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THE NEW GENESEE FARMER, 



Vol. 2. 



^0. 



On the Different Breeds of Cattle. 



To tlie Editors of the Nao Genesee Farmer. 



CrsT : — At the present lime there appears to be a 

 great diversity of opinions in regard to the diiVercnt 

 kinds or breeds of cattle which are best calculated for 

 the farmers of our Northern latitudes. What conclu- 

 siim can a disinterested person arrive at, if he is gov- 

 erned by the different articles which are penned on 

 ibis suliject ? Were we governed by all that contend 

 t"ir the increased vulne of the different varieties ol neat 

 stock, we niisjht arrive at a safe determination upon 

 ihia point, yet but few of 'our farmers are able, and if 

 60, willing to gii into the rearing of those breeds which 

 B'.and in higher order than our native stock, as all en- 

 terprising men are willing to he governed by the ex- 

 perience of those pel sons or nations that have excelled 

 in that kind of business which is necessary in a course 

 of farming operations. If we place due credit to all 

 that have written on this subiect, and no doubt from 

 a thorough conviction of the truth of their observa- 

 tions in this branch of business, we shall find that all, 

 or nearly so, vary in their observations according as 

 they are interested, consequently we farmers must be 

 governed by those who have two or more of the dif- 

 ferent kinds, &e. : Devons, Durhams, and Hcrefords 

 which seem to stand pre-eminent amongst all distin- 

 guished breeders, both in England and the United 

 States. Yet, in England, we find a variety of con- 

 flicting opinions in regard to the above breeds as in the 

 States, for instance — in Cultivator, Vol. 8ih, No. ], 

 page IG, wo frnd a Mr. Price in England, challeng- 

 ing the Kingdom to produce as fine a stock of cattle 

 as those reared by him, which were pure Uerefords. 

 But on reading further we find a Mr. Bates who was 

 ready to meet him in his challenge by producing a 

 stock of pure Durhams; but sickness of the ft>rmcr 

 gentleman was the cause of the loilure in the testing 

 between the exceedingly fine qualities of those twu 

 stocks, which would have been a great point decided 

 if disinterestedly upon their true merits. Mr. Bates 

 remarks that he thinks the very best Short Horns, 

 which arconlij a/cio, are capable of improving all oth- 

 er stocks in the Kingdoin, yet ho says the common 

 Durhams are inferior to the Devons, Ilcrcfords and 

 others, which is candid in him. Itseeins also, from 

 the statement of Mr. Howard of Gainsville, Ohio, 

 that in the year 1625, there were sent from England, 

 us a present to the Massachusetts Agricultural S.iciely 

 a true Hereford Cow and Bull, from Sir Isaac Coffm, 

 of the Royal Navy, which proved a great acquisition 

 n the stock of that country, and were highly appreci- 

 ated by the teamsters from their fine horns, 

 stately gait, powerfid draught and beautiful mahogn- 

 iiy color, &.C. 



In the same article which will be found in Cul. 

 Vol. 8, No. I, page 19, he says— " I w'.ll here re- 

 mark that 1 knew many and owned several of the pro- 

 geny of the improved Short Horn Bull Admiral 

 (which animal was also sent as a present by the same 

 Mr. Coffin to ihe Massachusetts Agriciihural Society) 

 and 1 have no hesitntion in saying that for the ordina- 

 ry us^ato which cattle are applied in the Northern 

 eectiim of our country I considereii the stock of the 

 Hereford Bull alluded to decidedly preferable. ' NeR 

 we hear iVom a very intelligent rearer of stock, Mr. 

