576 
Supplement to the '^Tropical Agricultunst." Feb. 1, 1900. 
to attach an agricultural instructor to each of the 
botanic stations, wlio will, travel about holding 
meetings and demonstrations, ;iiid imparling infor- 
mation on improved methods diredly to tie 
planters ; and in addition instructors or experts m 
special lines, as budding and pruning fruit-tree-^, 
curing tobacco, bee-keeping, ulc, will be employed 
to .»pend a mouth or fwu on each i -l ind. 
The publications of the departojent will also be 
a meuns of diffusing popular iulorniiition. They 
will include handbooks on the cultivation of 
special crops, bulletins and leaflets, the latter 
especially being in very simple, clear language. 
The West Indian Bulletin, mentioned above, will 
be issued by the department periodically. The 
lirst number of this journal contains as an intro- 
ductory, an account of tlie establishment of the 
depnrtiuent, aiid a report of the liist agricultural 
conference held at B I' bados. The latter contains 
a number of p ipers of meii, on <iiff^reut teaiuies 
of cane grooving, central factories, agiicultural 
education, etc. 
It will be seen that a very liberal and com- 
prehensive plan has been adopietl i n- acquiring and 
diffusing information, and that no effort is to be 
spared to make the deportment of the greatest 
direct benefit to the planter- and to bung the 
teachings of ygricultuial science home to them. 
The progress of the new department in its various 
branches will be a matter of much interest to 
people of this country, especially in view of our 
interest in islands adjacent to those for whose 
benefit it '.vas established. The experience there 
will prove of value, as well as the actual con- 
tributions to agricultural science and practice. 
TO TELL THE AGE OP CATTLE. 
The first ring at three years, and a ring on the 
horn for each succeeding year, is the usual way 
of reckoning; bu. as the.-^e can be rapped off, and 
some l)reeds do not have horns, it is advisable to 
deti m ne certainly by the teeth. The unimproved 
lonjj h rns, and other old-fashioned breeds which 
are long in coming to maturity, were found to 
be later in the putting out of the teeth ; but the 
following table, drawn . by Professor Simonds, is 
reliable for Shorthorns and others which mature 
early. The same order is maintained as regards 
the front teeth or incisors in all animals — namely, 
the two to come through first are the central ; the 
next pair consists of one on each .■-ide of them, and 
again one on each side of the laterals, the outer 
laterals following until the number (eight in the 
ox) is completed. The molars, or grinding teeth, 
also afford evidence to those able to distinguish 
them, but for all practical purposes the age is 
nearly enough ascertained hy the number and 
development of the incisors. A rough-aud-ready 
way of remembering is, first pair at one year and 
nine months ; second pair at two years and three 
months; and so on, each pair being about six 
months later than the previous ones in breaking 
through the gum. As soon as the mouth is " full," 
or complete, the teeth begin to show wear, and 
gradually separate, as well as look narrower, and 
have interdental spaces, which go on increasing 
until, in very old animals, they fall out and leave 
gaps. 
Simrjn I's Table of Siraond's Table of Girard'* Table of 
Kaily Averasie. Late Aver;,ve. Late A'erage. Un- 
improved Breeds. Improved Breeds, improved Breeds. 
No of No of No. of 
Y. M. /leeth, Y. Tvl . -.Teeth. Y. M. ^ Teeth 
19 2/ 2 o 'i| 3 2> 
2 3 4 > permanent 2 9 4) permanent 3 0 J > permanent 
2 9 el in.isors 3 3 61 incisors 4 0 6l incisors 
3 3 8; 3 9 8; 5 0 87 
A Writer in an American exchange says : — i 
have always regarded the horns of very small 
importance in showing the age of the cow when 
buying. It is true that the horns indicate the 
age, but not always accurately. The rings usually 
begin to come with the first calf. For instance, 
if a heifer drops her first calf at two years old, 
the first ring counts two ; but if she does not calve 
until thiee, then the first ring counts three years. 
After the cow gets along in yearf, the most im- 
jjortant thing on which h^r continuance of useful- 
ness depend- is the condition of her teeth. Gener- 
ally, as long as her tt eth last, she will continue 
to do well in the dairy; but when these fail, 
she nill begin to go djwn hill. Therefore, it is 
never safe to buy a cow without looking at her 
teeth, for some fail sooner than others. For the 
benefit of those who are not in the habit of ex- 
amining the teeth of the cow, I will describe their 
appearance at various stages. In determining 
the age of the cow, it is necessary only to examine 
the fiont teeth of the lower jaw — 1 say "lower" 
jaw, because a man came to buy a cow me some 
time ago, and objected to taking her because she 
had no upper front teeth. The calf has eight 
small milk teeth ; but when nearing two years 
old, the two middle ones are replaced by two 
permanent and much larger ones. The two 
next ones come at three or a little before, 
two more at four, and at five years old the 
cow has a full mouth. The two middle ones are at 
this time about | inch long, with the others 
growing shorter to the outside. After this the 
teeth grow shorter every year, and at seven years 
we may expect to find the teeth not much over 
^ inch. They keep. on wearing off until at 9 or 
10 years they are very much shorter and seem 
narrower, also barely touching each other. The 
gums hIso begin to shrink away, until sometimes 
a tooth or two may get knocked out by biting 
some hing hard. 
By lookitig at the teeth of cows of which one 
knows the age, he may soon become well ac- 
quainted with their appearance. While it is 
impossible to tell exactly the age of a cow when 
over five years old, still one may judge near 
enough for all practical purposes. If a cow's 
mouth presents an 8-year-old appearance, it does 
not make much difference if she is nine or ten. 
She will, in all probability, last as long as the 
average 8-year-old cow. Dealers will often 
insist that a 10-year-old mouth belongs to a 
7-year-old cow ; but that is no reason why tl)« 
buyer should be deceived. He can easily leata, 
for himself. 
