SHORTHORN CATTLE. 
363 
save when all seemed lost. No human aid 
could have helped him. How thankful should 
man be that God has given him for his com- 
panions and fellow laborers in the cultivation 
of the earth, these lovely birds. "The laborer 
is worthy of his hire." Why should we be- 
grudge the little moiety claimed by the busy 
little fellows which followed the plow, and 
snatched the worm away from the seed, that it 
might produce grain for his and our sustenance? 
" No honest man will cheat a bird of his spring 
and summer's work." 
SHORTHORN CATTLE. 
I read your report of the sale of Mr. Sheafe's 
herd of shorthorn cattle with much interest, 
and only regret now that I was not present at 
the sale. But in common with most of my 
neighbors, I confess that I am too indifferent to 
stock improvement. However, as our country 
advances in wealth, I trust fine stock will pay 
better than it has done heretofore, and the mo- 
ment that comes, believe me, the farmers will 
take hold of it, as they are pretty keen to see 
their own interests, (a) But why should we 
poor farmers exert ourselves, when wealthy 
gentlemen settling in the country are so mean in 
refusing to pay us good prices for raising beau- 
tiful, improved stock ? (b) 
I noticed quite a difference in the price of 
these cows and calves. Pray, why is this ? (c) 
And how is it that Exeter should bring so very 
much more than any other animal ! We plain 
farmers don't understand the why and where- 
fore of these great differences, (d) 
One word more and 1 have done. Do you 
think that the heifers bred from these cows, will 
be as good milkers as the cows themselves ? (c) 
If so, farmers might be tempted oftener to buy 
young stock, and bring them up themselves. In 
this way, they would not cost near so much. 
We should be willing to pay $25 or so for a 
calf j but $125 for a cow, is a pretty big heap, 
(as we say among the stones,) for a hard-work- 
ing farmer to gather. G. A. D. 
Washington, Oct. 1th, 1850. 
(a) As to farmers being " pretty keen to see 
their own interests," with all due respect to our 
correspondent, we beg leave to say, that we 
think, in many cases, they are right the reverse; 
and so far from seeing their interests in a true 
light, they are as blind in regard to them, as so 
many bats. If they were not, they would have 
commenced their stock improvements long ago. 
(b) In reference to " wealthy gentlemen," we 
shall let them answer this question themselves. 
As a general rule, we can only say that their 
closeness in regard to the matters complained 
of, is proverbial; and we do not wonder that 
the "hard-working farmer" feels so little en- 
couragement in breeding choice cattle, when 
his rich neighbors are so unwilling to pay him 
for it. 
(c) Fancy, mostly ; though some, doubtless, 
had satisfactory reasons, at least, in their own 
minds, why they made these differences. 
(d) If our correspondent will take the trouble 
to read the history of the Princess Tribe of 
shorthorns, as published in Mr. Sheafe's cata- 
logue, and the Agriculturist, and then see how 
deep Exeter's pedigree goes, he will under- 
stand this subject better. The price, $500, 
was reasonable enough for this bull, as any 
calf of his, dropped from a well-bred cow, will 
be worth $100, at a year old, and a very choice 
one, will fetch $150 to, perhaps, $200. Such a 
bull as Exeter cannot be imported from Eng- 
land short of $750 ; he was consequently cheap 
at $500, as we opine his purchaser will be able 
to demonstrate to the public two or three years 
hence. We have no doubt by that time, the 
demand for his calves will be greater than the 
supply. 
(e) Yes, we do, provided they are well taken 
care of. And, as a proof of this, three of them, 
which have calved this fall, though only two 
and a half years old, have been giving from 17 
to 22 quarts of good milk per day. If this is 
not keeping up the promise of the cows, we do 
not know what is. In fact, it is most extraordi- 
nary milking for such young heifers, and shows 
the importance of pedigree and breeding from 
good animals, themselves, previously well bred. 
ASHES ARE DEODORISERS. 
It is a fact of which few persons are aware, 
that both wood and coal ashes are disinfectants 
for animal and vegetable odors, when brought 
into contact with them. So effectual are they 
for this purpose, that human feces when bu- 
ried in them, at once cease to give off any 
offensive smell. This property renders them of 
much value for city, or even country privies, 
where it is an object to use these rich manures. 
By throwing a quantity of ashes into a box 
to cover the droppings, they are at once ren- 
dered inodorous, while they retain most of their 
enriching properties till the owner chooses to. 
transfer them to his land, when it can be done 
without any inconvenience from their smell. 
In consequence of the presence of so large a 
quantity of the alkalies in ashes, a portion of 
the incipients for forming ammonia is driven off, 
and for this reason charred fuel, as wood coaly, 
or half-burned peat, is better. But in the ab- 
sence of these, ashes may form an economical, 
and in most cases, an entirely convenient sub- 
stitute. The ashes from a small, single grate 
have been found sufficient to neutralise the 
effluvia from the feces of a family of a dozen 
persons. Here, then, is a triple benefit procura- 
ble gratuitously — a benefit to the health, to the 
comfort, and to the wealth of the community. 
A New Building Material has lately been 
introduced into Pottsville, Pennsylvania. It is 
a brick fifteen by thirty inches, so made as to 
promise almost equal durability of stone, at one 
third the cost 
Grape Cuttings should never be planted in 
an upright position, as they are not one tenth 
part so likely to grow, as when laid horizon- 
tally. 
