September 8,1881. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
taken to the rearing of calves, and when properly attended to 
veal meets with but little foreign competition, for the quality 
of veal made from shorthorned cows by suckling calves of the 
Devon and Hereford breeds is unrivalled by any portion of the 
foieign supplies. The feeding of cattle for beef will probably 
pay as well in the future as in the past, notwithstanding the 
large importations of foreign meat; but we advise the home 
farmer to calculate which will pay best at the commencement 
of winter—whether to put up so many steers for fatting, or 
take so many Shorthorn dairy cows which have recently calved 
and keep them at the same cost as the steers in fatting, and sell 
the milk or suckle calves for veal. We think the cows would pay 
better than the steers, for if well bred they would be making beef 
during the whole milking period. It will be advisable in the 
future in most cases for the home farmer to breed his own live 
stock, whether of cattle, sheep, swine, or horses. We recommend 
the large Yorkshire pigs to be crossed with the Berkshire ; this 
cross will give large farrows, which will quickly become of early 
maturity, and furnish the best of meat at any age. 
Poultry and eggs next demand the home farmer’s attention, as 
the importations are immense. For eggs alone we pay the 
foreigner two and a half millions of money annually. Why not 
breed more poultry, and produce eggs enough for the require¬ 
ments of the people ? Surely we can do it as cheaply as any 
other country if we give it thought and attention, and utilise our 
own farm produce. The economy of the homestead will require 
more attention in the future than is often bestowed upon it. For 
instance, all the cart horse stables, cattle and pig pens, and 
covered yards may be floored with earth instead of bricks and 
stones. We hope to see in the future farm produce of every kind 
sold at farmers’ or co-operative stores in all towns, where also the 
home farmer may be able to purchase all he requires for use, 
including manures. 
VARIETIES. 
The Manchester Bee Show.— “A Lancashire Bee-keeper’’ 
writes to us in somewhat disparaging terms relative to the above Show, 
and in rather strong language denounces what he terms the “ plucking 
off” the wings from bees and marking the queen with a string round 
her waist. These practices our correspondent describes as “ cruelty 
to animals,” and consequently in direct opposition to the teachings 
of those who have written on the “ humane treatment of bees.” 
- The Harvest.— Come what may in the shape of sunshine, 
the harvest of 1881 will have to be ranked with its four immediate 
predecessors, as not alone below an average so far as yield is con¬ 
cerned, but also as regards quality. In Ireland the actual situation 
is not quite so disastrous, for in many districts a spell of fine 
weather might yet remedy the mischief that has been done ; but 
from Cork and Tipperary we hear that great quantities of Wheat and 
Oats fit for reaping are shedding, whilst corn in stock is rotting and 
Potatoes are blackening. At home the outlook is still more generally 
disheartening. In Durham the rivers have risen and flooded the 
surrounding country. In Hampshire the sheaves in many fields are 
becoming green, and it is estimated that produce is already damaged 
to the extent of from G s. to 8s. per quarter. Lancashire has been one 
of the heaviest sufferers from the deluge—hundreds of acres have 
been flooded in the fertile districts in and around Furness and the 
Fylde. A good harvest this year was the last chance of many 
a farmer who has been struggling manfully for years past against 
the weather and the American, If we could only get a few weeks of 
sunshine the crops might be still saved in some parts in tolerably 
fair condition, and some co. n was housed before the rains came, but 
at best the outlook is a gloomy one. 
- A Famous Butter Cowl— Notice has already been taken 
of the run on Jerseys, and the high prices obtained for some sold at 
public auction this year. One of the best of the herd died recently, 
Jersey Belle of Scituate—pronounce minus the “c”—owned by Mr. 
Charles 0. Ellms, of Scituate, Mass. The cause of death was milk 
fever. At the time of her death she was just ten years and one day 
old. In her seven-year-old season she was tested for a year with a 
result of 705 lbs. of butter in the 3G5 days. A year ago last month 
she was tried on extra feed, and in one week the return was 25 lbs. 
