entered into the business, the pork 

 brought to us was produced from the same miserable 

 race yet to be found through much the greater part of 

 the West. It yielded us liule lard, and the sides 

 were unfit for mess or clear pork — too thin, and only 

 fit for bacon. The first improvement we had was the 

 little chunky China hog — a perfect mass of lard — 

 bams light and too fat — though the waste of oiTal was 

 trifling. The next we had was the large Warren 

 county hog, requiring years to mature, and then com- 

 ing to us of enormous weight — great w^iste of otTal — 

 the hams too large and badly shaped, as was also the 

 shoulder — and tire sides, nevertheless of their great 

 size, were thin in proportion. They were still a 

 great improvement. The crosses of these and the 

 Kussia and Byfield, in the hands of some of the more 

 judicious breeders, produced a very excellent bog, 

 and we who were the purchasers, were anxious lor 

 any improvement on the unprofitable wood hogs usu- 

 ally raised. 



Though, as I have remarked, so long engaged in 

 the business of packing, I had paid but little attention 

 tu the breeding ot hogs, though always keeping a few 

 of the beet I could find, on my farm, and improving 

 them to the best of my ability. It was not until some 

 of tne part-bred Berkshires were brought to us from 

 Butler and Warren counties, and 1 was struck with 

 the great imtirovement tbey were, on any thing I had 

 yet seen. The perfect manner in which they were 

 I'aitened — their extraordinary length of body, and the 

 thickness of the side meat — their small, yet thick, 

 lleshy shoulder — the great weight and hamlsomc form 

 of tbtir hama — the great yield of lard, and the little 

 xaste of ofTuI, either of inside waste, or head and 

 bone, proved to me that they were a something en- 

 tirely diflerent and altogether superior to any other 

 breed within my knowledge. On making further 

 enquiry respecting them, I found them equally ad- 

 vauingeous to the farmer and drover, as to the pork 

 packer. Prolific and easily kept; maturing early and 

 fattening kindly to as great weights as were desirable; 

 stamping their own ciiaracter strongly on any other 

 breed with which they might be crot-sed; and travel- 

 ling well to any reasonably distant market. 



1 had before this, been breeding h'gs for sale, and 

 seeing at a glance the great advantage it was going to 

 be to me in my packing business, to have such a bog 

 as the Berkshire in general use, I at once engaged in 

 it largely. 



True it is that I cannot give up my farm and my 

 attention and espilal, to the breeding of fine nock, 

 without a prospect of making money by it; but that 

 was the secmdary object I had in view — my pork- 

 packing business was o( the first importance to me. 

 I saw and dreaded the efforts that were made to in- 

 troduce an extremely large hog into Kentucky, for I 

 had about this time iransferred my pork business to 

 that Stole, and had gone to very great expence in 

 ercctirg an extensive establishment back of Coving- 

 ton, and intended making my entire purchases in the 

 State. We can make no use in this nnaiket, of oni- 

 mala weighing from 400 to 600 pounds, even though 

 they may bo well fatted. A hog of [the proper 

 form and quality of meat, that matures at ten or 

 twelve months old, so as to fatten properly, and then 

 weighs from 200 to 300 pounds, is the son for which 

 we will give ;he highest price, because it yields us 

 the greatest profit. Anil most assuredly it will also 

 pay the tanner best. We have no |)opulaiiiin to sup- 

 ply, that will consume large, course, indilferently 

 cured meat. Our principal demand is fir ciiy and 

 (amily use, hmh hero and in the cities of the south 

 and oast. The honi is with us the most valuable part 

 of the hog, and the celebrity of ifcosc cured in Cin- 



" nnati is now great. This part must be hiavy w th- 

 out being large — round, thick and plump — the fleth, 

 though principally lean, yet maibitd with fat. Next 

 to the ham, the lard and side meat yii Id us the greatest 

 return — the former must be abundant in quantity and 

 fine grained; which never is the cnee with any hog un. 

 til he hassomewhat matured; the inner must carry itf 

 thickness throughout, having no thin flonky parta; 

 and must be fat. And last we rank the shoulder and 

 the jowl. 



