366 
HIGH PRICES OF PRODUCE, GOOD Mil KING COWS., ETC. 
HIGH PRICES OF PRODUCE. 
No one can be more rejoiced than we are at the 
benefit accruing to the farmers in consequence of the 
late advances in the prices of produce. But while 
we congratulate them on the ample remuneration they 
are now receiving for theii labors, we sincerely hope 
that they will take good care of what money they 
receive—pay their debts if they owe any, and if not, 
instead of buying more land, cast about to see how 
they can improve what they already possess. More 
and more land is the unceasing cry of the American 
farmer; and when he gets it, nine chances out of ten 
that it is not more vexation than profit to him. The 
great curse of the farmer is his large possession of 
land , and his little possession of capital , thus render¬ 
ing it utterly impossible for him to properly cultivate 
it. Recollect, land which is not giving abundant 
crops is just like an idle horse that has got to be daily 
fed and curried. It eats largely in the interest of the 
money paid, or covenanted to be paid for it, and 
requires more or less watching and care Not to 
desire more acres, but how to better cultivate those 
already in possession, should be the motto of the 
tanner in this country, as it generally is in Europe. 
Another thing, keep your sons steadily at their 
business, and above all, clear of merchandize and pro¬ 
fessions. They may become bankrupts in the first, 
and starve in the second ; but if kept at work on the 
farm, will be pretty certain to be preserved in virtuous 
habits, earn a good and honest living, and have 
something over every year with which they can ulti¬ 
mately purchase or hire and stock a farm for them¬ 
selves. 
Keep your wives and daughters from buying gew¬ 
gaws and gadding about the country, because their 
husband or father has got a little more for his wheat 
and corn, or pork and beef, this year than he did the 
last. If there is any money to be spared, let it be 
laid out in useful books, and take time to read them 
and improve the mind. How much more respectable 
and agreeable is the farmer’s wife and daughters with 
intelligent minds and plain clothes, than the gaudy 
butterflies that loo often flit about our cities, we need 
not say. The former inspire respect Irom all they 
meet, and are useful members of society; while for 
the latter we feel only pity, contempt, or disgust, for 
they are without benefit either to themselves or 
others. 
GOOD MIUKING COWS. 
In consequence of the great scarcity of fodder, 
many an animal must go to the shambles that 
would otherwise have been wintered for a breeder. 
Now therefore is the time for the farmers to select 
their best milking cows and fat the rest. To be a 
good milker is the paramount merit of cows even 
while the dairy is considered of secondary conse¬ 
quence, and the milk goes principally to rearing the 
calf; its importance for this object alone is of great 
magnitude in giving a quick, full, and perfect devel¬ 
opment to the calf. In those sections of the South 
an 1 West, where beef is the principal object of at¬ 
tention, great leg u; I should be paid to the form which 
h iestined to give the proper shape and rapid and 
early maturity, and a choice quality to the carcase 
when fitted for the shambles. Wherever the dairy is 
the leading object, the utmost attention should be 
paid to the quantity and quality of milk produced. 1 
We deem this a matter of so much importance, that 
w T e should unhesitatingly withhold a premium from a 
cow exhibited at any Agricultural Society of the 
Northern part of the Union, however meritorious the 
form, appearance, and blood, if the most satisfactory 
record of the quantity of milk produced between her 
annual calvings were not given, and its quality spe¬ 
cifically determined for the purposes of making into 
butter; and if practicable, cheese also. The quanti¬ 
ty of milk alone, without a knowledge of its capa¬ 
bility for conversion into the latter products, we think 
a very unsatisfactory test of merit; as it has been 
frequently shown that a cow, producing less than 
half the quantity of another, has given a much larger 
yield of butter. Much also depends on the manner 
of feeding. A cow placed in a stable, or in a small, 
well shaded enclosure, taking little exercise, and 
1 fed on peculiarly succulent food, such as an abun¬ 
dance of fresh clover, roots, rich slops, &c., will 
yield a large increase of milk over one which is al¬ 
lowed to ramble in an extended range, and exposed 
to a summer’s sun, or fed on a drier, yet nutritious 
food. The difference resulting from the opposite cir¬ 
cumstances, if carried to extremes, would not be less 
than two to one in the same animal in quantity of 
milk ; though it would be much less in butter; and 
probably if converted into cheese, the result might be 
even reversed. It is generally the case that wher¬ 
ever the dairy is an object of attention, oxen are much 
used for the yoke. It then becomes necessary to 
unite with her milking qualities such form in the 
cow as will insure a working animal of the right 
shape and limbs. 
Charcoal. —Save all the charcoal dust you can 
lay your hands on, at a fair price, and apply it im¬ 
mediately to your winter grain and grass lands. I: 
is warming in winter, and attracts moisture in sum¬ 
mer, and as it decomposes, affords food for the plant. 
It can be applied broad-cast, at the rate of 100 bush¬ 
els down to 20 per acre, with visible good effect. 
Setting out Trees. —One cannot be too careful 
in setting out fruit trees. A friend of ours is now 
setting out an orchard of 15,000 trees. He began 
two years ago, by chucking his trees into the ground 
with roots all crooked up, like a frozen chicken’s 
daws ; but he soon found out his error, and has since 
spent double the time in digging round and straight¬ 
ening out the roots, and manuring them, that it would 
have taken to have set them out properly at first. He 
has just given an order for a quantity of trees to one 
of our best nurserymen, with positive instructions 
not to have a root marred ; and he says he shall put 
a wheel-barrow load of well-amalgamated and well- 
rotted manure to each tree, mixed with the earth, 
with which he fills up the hole. One thousand 
trees well set out, and well cultivated after they are set 
out, will be worth more, and bear more fruit, than ten 
thousand carelessly set out and then left to themselves. 
Apology.— An apology is due to our subscribers 
for the late appearance of the Agriculturist last month. 
It was owing entirely to the unparalleled drouth, the 
paper maker being unable to furnish his usual supply, 
in lime, in consequence of want of water to run hia 
mill. The publishers have provided for such a con¬ 
tingency in future. 