3 ozs. of butter. One peculiarity of her cream and butter was its 
rich colour, never varying summer nor winter. Her first calf, 
dropped in 1874, went to the butcher. It was then seen what a 
235 
milker she was, and better care taken of the remainder, of which 
Mr. Ellms has three heifers, and Col. H. S. Russell of Milton, 
Mass., one.— (Live Stock Journal.) 
- Harvest Prospects in Europe.— An international grain 
fair has been opened at Vienna. The representatives from the various 
countries of Europe gave in official reports as to the harvests in their 
respective States, which the Daily News correspondent telegraphs as 
follows :—Wheat : Hungary—below average ; Hanover—excellent; 
Rhine Provinces and Silesia—below ; Saxony—doubtful; Bavaria- 
above ; Italy—considerably below ; Holland—average ; France— 
below, importations expected to be necessary; North Russia—below ; 
Central Russia—average. Barley : Bavaria and Prussia—above the 
average, and of fine quality ; elsewhere—fair. Maize : Bessarabia— 
expected large ; other Danubian Provinces—short and poor. 
- Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Wiltshire.—N early eight 
hundred sheep, several head of cattle, and a few swine were reported 
last week to be suffering from foot-and-mouth disease in Wilts, but 
as the Executive Committee have decided that at present there is no 
necessity for imposing restrictions on fairs and markets, the Clerk of 
the Peace for the county has been instructed to apply to the Privy 
Council to release all areas in which affected places have been set 
free by the local authority. The Wiltshire cattle and sheep fairs and 
markets will consequently be held as announced. 
- Tobacco Cultivation in Ireland,— Among the Irish busi¬ 
ness to be brought before Parliament next session will be a Bill to 
repeal the Acts in force prohibiting the cultivation of Tobacco in 
Ireland. During the recess arrangements have been made for the 
collection of information and statistics on the adaptability of the 
Irish soil for the growth of the plant. It is not proposed, should the 
cultivation of Tobacco be resumed in Ireland, to exempt it from duty. 
- The Harvest in Wales.— The South Wales Daily News 
contains a report of harvest prospects in Wales and the west of 
England from upwards of one hundred of its correspondents in agri¬ 
cultural counties of its districts. The general result is surprisingly 
satisfactory. In only one district is the report altogether bad. From 
nearly all districts the reports show that the present fine weather has 
saved almost everything, and that harvest will be much above the 
average of the last three years. 
-—- Protecting Houses from Flies.— Writing on this subject 
to the Irish Farmers' Gazette , Dr. J. J. Ridges says —“ Before har¬ 
nessing a mixture of one part of crude carbolic acid with six or more 
parts of olive oil should be rubbed lightly all over the animal with a 
rag, and applied more thickly to the interior of the ears and other 
parts most likely to be attacked. This application may need to be 
repeated in the course of the day, but while any odour of the acid 
remains the flies decline to settle, and the horse is completely free 
from all their annoyance. Whether the dreaded tsetse of Eastern 
Africa would also fight shy of similarly anointed animals I cannot 
say, but it deserves a trial, and if successful would be an incalculable 
boon. It mighc also prove obnoxious to mosquitoes.” 
POULTRY NOTES. 
An American breed of poultry which has hardly of late years 
received as much attention as it would appear to merit is the 
Dominique. This breed, according to a writer in a contemporary 
on the other side of the Atlantic, is of considerable antiquity, 
having been imported into America about the year 1800 from the 
island°of Hayti in the West Indies, and taking its name from the 
eastern part of that island which is called St. Domingo. The writer 
first heard of them when he was ten years old, and as he is now 
in his seventy-eighth year—that would be about the year 1813. 
He then saw a cock and ten or twelve hens, said to have been 
hatched from eggs purchased from the original importer of the 
breed. ‘'These birds were about the size of the present Plymouth 
Rock, altogether larger than the common hen, with nicely barred 
plumage, yellow legs and beaks, and fine rose combs. The hens 
were great layers and good courageous mothers.” Some few 