Many of the Boston and Richmond dealers, and 

 those from the other citie* in the East and South, 

 come here annually to have meat packed; th«y all 

 prefer such a hog as I have described, and will buy no 

 other if they can help it. 



For my own part, and for my use for packing, I 

 wont neither an extravagantly large hog, nor yet • 

 very small one. A hog that has to be fed two win- 

 ters, never will pay first cost; if be can be bad of 

 sufficient 8 ze without wintering at all, so much ih« 

 more profit. A spring pig killed in the fall at 200 

 pounds neti, will evidently pay better than if tb« 

 same hng had been kept over winter, and reached 

 the se'orid fall 500 pounds nett. 



1 have been speaking now as a pork-packer, not 

 as a breeder: and what 1 have said, I say in all ain- 

 ccrity. I have no desire to injure the business of 

 any other breeder of improved ho2s, nor to preveni 

 their continuing their improvements to as high i 

 point as they please. But I do regret to see gentle, 

 men of science and experience going back to a iargi 

 coarse hog, such as the Wobum, Irish Grazier, oi 

 Leicester, when tbey can procure a breed «o infinite 

 ly superior — the improted Berkshire, 



JOHN MAHARD, Jr. 



Cinci7i7ia<i, July Z, 1841. 



From the farmers' Register. 

 Disputed Questious in Agriculture. 



August 2, 1841; 



Dear Sir: — It may perhaps be deemed a very iisf 

 less, if not presumptuous attempt in any individual t 

 suggest any meiins of settling for ever even a anio 

 portion ot those apparen ly interminable toiilioversii 

 111 regard to certain agricultutnl niaiteis with wbic 

 our agricultural papers have been and still ore oftt 

 filled. But the very circumstance of their being coi 

 tinued is, 1 think, a conclusive proof that each dispuiai 

 believes that they 7)unj be brought to a ci.nciusioi 

 provided a proper course was pur.'^ued for the purpos 

 In the hope, theicfore, of recommending such 

 course, I will proceed to notice a lew of ihc.e contn 

 versies, together with the manner in which the que 

 lions that gave rite to them have been tiented. Th 

 has been such, in most instances, as to serve scarce 

 any other purpose than to crowd our books ol hi:sba 

 dry with conirniiuicoiions, the nuthors of which oppc 

 far more anxious to put each other in the tcrong, tbi 

 to set the agricultural public right, in regaid to I 

 subjects of controversy. The cllict of most of the 

 articles has been to aggravate the unreasonable prej 

 dices against agricultural works; to perplex great 

 all young formers who read for information; and ii 

 measurably to weary old ones, in witrietsing such 

 wa^te of words — uttered, pn.tessedly, to give ligl 

 but, in reality, often making conluMon worse ce 

 founded. Instead of giving us accurate details of c 

 periments, most carefully made, together with lb 

 results, wbieli alone can satisfactorily settle su 

 matters, we find, in much of what they write, lit 

 else than speculative opinions and iheoreticol arf 

 ments, or ill-digested and unsound coiiclusions fri 

 some things which they call experinicnts, but whi 

 are rcolly deficient in all the particulars that it is i 

 scniial to notice most accurately, belbre they can 

 entitled to any weight. 



This, I think, may truly be aflnrmed of nearly 

 that I have read of what has been written on the { 

 lowing controverted subjects ; 



Wiiether vegeto-animal manures should be turn 

 under in their ficshest state, or left on the surface 

 the land until it is cultivated 1 



■Which is the most productive variety of Ind 

 Corn in each section of coniury, where the clh 

 ate, soil, and situation is nearly the same? 



At what distances is it best to plant, and by wl 

 modes of culture corn will produce most net profit 1 



Whether it is injurious or beneficial to cut the rO' 

 of coin during its growth? 



And last, though not least, what is the true op 

 ion in regard to that great ••pons asinouim" in i 

 riculiiire, the convertibility i)]' wheat ivto climt 

 c^fsaf 



