78 



vidua! in a hundred ought to be thrown into the 

 breeding stud. But what was the course pur- 

 sued with the Berkshire hogs on this side the 

 water, even supposing that only the best were 

 imported 1 Were they not every one, little runts 

 and all, sold for ten dollars a piece, to be indis- 

 criminately used for propagation? Is not here 

 sufficient reason for degeneracy and final worth- 

 lessness, even if they had originally possessed 

 all the virtues that were claimed for them by 

 their warmest admirers ? 



We have endeavored to show why the general 

 denunciation of the unfortunate Berkshire should 

 not of itself entirely expel him from the farmer's 

 regards. W T e will now give our reasons for 

 thinking that this stock is probably entitled to 

 more favor than it is likely to meet, for some | 

 time at least, from the prejudiced state of the 

 public mind. In the first place, it at one time 

 undoubtedly enjoyed an unrivalled reputation 

 amongst the most experienced and judicious 

 farmers, both in Europe and America. We can 

 hardly think that such a reputation could have 

 been obtained without foundation. Secondly, 

 We know one gentleman in the county of Hen- 

 rico, and another in the county of Albemarle, 

 who have the finest, thriftiest, and best formed I 

 hogs w r e ever saw ; they have thoroughly stood 

 the test of time, and are considered by their 

 owners, both judicious and experienced men, 

 as superior to any others they ever saw. — 

 They are both Berkshires, and both obtained, we 

 believe, from proper representatives of the race ; 

 which happened by chance in the general scram- 

 ble to fall into their hands. Indeed the gentle- 

 man in Albemarle made three separate Northern 

 purchases of Berkshire hogs, and it was only in 

 one of the last that he found any of the coveted 

 properties of the race. But for that one, his tes- 

 timony would have been added to the general 

 voice which denies their superiority to the com- 

 mon stock of the country. 



We confess that our own prejudices have 

 been excited by the general outcry against this 

 stock ; but since the facts stated above have 

 come to our knowledge, we thought we might, 

 have done the Berkshire injustice, and are not 

 ashamed to make the amende honorable even to 

 a hog. 



Talking about hogs, we extract the following 

 paragraph from a letter lately received from 

 Mr. C. N. Beraent, of Albany : 



" The demand for blood or fancy stock has 



been quite limited ; very few sales, and those at 

 reduced prices. Berkshire hogs seem to be 

 among the things that have been. 1 have had 

 but one order for them this year, and that 1 

 could not fill. 



' : Being fond of experiments and change, I 

 have attempted to make a breed of hogs, by 

 crossing, &c, keeping in view certain points 

 and qualities, and have succeeded in producing 

 a variety which, for the want of a better 

 name, I will call by way of distinction, the 

 'Medley breed.' In size, they will rank third, 

 but for quietness, docility, and easy keep, they 

 will rank among the first, and with a given 

 quantity of food, will make more pork than any 

 other breed I have ever had. In color they are 

 generally white, sometimes a black spot or so. 

 They have all the good qualities of the Berk- 

 shire, without the bad ones. They are small, 

 and short in the leg; round and long in body; 

 head of medium size, nose though small a little 

 long. Their ordinary weight at from twelve to 

 eighteen months old, will vary from two to three 

 hundred pounds, depending upon the care be- 

 stowed on them when young. When slaugh- 

 tered, their appearance exceeds any other offered, 

 and will command the highest price in this mar- 

 ket; skin very thin, white and smooth, like the 

 human. Hams large and heavy in proportion 

 to the body, and some fatter than the Berkshire. 

 In short, where great size is not wanted, they 

 are the hog" 



BOILING POTATOES. 



Not one housekeeper out of ten knows how 

 to boil potatoes properly. Here is an Irish me- 

 thod, one of the best we know. Clean wash 

 the potatoes and leave the skin on, then bring 

 the water to a boil and throw them in. As 

 soon as boiled soft enough for a fork to be easily 

 thrust through them, dash some cold water into 

 the pot, let the potatoes remain two minules, and 

 then pour or? the water. This done, half re- 

 move the pot lid, and let the potatoes remain 

 over a slow fire till the steam is evaporated, then 

 peel and set them on the table in an open dish. 

 Potatoes of a good kind thus cooked, will al- 

 ways be sweet, dry, and mealy. A covered 

 dish is bad for potatoes, as it keeps the steam 

 in, and makes them soft and watery. — American 

 Agriculturist. 



PLOUGHING CORN. 

 W 7 e have received a communication from an 

 intelligent correspondent in North Carolina, in 

 which he insists upon the advantages of the 

 plan of ploughing alternate rows ; a plan which 

 has been very strenuously recommended from 

 the same section of country in previous numbers 