 Hepburn in Cul, Vol. 8, No. 2, page 33, in an arti- 

 cle which says, " that an argument to prove that the 

 Hereforde are an aboriginal race is the largenessof the 

 head and thickness of tno neck when compar- 

 ed with the Devon cattle :" — Furiher he state-, 

 " were it not for the while face, thick neck, and large 

 head, it would not be easy at all times ti distinguisb 

 a light Hereford from a heavy Devon," itc. &c. His 

 ideas are quoted from Youalt. I would here remark, 

 that by some the Herefurda are considered a distinct 



race of cattle, by others a cross of the Devon, with 

 some larger breed. From the best of^ourcesof informa- 

 tion, 1 should think that they were most certainly a 

 cross of the Devons with most probably the Durhams. 

 In support of this I would also refer the reader to an 

 article witten by Judge Buell, in Cul., Vol. 5, No. 1, 

 page 8, headed " Select Breeds of Cattle." He also, 

 in the same aeticle quotes from a British author in 

 high terms of a cross between the Ilolderness and 

 Durham for the dairy, and ends in these words: •' The 

 Devons were introduced into Berkshire county some 

 dozen years ago, by Col. Dwight, and at the last fair 

 in that county we thought the working cattle surpass- 

 ed any we had before seen, and we attribute their ex- 

 cellence in a great measure to the Devon blood which 

 we saw strongly developed in some of the finest indi- 

 viiluals. We unhesitatingly recoitimcnd a cross ol 

 the Devons upon our native cattle, as a certain means 

 of improving both their working and fattening proper- 

 tics." In the foregoing extracts which are only a 

 few that might be cited from good authority, what 

 course is it proper to pursue in getting ccnain and cor- 

 rect information, 60 that in improving our stock we 

 shall not be disappointed but what we have the best 

 animals for the country and latitude in which we live ? 

 I am aware that it is impossible to have a breed of 

 cows which will keep fat and give great quantities of 

 milk. 



I would upon the whole, from the eonfiicting opin- 

 ions and views of those who are interested in reaiing 

 and selling their stock, that farmers who are wishing 

 to improve their stock, (and I doubt not but what all 

 are,) that a course of inquiry be instituted from those 

 gentlemen who have Bulls and stock to sell — setting 

 forth by their own slateinents, and corrobcrated by the 

 certificates of their neighbors, what has been the 

 course pursued in feeding their improved stock, in 

 comparison with their other stock, and the result ac- 

 cordingly. For instance, if a cow gives 25 quarts of 

 milk per day on the same feed of another cow which 

 gives only 20 qi.arts, then stale the different results 

 of butter made from the milk of each which may easi- 

 ly be done by the Lactometer which is a tube of gloss 

 graduated, which readily shows the rercentnm — as I 

 presume all ore aware that it is not the best cow in all 

 cases which gives the inoet milk, as experiments go 

 to show that in some coses the milk varies in 

 goodness some 50 per cent, accor ling to quality In 

 short, we want to arrive at the fact which breed of 

 cattle will produce the most net profit from the same 

 feed — requiring each breed to stand the severity of the 

 climate alike. In conclusion I would ask of Mr. 

 Shefl'er which he considers the best breed of cattle, ihe 

 Durhi.m or the Devon ? as I see in the report of a visit 

 Ol Uawi^on llnrmon jr., of Wheatland, in the August 

 number of the New Genesee Farmer that he has both 

 kinds of Bulls on his farm. — Al.«o stale which of these 

 two breeds he considers best for the majority of farm- 

 ers in Genesee county. State fully which will stand 

 our cold winters best, fed as is the case of the exten- 

 sive wheat gnnver in this county. — Also which arc the 

 most profiiable to raise for the eastern market, consid- 

 ering the keeping, i^c. Hy answering these ques- 

 tions he will confer a favoi on 



Yours Trnlv, 

 Gmesee Co., Nor. 14. A. SLiBSCRIBER. 





Ou the Tniix)rl!iiice aiitl I'lility of tlie Disscmi- 

 iiittioii of Kiiouletige Amuiig riiriiicis. 



