258 
TO COUNTRY GENTLEMEN. 
tallow is subjected to a squeeze, before being 
manufactured into cadi es for summer use; and 
leaf lard to the same process, for the oil it con- 
tains, as well as the increased value it gives to 
the lard. 
" If the idea should suggest itself to any one 
— wherein lies the particular benefit of such an 
i stablishment — we would merely state that the 
farmers of our Country are enabled to get remu- 
nerating prices, at home, for 20,000 to 50^000 hogs 
per year; and that 100 to 130 laboring men find 
employment, during five or six mouths of the 
year, at good wages and 20 to 30 during the 
whole of the time ; requiring an expenditure, 
in cash alone, which is distributed thoughout 
the county, of over $200,000 annually." 
Superior Hams. — The hams cured at this es- 
tablishment are the finest we have ever eaten 
in the United States.. Indeed, we do not consid- 
er them at all inferior to the best Westphalia, to 
be found in the London market. They are 
mild, tender, juicy, and of a flavor peculiarly 
agreeable to the palate. 
The Messrs. Frazer inform us that they find it 
rather difficult to obtain hams from the swine 
now raised at the west, sufficiently lean and ten- 
der for choice curing. The breeds now reared 
there by the farmers, lay on too much fat in 
proportion to the lean, to make a first-rate ham. 
They have consequently detirmined to go into 
the rearing of the Berkshire breed of swine, 
themselves, expressly for this purpose. They 
find that the Berkshires make more lean, tender 
meat, in their hams, in proportion to their size, 
than any other breed whatever. Of this, we as- 
sured the public from our own experience, 
over and over again, years ago ; but they 
were' too careless or credulous to pay attention 
to what we then said, and the result is, that pure 
Berkshires are now comparitively scarce in the 
country. We are of opinion that the western 
farmers, particularly, will soon find it for their 
own interest to revive them. 
»-«♦ 
TO COUNTRY GENTLEMEN. 
It has always been a matter of surprise to us, 
that the gentlemen of the United States do not 
pay more attention in adorning their show 
grounds with fine, high-bred animals, of dif- 
ferent kinds and breeds. Our Creator did not 
leave Eden thus desolate; but after adorning it 
with every plant, and shrub, and tree, bearing 
fruit and flower, he also stocked it with " every 
beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and 
brought them unto Adam to see what he would 
call them." " And Adam gave names to all 
cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every 
beast of the field ;" and we have no doubt, that, 
with himself and the beautiful Eve, it was one 
of their chief delights to surround themselves 
with this living creation of beasts and birds, in 
their daily rambles through the exquisite parks 
and gardens of Eden, and to watch over and 
care for them. 
Among the noblemen and gentlemen of Eu- 
rope and their accomplished ladies, this is ever 
the case ; they would think their parks and 
show grounds desolate enough, unless adorned 
with various kinds of domestic animals of high- 
bred race. Even the most powerful potentates 
do not consider such things as beneath their 
attention. We have seen high-bred cattle, 
petted and cared for with the greatest attention 
by the Emperor Nicholas, of Russia, in his 
superb park, at the Sarskosella, his favorite 
summer residence. Prince Albert and the 
Queen of England possess them in great variety, 
at Windsor Park, and even at their marine 
residence, at Osborn House, on the Isle of 
Wight ; and what is most strange to American 
eyes, is to see herds of noble shorthorns, and 
flocks of Southdown and Leicester sheep, pas- 
turing in the parks of populous London, greatly 
to the delight of its numerous citizens, and evi- 
dently at as much ease as if on one of the most 
retired farms of the kingdom. Breeding and 
rearing fine high-bred stock is the heartfelt 
delight of English people ; and we can add, also, 
one of their most profitable occupations; for 
they not only derive vast benefit from it them- 
selves, but they make the whole world tributary 
to them in the way of purchasing. 
The first thing with us, after obtaining pos- 
session of land, would be to stock it with im- 
proved animals; the second, to plant choice 
trees and flowers; the third, to erect a handsome 
house ; and the fourth and last, elegantly furnish 
it, especially with a well-selected library. 
Usually all this is reversed with our country- 
men. First comes a great, staring, ill-construct- 
ed temple of a house ; second, gaudy furniture ; 
third, a gravelled path or two and a few trees 
or flowers ; fourth, stowed away in an old shed 
or secluded pasture, some three or four mean, 
slab-sided, coarse, raw-boned cows, whose only 
merit is giving a big mess of watery milk ! Not 
a chick, not a rabbit, not a pet lamb, not even 
a musical bossy calf, frolicking colt, nor dappled 
fawn, sets foot on their ground ; they have no 
taste for such ; and, besides, they are dreadful 
'fraid it would be vulgar. Thus all about them 
is in a measure uninhabited and desolate. We 
have occasionally known the boys to rob their 
nests, and then stone away or shoot every bird 
that made its appearance on their ground. But, 
for the honor of our countrymen, we will add 
that this is very rare. Nine tenths of those who 
are seen prowling about the pastures, woods, and 
fields, in the vicinity of our large cities, are 
foreigners. 
Large Strawberries. — We do not know 
when we have been more gratified, than by a 
present from Mr. Matthews, of several quarts of 
the largest and finest kinds of strawberries, 
grown by him in the garden at High Cliff. 
Some of these were 5j~ inches in circumference, 
and of a delicious flavor. He has succeeded in 
growing the Prince Albert, and Keen's seedling, 
with the same success as the Hovey. He plants 
every third row among them, with early scarlet. 
By this method, and general judicious cultiva- 
tion, he gets abundant crops, and of large size. 
He showed us Prince Alberts, from 4f to 5 
inches in circumference. 
