22 



THE NEW GENESEE FARMER, 



Vol. 3. 



For the New Genesee Farmer 

 Dnrhani Cows as Milkers. 



Mkssrs Editors — I noticed in the New Geneece 

 Farmer of a few monlha ago, some remarks of Mr. 

 Colman concerning Durham Cows as milkers. Mr. 

 C. speaks well of the Durhnms in most rcBpccts, but 

 remarks that he yet wants the proof of their being the 

 bjst breed of cattle for the dairy business. For my 

 part, I am satisfied that they cannot he surpassed by 

 nny breed in America ; and I think if Mr. Colman 

 would lay aside all prejudice and take the pains to in- 

 form himself that I have, he would be of the same 

 opinion that I am. 



1 was raised in the State of Vermont, where the 

 dairy business was carried on extensively, and I have 

 taken great pains to obtain information respecting this 

 branch of business, and I can safely say that I have 

 never seen any breed of cattle that would equal the 

 Durham for the dairy. I have some half, and three 

 quarters blood, and some of my neighbors have the 

 full bloods, and I challenge Mr. Colman or any other 

 gentleman to prodttce their equal among native cows, 

 in the quantity and quality of milk. I have a Dur- 

 ham heifer, two years and a half old, that has often 

 given 31 quarts of milk per day, and that of a good 

 quality ; and I have some others almost equal to her. 

 One of my neighbors has a full blood Durham cow 

 that he values at §300 ; he offers to give the cow if 

 ehe will not average 32 quarts of milk per day, for a 

 month at a time, and that of superior quality ; the 

 cow to have no other feed than a good pasture. I 

 could mention a vast number of other cases to show 

 the excellence of Durham Slock for the dairy. The 

 question is well settled in the South part of Ohio. 

 Yours &c E. D. SMITH. 



Brown City, Ohio, 1841. 



Remarks. — We are most willing to be enlightened, 

 and are much obliged to Mr. Smith for the kind sug- 

 gestion, " that if Mr. Colman would lay aside all 

 prejudice and take the pains to inform himself that I 

 (Mr. E. D. Smith) have, he would be of the same 

 opinion." This is all charming ; and Mr. Colman 

 promises that he will do his best to follow his friend 

 Smith's advice, and make some inquiry in regard to 

 this neic race of animals about which Mr. Smith 

 speaks, and about which poor Mr. Colmau nerer heard 

 beforel Mr. C. cannot promise to lay aside all pre- 

 judice because he may be under its influence without 

 being aware of it ; but he humbly hopes his chance, 

 being no dealer in cattle) to escape prejudice in this 

 case may be about as fair as that of some of his Ohio 

 friends, who have Improved Durham Short Horns to 

 sell. 



Mr. Colman has gone very fully into this subject 

 in his Fourth Report on the Agriculture of Masaa 

 chusetts, in the chapter on Dairy Stock ; in which it 

 will be seen that, without having had the honor of re- 

 ceiving Mr. Smith's card, he has virtually accepted 

 his challenge to produce "native stock which equal 

 the Durham Short Horns in the quantity and quality 

 of their milk." This chapter from his report which 

 has just issued from the preste, is given at large in 

 the New Genesee Farmer ; and it will be seen then 

 by the impartial observer, whether Mr. Colman stands 

 fire or not, or whether he has been completely demol- 

 ished by the sledge hammer of Mr. Smith. 



Mr. Smith's communication is of the same charac- 

 ter with many both verbal and written, with which 

 Mr. Colman has been favored ; and now let us see 

 how much of it is fact and how much of it, we say it 

 without any disrespect to Mr. Smith, is mere words. 



The first fact stated in it then is this, "I have a 

 Durham Heifer two years and a half old that has often 

 rriven thiitv-one quarts of milk Dcr dav. and that of a 



few questions. Were these quarts beer quarts or wine 

 quarts ? because it makes a fifth part difl'erence 1 

 How was the milk measured, in a quart measure, a 

 gallon measure, or a paiU How oftenhaa this cow 

 done this ; twice, or a week, or a month ? How was 

 she fed at this time 1 How did Mr. Smith deteimine 

 the quality of the milk? Did he make butter, and 

 did he ascertain how much butter she would make to 

 a quart of milk or in a week or a month ; and if he 

 did why did he not state it? The only test of the 

 good quality of milk is in the butter, which it produ- 

 ces? Again, Mr. Smith says " he has some others 

 almost equal to her." The common saying is that 

 almost is more than half! What does Mr. Smith 

 mean by it ? does he mean any thing more than that 

 they are a little more than half as good ? and if so, 

 and if be knows what they are, why does he not give 

 us some actual measurement in the case ? 



The second fact, which Mr. Smith states, is that 

 "one of his neighbors has a full blood cow that he 

 values at three hundred dollars ; he oficTs to give the 

 cow, if she will not average thirty-two quarts of milk 

 per day for a month at a time, and ihat of a superior 

 quality, and the cow to have no feed excepting that 

 of good pasture." Now all this is just such flummery 

 as we hear every day. Who is this neighbor? Will 

 he give his bond or his word of" honor to do this? 

