146 



THE NEW GENESEE FARMER^ 



V OL. a so. '" 



Xhe Curculio. 



Every person who owns a plum tree.ougbt to feel an 

 interest in the history of the Cureulio, for it has been 

 the chief obstacle to raising plums, apricots, and nec- 

 tarines, ivhcrc there were trees. We believe it is not 

 known in Europe, though other species of the same 

 genus there, have their peculiar mode of annoyance. 

 Of the benefit of our circular tin troughs, we can 

 say 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 

 insect in the early part of summer, we ascribe much of 

 the abundance that our trees have yielded; and m 

 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 we know of no other 

 reason for the difference. 



Before this summer we had believed that the young 

 Curculio continued in the fruit till it fell, and only 

 escaped from its habitation after it had lain for some 

 time on the ground. Late observations however, 

 have shown that impression to be incorrect. We 

 found both plums and apricots on the trees, from 

 which the insect had taken its departure through a 

 small orifice cut in the side of the fruit. 



We have had some cuiiosity to ascertain the where- 

 ahoiUol the old Curculio, alter it had ceased to depo- 

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

 lin- of New Haven to be early in the seventh 

 month ) We therefore spread a sheet under sev- 

 eral plum trees, aboul the middle of theeighlh month; 

 nud on jarring them violently, caught several, though 

 in far less number than when we last examined the 

 trees about two months before. Indeed, under some 

 trees where we most expected them, we found none. 

 This fiiilure 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. We hope to repeat the experiment m 

 cooler weather. 



sent facilities he will soon be able to supply the great 

 demand which exists for these pigs in that region. 



Mr. Mahard is the proprietor of one of the large 

 pork slaughtering and packing establishments in 

 Cincinnati, and his experience in that business has 

 given him superior knowledge of the relative value 

 of the dillerent breeds of hogs. Tbe following re- 

 marks on this subject were written by him for the 

 Western Farmer & Gardener: 



Improved Hogs in Ohio, 

 Nowhere in the course of our travels have we ob- 

 served greater need of improvement in swine than in 

 the State of Ohio. For while it is the greatest pork 

 raising Stale in the Union, the common breed of hogs 

 is of the very worst description. Our Western New 

 York farmers with their fine Leicesters, Berkshires, 

 Byfields, &c., would be puzzled to find a suitable 

 coguomon lor the animals called hogs in Ohio. We 

 are 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 wood rangers, or for 

 breaking down the large stalks when employed in the 

 field as corn hashers. 



A work of reform has begun, however, and the 

 mote 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 more 

 economical mode of feeding. Various crosses of the 

 Leicester, Eyfield, Bedford, &c. ; and thorough bred 

 Berkshires are rapidly multiplying in the Stale. The 

 latter in particular appear to be in great demand. 

 MR. MAHARD'S BERKSHIRES— (EAR 



CINCINNATI.) 

 This is the moat numerous and (perhaps excepting 

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

 eyerse:n. Rlr. Mahnrd has been careful to obtain 

 superior anintals 10 breed from, and he displays ex- 

 i.ellf'nt judgment in their management. He has sev- 

 en or eight fine breeding sows ; several boars, and a 

 large number of pigs of various ages. With his pre- 



Mr Editok— You are aware that I am now, and 

 have been ever since 1820, extensively engaged ,n 

 the pork packing in this city; and I feel that 1 may 

 without presumption, lay claim to not a little experi- 

 ence in the business. It is fully as much to my in- 

 terest, and that of every one else engaged in curing 

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

 the very best breeds of hogs should be scattered over 

 the country. , , . , ■ 



When I first entered into the business, the porlt 

 brou"ht to us was produced from the same miserable 

 race yet to be found through much the greater part ot 

 the West. It yielded us liitle laid, and the sides 

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

 fit for bacon. The first improvement we bad was the 

 little chunkv China hog— a perfect mass of lard- 

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

 trifiin" The next we had was the large Warren 

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

 ing to lis of enormous weiaht— great waste of oflal— 

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

 shoulder— and the sides, nevertheless of their great 

 size, were thin in proportion. They were stiU a 

 areot improvement. The crosses of these and the 

 Russia and Byfield, in the bands of some of the more 

 ludicious breeders, produced a very excellent hog, 

 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 

 to tbe breeding ol hogs, though always keeping a few 

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

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

 of the part-bred Berkshires were brougbt to us fi 

 Butler and Warren counties, and 1 was siiuck with 

 the great improvemenl they were, on any thing I had 

 yet seen. The perfect manner in wliich they were 

 fattened— their extraordinary length of body, and the 

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

 fleshy shoulder— the great weight and handsome form 

 of their bams — the great yield of lard, and the little 

 n aste of oflTal, 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- 

 vantageous to the farmer and diover, as to the pork 

 packer. Prolific and easily kept; maturing early and 

 fattening kindly to as great weights as were desirable; 

 stamping their own cbaracter strongly on any other 

 breed with which they might be crossed; and travel- 

 ling well to any reasonably distant market. 



f hod before this, been breeding hogs for sale, and 



i seeing at a glance the great advantage it was going to 



be to^e in my packing Imsiness, to have such a hog 



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 capital, to the breeding of fine stock, 

 without prospect of making money by it; but that 

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

 packing business was ol the first importance to me. 

