November 18, 1880. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 469 
too crowded with lateral growths, and in that condition Vines never produce 
good crops of fruit. 
Forcing Asparagus (/I Beginner). —When the roots are taken to a hotbed 
the bottom heat should never be above from 75° to 80° ; if there is the least 
danger of the heat being more the roots should merely be left on the surface, 
and be slightly covered after watering, and then 2 or 3 inches more covering 
should be put on as the heat declines. The details of these matters are of 
primary importance to the inexperienced. For an early Asparagus bed we 
seldom use a hotbed all of fresh materials, but select an old hotbed which has 
been used for Cucumbers or Melons. The soil is taken off, also the most decayed 
part of the dung ; that which is not quite rotten is stirred, mixed with hot tree 
leaves or other fermenting material, and 2 inches or so of the dung placed 
on the surface. On this are packed the numerous spreading roots, taking care 
not to let them get dry, putting in the first row as close as it is possible to do 
without the buds touching. A little leaf soil and sandy loam is scattered 
on the long roots, then the next row of roots is placed over them with the buds 
on a level with the first row. In this way a large number of roots can be 
packed in the space of a single light of 6 feet by 4. When all the roots are 
packed in, a sprinkling of light soil is thrown over them, and water is given at 
a temperature of about G5°, so that the fibres of the long roots may have no check. 
When sure that there is the proper heat, 50° to 60°, add a couple inches or so of 
covering, for, where green shoots are preferred, covering for blanching is quite 
unnecessary. 
Names of Fruits. —We have received several parcels of fruit which will 
have attention next week. 
Names of Plants ((?. B.). —Both specimens were very much withered, 
especially the one with red flowers, which, however, is probably Clerodendron 
fallax ; the other is Antennaria tomentosa. The Anteunaria may be propagated 
by division of the plants. (IF. (?.).—1, Maranta zebrina ; 2, Begonia Marshalli ; 
3, Adiantum assimile ; 4, Gymnogramma peruviana; 5, Insufficient for identi¬ 
fication owing to the absence of fructification ; 6, Pteris longifolia. (IF. A. C.). 
—1, Betinospora pisifera ; 2, Golden Milkmaid Holly, ordinary kind; 3, Ilex 
scotica ; 4, Juniperus drupacea ; 5, Golden Milkmaid Holly, best variety ; G, Tliu- 
jopsis borealis argentea variegata ; 7, Chamajcyparis sphceroidea variegata; 
8, Cupressus Lawsoniana lutea ; 9, Tliujopsis dolabrata ; 10, Spiraea Tliunbergii. 
( L. T. Last). —We received some sprays of Selaginellas, but they were so small 
and withered as to be quite unrecognisable. If you will send large and fresh 
specimens they shall be named if possible. 
POULTRY, PIGEON, AND DEE CHRONICLE. 
BREEDS OF CATTLE ADAPTED FOR DAIRY 
FARMING-. 
(Continued f rom, page 440.) 
As the late Dairy Show, held at the Agricultural Hall in 
London, suggested this subject we shall continue to take for con¬ 
sideration the breeds as they stand on the catalogue of the Asso¬ 
ciation. Having previously made remarks upon the Jersey cattle 
we had intended now to examine the comparative richness of milk 
of the various breeds, but the returns relating the analyses by 
Dr. Yoelcker are not to hand ; we must therefore fall back upon 
our experience of more than fifty years. 
Although the Jersey and Alderney cattle yield milk of fine 
quality for butter-making, yet we have always found the Guernsey 
breed excel them in the richness of their milk and deep colour of 
the cream. We have always been accustomed to purchase our 
Channel Island cattle of the importer immediately on landing in 
this country; we are thus enabled to speak of either breed as 
pure-bred stock. We can therefore certify that no breed will yield 
such rich milk as the Guernsey cow—in fact, we only recommend 
them as dairy cattle in connection with other cattle in order that 
the butter may be improved in quality and colour by the mixture 
of the milk in such proportions as will yield butter of fine cows¬ 
lip colour. In attempting to use the Guernsey breed alone for a 
butter-making dairy there is a great difficulty in summer time in 
making up the butter into pats or printed articles for sale, as it is 
sometimes found to run almost like oil, and nearly as deep in 
colour as beeswax. As this was how we found matters we were 
obliged to give up an entire Guernsey herd for butter-making, and 
keep them in part only with ordinary milking Shorthorns. The 
Guernsey cattle of the pure type are distinguished by their being 
much larger and heavier than the Jersey, and their capacity for 
yielding rich milk is easily discovered by ascertaining the colour 
of the skin inside the ear and on the tail of the animals, which is 
of a deep yellow colour, much more so than the Jerseys, although 
the same in degree is a sign of quality of milk in those also. 