Mkssrs. Euitoks, — I owe an apology to you, if not 

 to your readers, for the delay in further considering 

 the subjf.'ct proposed in my first article, which per- 

 haps was hardly worth the fpace it occupied in your 

 III p 'r, and still less the attention of your numerous 

 eade'3, though honored by on insertion. 



1 nm aware that, in treating upon suhjcrts about 

 which tlieie hoe been mi.cli said and written, ihere is 



great danger of falling into old and beaten tracks, 

 where nothing new can be introduced to attract the 

 attention of the reader. If in the further remarks 

 which I shall submit on the subject already introduc. 

 ed, I may be so fortunate as to present some consider 

 utions that will not have a "hackneyed" appearance, 

 I shall consider that neither my time, nor your space, 

 will be unprofitobly occupied. 



I propose to speak inainly of the importance of the 

 dissemination of knowledge among farmers, as the 

 greatest if not the only means of establishing a pro. 

 per system of human economy in society, and as tha 

 surest method of procuring the greatest oniount of so- 

 cial happiness. There would be but little to compeil' 

 sate for the toil and exercise of the mind ond body in 

 procuring something beyond a competency of food and 

 raiment, if the demands of nature did not also require 

 every man to provide for certain social duties and ad- 

 vantages. The elements which compose the best re- 

 gulated and best organized society, experience teachei 

 lis, may by comprehended under the head ol virtut 

 and wisdom. This idea may be at variance with thi 

 prevailing notions of the day, still it is aeknowledget 

 by the candid and reflecting portions of community, 

 over whom custom as yet, has not hod sufficient influ- 

 ence to make them mistake the trne test of chnracier 

 It is a popular, and may be said to be a prevailing ic 

 lusion, to judge of the shadow instead of the substand 

 of what in fac: constitutes a character for worthy as 

 sociation. The modern notion of refinement, basse 

 up an arbitrary rule, by which external appcaranc 

 and outward show, accompanied by certain set form 

 of ceremony and etiquette, are made requisite qunlifi 1^ 

 cations fir such as with to mingle in what is calle 

 polished society. Thus it frequently happens, thi^ 

 the inost worthy, are overlooked and neglected, froj 

 the fact, that the fnshion of their drees, ond their wni 

 of thatgr«« wich constitutes an exquisite bow ; — the 

 arecalled " aiclncard fcUoics" because they have n( 

 learned to play the hypocrite in those absurd notior 

 wiih which community has already been too muc 

 fooled. The dignity which always graces a man i 

 refined talents, a bright intellect and a well store 

 mind, all, tending especially to qualify for social di 

 ties, are now looked upon by the devotees of fashioi 

 as secondary considerations, ond by too many wl 

 pretend to take the lead in giving a direction to pul 

 lie opinion, as of little consequence. And it is to \ 

 regretted, that wealth, power and education are mat 

 the evil instruments to produce the advancement 

 such a state of things, when, on the contrary the 

 might be the mcans,and God whogives,grant6them,fi 

 no other purpose, than as elements ministering in tl 

 establishment of sound principles, which insure in 

 freedom of action, and the enjoyment of both boc 

 and soul. 



The occupation of a farmer is looked upon, by tl 

 class alluded to, as disqualifjing him for the bi(. 

 rank they have assumed for themselves, while the di 

 ernment and common sense of the man who ti 

 soil, forbids that he should desire such associations, 

 envy their station, in jircference to the_ peace ai 

 tranquility of his own. Properly considered, there 

 no situation in life, in which a man may be place 

 affording him greater advantages, than that of a farr 

 er. Ttiisprnposition needs only to be reflected upon, 

 order to become at once convinced that it is true. Wbe 

 in all the other occupations in which men areengagi 

 can there be found so much time for reflection, m 

 where the mind is left free to form sound view 

 without being contaminated by the evil associoiio, 

 of such as are not permitted to enjoy the blessings 

 so favorable a retirement. It is a common err 

 among formers, that the business in which they are e 

 gaged, shuie them out from ihc enjoyment of odval 



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