 Does he mean beer quarts or wine quarts ? Why 

 does he not try the cow without a bet ? He can do it 

 without much trouble. Why does he not see how 

 much butter she will make in a week or a month, and 

 let us know the fact, so that there can be no possibili- 

 ty of mistake or deception? We do not say that he 

 states what is false ; we do not know that this cow 

 wdl not do this and more than this ; but we do say, 

 that there will be no difficulty in his getting three 

 hundred dollars for his cow if she will do what is here 

 stated, and if her pedigree is genuine. It is said that 

 Mr. Clay in Kentucky got two thousand dollars for a 

 cow, which certainly did not promise better than this. 



Again we should like to ask Mr. Smith, if these 

 extraordinary properties are characteristic of the breed, 

 why we do not have more of these gifted animals 

 among the Short Horns It is one thing to find ex- 

 traordinary individuals and another a whole race. 

 Will Mr, Smith inform us likewise, if this is the best 

 race in Great Britain, why the first farmer in Eng- 

 land Mr. Coke (Lord Holkham) prefers another race ? 

 and in the next place why the Herefordshi res take the 

 prizes at the English Cattle Shows aa often ae the 

 Duihams ? 



Now Mr. Smith may be assured, that we have no 

 prejudice against the Duihams. We admire them 

 and mean to do them ample justice. We cannot see 

 any reason why he or our friend Allen should erect 

 their quills and dnrt their hard looks at us in this man- 

 ner. We have no Short Horns to sell. A burnt 

 child dreads the fire ; and we shall not try again. If 

 Mr. Smith has any valuable and well authenticated 

 facts to communicate, we shall be most happy to re- 

 ceive them. As to " guesses, and almosts, and chal- 

 lenges," wo have little regard for them ; and have 

 seen in our day as much of cojv-jockeying as horse- 

 jockeying. 



Fuel. 



Farmers who drive instead of being driven by 

 their business, will be busily occupied in winter in 

 drawing and cutting up their wood for smnmer use. 

 The great advantage of dry over green wood is 

 generally understood. Green wood usually con- 

 tains at least one third of water which is evapora- 

 ted as it becomes seasoned, as is proved by weigh- 

 ins it : this amounts to several barrels of water in 



wasted, generally at least one- half. . The only 

 case in which green wood can ever be tolerated, is 

 where the draft is so strong up the chimney, as to 

 carry off the greater part of the heat; as in^re- 

 places, and badly constructed stoves. But in stoves 

 where the draft can be closed both above and be- 

 low the fire to prevent this sweeping of heat up the 

 pipe, the use of well-seasoned wood will be found 

 a matter of great economy. 



Small stove-wood, cut up green in winter and 

 placed in an airy wood-house, will be well seasoned 

 by mid-summer ; but larger wood requires more 

 time. Large wood, seasoned two or three years, 

 is decidedly better than if seasoned but one year. 

 Those who have not spacious wood-houses, where 

 quantities may be stored, should place their wood 

 for seasoning where it will be most exposed to the 

 heat of the sun, and the action of the winds. And 

 if protected entirely from rain by a covering of 

 boards, it will be much better. The superiority 

 of wood thus secured in seasoning to that corded 

 up in shady woods as is frequently done, is very 

 great. Indeed, the less compact woods, as elm, 

 black ash, and soft maple, are comparatively 

 worthless, unless thus thoroughly dried. J. J. T. 



Roa(ls."Eversieeiis.~Seckel not ("Seckle'') 

 Pear.—Mediterrauean Wheat. 



C In a letter from Cuyvga county) 

 In the haste of writing my last letter, I forgot to 

 mention the operation of SCRAPING THE 

 ROADS as soon as they are dry enough after the 

 ground has been soaked, and the ruts become 

 deep. Except THROWING OFF THE LOOSE 

 STONES from the beaten track, there is nothing 

 that improves them so much with the same amount 

 of labor. It is true the efl'ects may not be perma- 

 nent in rainy weather ; but the chances are much 

 in its favor, and the expense is too small in pro- 

 portion to the benefit, to constitute any valid ob. 

 jection. 



When the roads are full of ruts and hubs, which 

 happen more especially in the spring, it is very 

 fatiguing for the team, and straining for loaded' 

 carriages to pass. In many districts, the overseers 

 let the traveler work along over such obstructions 

 in the bestway he can— and for weeks and months 

 —until the hoof and the wheel batter down the 

 hubs, and gradually fill up the ruts, while ont- 

 man with a scraper and a yoke of oxen, couk 

 malce it all smooth tliroughoutthe whole district ir 

 half a day, or a day at the furthest. Work o 

 this kind is a real labor-saving operation, evincing 

 both intellect and benevolence ; and entitling thi 

 overseer who directs it, in no slight degree to thi 

 respect and regard of the community. 



A scraper of this kind is easily constructed of i 

 plank 8 or 9 feet long, guarding the edge tha 

 breaks the hubs, with a bar of iron. 



In stiff clays, a heavy roller to precede th. 

 scraper, would render the operation more effectual 

 As Noah Webster has not given the word huh 

 as we use it, a place in his Dictionary, I copy th 

 following definition for the accommodation of you 

 distant readers, from an article I wTote severa 

 years ago. 



HrBs— Such parts of a road as have been raise 

 when muddy, by the hoofs of horses or- cattle 

 and have become hard by drying or freezing. 



The trade in evergreens amongst us, is increas 

 ing ; and wagon loads from swamps of the neigh 

 boHng counties, are brought every spring and fa 

 bv pedlars wlio find a ready sale. It is quite a 