Before quitting the Guernsey stock we must observe that although 
the milk is so much richer than the Jerseys, as a rule they do not 
yield so much milk, especially when we consider that they are 
larger animals. They are, however, more hardy, and of consider¬ 
able value when being fed for beef, as they always carry^ more 
flesh whilst in milk than the Jerseys. 
We must now refer to the Ayrshire cattle as being good milkers, 
but yielding only a low quality, more like the Shorthorns. On 
referring to the origin of this breed we find it related that Quale, 
who wrote the “Agricultural Survey of Jersey” many years ago, 
states “ that the Ayrshire was originally a cross between the 
Shorthorned breed and the Alderney.” Our opinion is that^they 
are more likely to have originated in a cross of the old Normandy 
cattle and the Dutch or Holstein breed, for we should look at the 
bead and horn, and also the deep and even body on the under 
line, and the shape of the udder placed, as it usually is, very 
forward. As these points are not peculiar to the Jersey breed we 
are induced to give our opinion as above stated. However, be 
the origin what it may, these cows are excellent milkers, and will 
live on the highland pastures with the mountain sheep, and 
beiDg enabled to bear the climate of the northern counties and 
Scotland this at once to our mind stamps them as being of other 
origin rather than either a Shorthorn or Jersey cross. 
The Dutch or Holstein cattle must now be noticed as being 
very large cows and useful dairy cattle. At the Dairy Show 
there were eighteen entries, and we considered it the best collec¬ 
tion of these animals ever exhibited in England. This stock 
has for many years been appreciated by the dairymen and cow- 
keepers in London and other towns as useful dairy cattle, and 
usually purchased at a moderate price, some of which are well 
calculated to feed for beef also, although they are generally light 
of flesh, being also thin and of a wedge-like shape in ' L the fore 
quarters, which circumstance marks them in our estimation as 
especially adapted for dairy purposes. Whether we take the best 
milkers in Shorthorns, Ayrshires, Jerseys, or Dutch cattle, this 
lightness of the fore quarters, and especially of the narrow shape 
immediately behind the shoulder top, is as a rule the chief charac¬ 
teristic of great milking capacity : hence the difficulty found by 
the most eminent and practical breeders in maintaining a herd 
where aptitude to fatten with correctness of form and outline 
shall be combined with first-class milking powers. If we remem¬ 
ber rightly, at last year’s Dairy Show the prize for the largest 
quantity of milk at two milkings was awarded to a Dutch cow, 
but her milk when tested by Dr. Yoelcker gave only 24 per cent, 
of fat and a total of only 8^ per cent, of solids, a quality so low 
that it is actually below the standard as required for pure and 
unadulterated milk. There can, however, be no doubt the Dutch 
cows are so far in favour with cow-keepers as to find a ready sale 
in this country, if only the Dutch authorities will adopt stringent 
rules and sanitary regulations similar to those adopted in England 
against pleuro-pneumonia and foot-and-mouth disease. At presen t 
we find Dutch cattle are credited with the spread of both i these 
disorders by their importation of cows into the Deptford market. 
Now in order that farmers may not be deceived in purchasing 
Dutch or Holstein cattle, it must be stated that they are nearly 
all of a black and white or tawny and white colour. 
The Kerry cattle at the Exhibition were not numerous, but the 
first-prize winner was very well bred and showed a capital udder. 
These animals are small but well made, and are usually of a black 
or dark brown colour ; they are also credited with giving a fair 
quantity of rich milk, even when they are fed upon cold strong 
land pastures, and have the character, too, of being hardy and 
healthy whilst feeding on short poor food. Considering they are 