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

 troduce an extremely large hog into Kentucky, for I 

 had about this time transferred my pork business to 

 that Slate, and had gone to very great expence in 

 erectirg an extensive establishment back of Coving- 

 ton, and intended making my entire purchases in the 

 State- We can make no use in this market, of ani- 

 mals weighing from 400 to 600 pounds, even though 

 they may be well fatted. A hog ofilhe proper 

 form ami quality of meal, that matures at ten or 

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

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

 we will give ihe highest price, because it yields us 

 the greatest profit. And most aseiuedly it will also 

 pay the farmer best. We have no population to sup- 

 ply, that will consume large, coarse, indifferently 

 cured meat. Our principal demand is for ciiyand 

 family use, both here antl in the cities of tbe south 

 and east. Tbe ham is with us the most valuable part 

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



cinnati is now great. This part must be hea 

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

 though principoUy lean, yet marbled with fat. No; 

 to the ham, the lard and side meat yield us the great, 

 feturn— the former must be abundant in quantity ai 

 fine grained; which never is the cnee with any hog v 

 til he has somewhat matured; the latter must carry 

 thickness throughout, having no ihin flanky pat 

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

 the jowl. , , I 



Many of the Boston and Richmond dealers, a 

 those from the other ciiicj in the East and Sou' 

 come here annually to have meat packed; they 

 prefer such a hog as 1 have described, and will buy 

 other if they can help it. ... 



For my own part, and for my use for pacliing, 

 waul neiiher an extravagantly large hog, nor ye', 

 very small one. A hog that has to be fed two w! 

 ters never will pay first cost; if be can be had 

 suflicicnt size without wintering at all, so much 

 more profit. A spring pig killed in the fall at 2 

 pounds iiett, will evidently pay belter than it 

 same hog hnd been kept over winter, and read 

 the second fall 500 pounds nelt. 



I have been speaking now as a pork-packer, , 

 as a breeder: and what I have said, I say in all b; 

 eerily. I have no desire to injure the business 

 any other breeder of improved hogs, nor to previ 

 their continuing their improvemenis to as higf 

 point as they please. But I do regret to see ger 

 men of science and experience going back to a li 

 coarse hog, such as the Woburn, Irish Grazier, 

 Leicester, when they can procure a breed so inhn) 

 ly superior — the improzed Berkshire. 



JOHN MAH.4.RD, Jr. 

 Cincinnati, July ^, 1841; 



li,'»',i»' 



iml w 



jIlMlli'l 



From the Farmers' Regist& 

 Disputed Questions in Asi«cult"»e 



August 2, 1841* 

 Dear Sir:— H may perhaps be deemed a very 

 less if not presumptuous attempt in any individual 

 eu.'Ust any means of settling for ever even a sn 

 portion of those apparenily interminable coiUroven 

 in regard to certain agricullural mattciswilh wn 

 our agrieuliuial papers have been and still are ol 

 filled But the very circumstance ol their bemgo 

 tinned is, 1 think, aconclnsiveproofthateach disput 

 believes thai they may be brought to a cunclus^ 

 provided a proper course was pursued for the purpfl 

 In tbe hope, therefore, of recommending sue 

 course, I will proceed to notice a few o theie cona 

 versies together with tbe manner in which the g«« 

 lions that gave rise to them have been treated. TW" 

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

 any other purpose than to crowd our books olhuslll 

 dry with communications, the authors of which ap 

 far more anxious to put each other in the wrong, 

 to set the agricnltuval pubUc right, '■y^g^jd/oY 

 subjects of controversy. The efi-ect of mos of lh4« 

 articles has been to aggravate the unreasonable pr^« 

 dices against agricullural works; to perplex g.-ea*l< 

 all young farmers who read for information; and 

 measurably to weary old ones, in witnessing sue .1 

 waste of words-'Jltered, professedly, to give hf 

 but, in reality, often making confusion worse . 

 founded. Instead of giving us accurate details o 

 perimenls, most carelully made together with 

 results, which alone can saiislactorily settle 

 matlei;, we find, in much of what they write, 1 

 else than speculative opinions and tbeorel c d aj 

 menls or ill-digested and unsound conclusions tf 

 sCe things which they call experiments but w^ 

 arrreal ly deficiem in all the particulars that ,t , 

 senlial to notice most accurately, before ihey can 

 entitled to any weight. , 



This I think, may truly be affirmed of nearly 

 that I hove read of what has been written on the i 

 lowing controverted subjects : 



Whether vegeto-animal manures should be tun 

 under in their freshest slate, or left on the surface 

 the land until it is cultivated ? • . „f i,,,] 



Which is the most productive variety of In I 

 Corn in each section of country, where the cl. 

 a;e, soil, and siiuaiion is nearly the same ! 



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

 modes of culture corn will produce most net prolii 

 Whether it is injurious or beneficial to cut the to 

 of corn during its growth? .i „,,.„„ m 



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

 ion in regard to that great "pons asinomm in 

 riculiure, the conieriMlUy of wheal mto cheat 

 chess ? 





X'H, 



