362 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[October, 
ways be done. Even in large dairies it will be 
found profitable to feed cows well, curry them 
twice a week thoroughly, and milk then) ten 
montte. This gives eight weeks instead of six 
before calving, and the amount of milk given 
the next season will be essentially greater than if 
the common course 
be followed. The 
practice of drying 
cows early in the 
winter, and calculat- 
ing to milk them 
only about 8 or 9 
months of the year, 
has its origin not in 
a desire to benefit 
the cows or coming 
calves, but in the 
desire to have easy 
work during the 
winter,in taking care 
pf dry cows. Its 
fruit is a decrease 
pf ability in the herd 
to give as much milk 
as otherwise. Espec- 
ially is this true of 
young cows, whose 
milk secreting ten- 
dencies should be 
encouraged as much 
as possible. To this 
end also, heifers 
should come in young; Alderneys at 18 months, 
Ayrshires and other milch breeds at 3 years. 
throat-ruffles, a triple comb, lead colored legs, 
and five-toed feet, like the Dorkings. "We con- 
gratulate the fanciers of these attractive breeds 
of fowls on the possession in this country of these 
fine birds which will, we hope, furnish excel- 
lent crosses with the different strains of blood 
Prize Fowls of the Great French Inter- 
national Exhibition, 
We have already devoted considerable space 
to the more prominent breeds of French fowls, 
yet the interest of the poultry raising public in 
them is so great that we would be inexcusable 
did we not present new facts and instructive 
portraits when it is 
in our power. An 
enterprising Ameri- 
can poultry fancier, 
Mr. James E. Mal- 
lory, of Tarrytown, 
Westchester Co., N. 
Y., secured and ship- 
ped at once to this 
country the prize tri- 
os of the three prom- 
inent French breeds 
of fowls, namely : 
Crevecceur,Lafleche, 
and Houdan, and the 
prize trio of Kouen 
Ducks. All arrived 
in poor flesh, but 
good health, and are 
doing very well. 
Though not in the 
best plumage, we 
had drawings made 
of them, and present 
engravings of the 
Houdan and La- 
Heche trios. They 
are well formed, the size of all is large, that of 
the Lafleches especially so. The color of these 
is black, with white ear-lobes, and slate-colored 
legs ; that of the Houdan is black and white, 
speckled or spangled, (whichever term is best 
understood.) The latter have topknots, and 
GKOUP OF HOUDAN PRIZE FOWLS. 
of the same breeds already in their possession. 
The Cretecceurs Fifteen Years in this 
Country. — We found, a few days since, with 
surprise and pleasure, a fine flock of fowls, 
bearing an unmistakable likeness to the fashion- 
able "Creves," on the farm of Mr. J. P. Swain, 
of Westchester Co. The Johunie-Crapcau style 
and air of the cocks, their split combs, the top- 
knots, the tendency to muffle or ruffle, the color, 
and the character of the hens as persistent lay- 
ers, class them unmistakably as, at least, close- 
ly akin to the Crevecceurs. The original stock 
-mm 
group of lafleche peize fowls. 
was purchased by Capt. Funk, of the old line of 
Havre packets, under the name of "Layers," 
(Pondmse) at Havre. Two importations were 
made of twenty and thirty-six birds respectively, 
but few of either importation survived, or long 
survived, the passage. Their descendants, how- 
ever, are hardy and healthy, and Mr. S. gives 
them the credit of being the hardiest and best 
hens for eggs he has ever had, although he has 
bred almost all the famous varieties, importing 
them from both Europe and Asia. We learn 
that it is the common experience of importers of 
fowls that the origi- 
nal birds frequently 
fail and die, soon 
after coming here, 
and they are lucky 
if thej' secure a dozen 
or two good eggs. 
The trouble is roup, 
contracted from the 
long confinement 
and exposure. These 
French hens have 
been distributed to 
some extent through 
the country, but Mr. 
S. advises persons to 
get them from the 
more recent impor- 
tations, as the cus- 
tom in France has 
been to take the 
largest eggs from the 
:j handsomest hens, 
from which to raise 
" layers." As long 
as Mr. S. continued 
this practice, eight 
of the French hens' eggs were nearly equal in 
weight to ten of ordinary fowls, but the egg- 
shells became thin, and grew thinner constantly. 
Harvesting Corn, 
In cutting up corn, either cut close to the 
ground, or leave stubs six or eight inches long. 
The buts are worth nothing for feeding, and 
though good for manure, may be ignored, 
since they are turned-under at the first plowing. 
Corn stubs eight inches long, with the great, 
gnarly root attach- 
ed, are in the way 
of subsequent culti- 
vation. If the land 
is put in grain, and 
grass follows, they 
often interfere with 
the haying for a year 
or two. To remedy 
this, either cut close, 
or, as we said, leave 
long stubs. These 
may be broken olf 
by hauling some flat 
drag over the field 
after the ground is 
frozen. If the piece 
is to be plowed this 
autumn, cut close to 
the ground. We 
have used various 
implements for cut- 
ting up corn, and the 
public has settled 
upon two or three 
patterns of corn 
knives as the best. 
The writer prefers a good little hoe, ground 
sharp, with a handle about 14 inches long. The 
clip should be made a little upward, as it cuts 
easier, but no great outlay of strength is requir- 
ed, even if the cut be made square across. 
When the corn is all well glazed, cut and set 
