CAST'S OF A PRIZE SHORT-IIORN HEIFER, ETC, 
333 
CASTS OF A PRIZE SHORT-HORN HEIFER- 
It will be recollected that in our March No., page 
81, we proposed receiving subscriptions loi plaster 
casts, of the prize short-horn heifer, belonging to Sir 
Charles Tempest, which at the late annual exhibi¬ 
tion of fat cattle, of the v Smith field Club, in London, 
took the first prize of the gold medal, as the best ani- 
lataal on the ground. These were cast from an exact 
model of the heifer, which Francis Rotch, Esq., of 
Otsego, New York, then in London, caused to be 
executed by one of the first artists of England. They 
have now arrived, and can be seen at our agricultural 
warehouse, No. 187 Water street. These casts are 
16 1 inches long, 9| inches high, and are beautiful 
statues of an almost perfect animal. The anatomy 
of the heifer is exceedingly well developed; and in 
gazing upon the beautiful model, it seems almost life¬ 
like, and as if on handling its unctuous flesh, that it 
would recede and spring back to the touch, as did the 
original when standing in its exquisite proportions,; 
a superb show, before the admiring multitudes of; 
Smith field. 
Mr. Rotch deserves the gratitude of the breeders of 
America for giving them this model by which to 
fashion their animals, and we predict that it will ulti¬ 
mately exert greater influence in so doing, than all the 
cuts and pictures of cattle yet offered to the public in 
this country. A picture can only give a general idea 
of an animal; whereas, a statue adds to this, a 'per¬ 
fect view of its separate parts. It can be examined 
on all sides; its proportions measured, and these con¬ 
sidered as a whole, and in relation to each other, 
things which are absolutely necessary to be taken 
into consideration, in forming a true estimate of an 
animal. Let those now who are desirous of having 
what constitutes a good animal, place this statue be¬ 
fore them; then take the September No. of the Ag¬ 
riculturist in hand, and turn to page 268, and care¬ 
fully read over the “ Scale of Points for Durham 
Cows,” which they will find there, and they will 
obtain more just notions in a single hour, than they 
can otherwise get by reading a whole month. We 
hope thai. those persons who hereafter consent to act 
.as judges at cattle shows, will take this subject into 
consideration, and at least endeavor to qualify them¬ 
selves for the task. If they will do this, they will 
find a small part of their conceit and prejudice vanish, 
and their decisions will be more just than those which 
are too often handed in for the sanction of agricultu¬ 
ral societies, to the great mortification and discourage¬ 
ment of all good breeders. Many an indifferent beast 
have we seen thus held up to the public as the best, 
and a model to breed from, when the really deserv¬ 
ing, from the ignorance of the judges, were passed 
over as unworthy of notice. 
We stated that the cost of the casts would be $3 
each, delivered here. We find upon paying freight 
from London, Custom House duties, and other charges, 
that they cost within a fraction of $4 each, without 
allowing a single cent for our time and trouble in the 
matter. If they are repacked here and shipped, it 
will cost another dollar each, making $5. We could 
not undertake to procure others short of this sum. 
We are willing to be at the trouble of ordering these 
casts for the sake of improving the cattle of the coun¬ 
try, and all we ask in the matter is, to be indemnified 
for the actual expense of so doing. We could not 
take the risk of breakage even at this price; but 
would ensure the casts delivered here at $6 each, pro" 
vided more can be obtained, of which we are not cer 
tain till we write Mr. Rotch, who is still in England 
None have yet been sent out here except such as 
were subscribed for last spring. Those subscribing 
can have their models by calling for them at our office, 
or directing us where they may be sent 
HOW TO SUSTAIN AND IMPROVE THE 
QUALITY OF THE SOIL. 
It has become an important inquiry among many 
of our farmers, how they shall fertilise such of their 
lands as are yielding large burthens of produce, which 
are taken off' the premises for sale ? Where remote 
from a large city, or places for supplying manures, 
this is a most important query, and one which they 
are highly interested in having answered correctly 
It is absolutely certain, that farmers cannot annually 
rob their farms of large crops of grain, grass, anc 
roots, without either supplying manure to the soil, 
or losing rapidly in its fertility. We shall briefly indi¬ 
cate some of the most obvious resources for sustain¬ 
ing and improving the productiveness of the soil. 
In the first place, not an ounce of animal manure 
should be suffered to be wasted, either liquid or solid. 
When not dropped on the feeding grounds, but around 
the stables and yards, it should be carefully saved 
and treasured up, where it cannot waste till used. 
This should be carefully and judiciously compounded 
with turf, or peat, or vegetable matter, so as to retain 
all its gases, and not be permitted to drain away, 
and as soon as a proper time offers, it should be carried 
on to the fields and at once incorporated with the 
soil. Another resource for many of our Eastern 
farmers, is the immense stores of peat and muck 
that are within their reach, and which tends greatly 
to benefiting a light, sandy or loamy soil. All the 
animal matters, bones, leached or unleached, should 
be carefully collected and applied to their land, and 
any other fertilising substance which is to be found 
around the premises or can be collected at not too 
great an expense in the neighborhood. 
But in many cases where the stock of cattle is not 
large, and the nroduce sold from the land is consid¬ 
erable, some rho’re definite and certain means for sus¬ 
taining a farm must be resorted to. With the most 
intelligent and systematic agriculturists, a proper ro¬ 
tation is adopted, which has been found by expe¬ 
rience, to be adapted to the locality and products. By 
this is meant, a regular succession of crops on the 
same fields through a series of years, which, at their 
expiration, are again repeated. They are so arranged 
that two grain crops never follow each other, but are 
separated by root crops, grass, &c. This system pre¬ 
vents the necessity of the soil yielding similar ingre¬ 
dients through two or more successive seasons, which 
it will seldom do to an extent sufficient to produce a 
good second crop. Time is required for it to decom¬ 
pose such of the ingredients which it contains, as are 
necessary to form what are called the inorganic por¬ 
tions of the plant, in such conditions to be taken up 
and appropriated by the plant. It also enables the 
cultivator to apply his green or putrescent manures 
to such crops as are most properly adapted to receive 
them. Such are corn and roots, and nearly all the 
objects of cultivation excepting the smaller grains. 
The great object of rotation, however, is to give 
the land rest as it is termed, when allowed to remain 
