34© Crossing Different Breeds.—Lotion for a Bruise or Sprain.—Reclaiming Swamps, &c. 
upon Devon cows; and a large Berkshire boar upon 
Chinese sows. But we apprehend there is much error 
among breeders, in considering what true size is in re¬ 
gard to these matters. 
We recollect a party of gentlemen were once present 
in our stable, examining a fine filly that we then owned; 
and in pointing out her great substance to them, and 
powerful developed frame, and though standing but 
14 hands 3 inches high, we affirmed that there was 
scarcely a horse in the town a hand taller than herself, 
that could girth or measure with her, except in their 
height. They doubted this, and we immediately com¬ 
menced the experiment, and to their great surprise, we 
did not find one horse out of eight that equalled her; 
and we have no doubt, from her great spread and 
roomy internal structure, that she was really as large 
for breeding purposes , as many a mare that stood 3 
inches or perhaps a full hand taller than herself. 
Youatt, in speaking of Devons, makes in substance, 
the same observation, for he says, “These cows how¬ 
ever, although small, possess that roundness and pro¬ 
jection of the two or three last ribs, which make them 
actually more roomy than a careless examination of them 
would indicate.” We know this to be a fact in regard 
to Devons, as well as some other breeds of animals, 
and especially with Chinese hogs, for one standing only 
2 feet high, will outgirth in any part of the body, 
most other breeds 6 inches taller than itself; and fre¬ 
quently there is more than this difference, and we pre¬ 
sume that this was in a measure the case with the 
Canadian mare above mentioned, although we neglect¬ 
ed to measure her, for the purpose of ascertaining. In 
crossing, therefore, more attention should be paid than 
is usually done, to the size of the female in those parts 
of the body which surround and enclose the womb. 
Cline is doubtless the most experienced and scientific 
writer upon this subject, and he is decidedly in favor 
of the male being from the smallest breed when diffe¬ 
rent breeds are crossed, which we understand in this , 
way; the male may be larger than the female to which 
he is bred, but not so large as the average of the males 
of the same breed as the female. We would copy his 
opinion here at full length, but it has so often gone the 
rounds of the press, that we think all must be familiar 
with it. 
To conclude, we know of an excellent breeder in the 
western part of this state, who has quite superior form¬ 
ed sheep, bred from a cross of the Leicester on the 
Merino ewe; and that he advocates the reverse method 
of crossing to Mr. Wakeman and ourselves. But he 
must recollect that his Leicester bucks are larger only 
in flesh , and that their bones are small and fine—per¬ 
haps even of a less size than those of the Merino ewes; 
were they as much larger than those of the ewes as 
their bodies are, we are confident it would prove as 
bad a cross as that detailed by Cline, where the fine 
Yorkshire mares were put to large cart stallions, and 
the Normandy mares were bred to the horses of Hol¬ 
stein. In all breeding, it stands to reason and nature, 
that there must be a fitness in things, otherwise the 
produce will prove a miserable abortion. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
Lotion for a Bruise or Sprain. 
In a letter from Mrs. Susette Andrieu, a woman 
who, by instinct, experience, and talent, is, as I am 
persuaded, the best nurse in these United States, I find 
the following recipe for sprains and bruises. My sys¬ 
tem has always been to spread such things far and 
wide, for the benefit of humanity and the brute crea¬ 
tion. In every family there should be a common-place 
book, in Avhich such things should be entered or pasted. 
for although we often hear of cures for burns, scalds, 
sprains, colics, &c. &c., when these occur, we have ei¬ 
ther forgotten the materials or the proportions, or we 
have them not at hand. How many farmers are there 
who have such a thing as a set of phlemes to bleed 
a horse, or a bottle with the neck of it wrapped with 
twine, ready to administer a drench ? But to the 
Prescription for a Bruise or Sprain. 
1 pint soft soap. 
1 pint strong vinegar. 
1 handful of table salt. 
A table spoon full of saltpetre. I. S. S. 
We welcome our young friend T. to our 
columns with pleasure. His account of Mr. 
Seeley’s improvement is just the sort of com¬ 
munications we like ; and shows what a great 
change, a practical, common-sense man can 
effect with a little perseverance and outlay 
of capital, even on the most unpromising soil. 
Four tons of hay at one cutting, is certainly 
a large crop to be obtained under any cir¬ 
cumstances ; but we cannot for a moment 
dispute it, knowing as we do, the respecta¬ 
bility of our correspondent; and besides, we 
have recently received information from 
other parts of New England, showing incon- 
testibly a similar amount of hay, cut per acre, 
all which facts, and the manner in which it 
was done, in due time we shall lay before the 
public. 
We always like to give the names of our 
correspondents in full to their communica¬ 
tions, but T. objects, because he feels “ ra¬ 
ther green” in writing. Very well, when he 
gets a little more dried , or in other words, 
seasoned to the thing, we hope he will not 
feel quite so diffident. In a private note, he 
promises an article or two on the Island of 
Cuba, and the Bahamas ; where he thinks he 
will be more at home among orange groves, 
coffee trees, and pine apple grounds, than 
with Connecticut corn-stalks, and Weston 
pond holes. We think him sufficiently at 
home anywhere , and are of opinion his Cuba 
article will strongly interest our southern 
friends. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
Reclaiming Swamps and Stony Land. 
Weston, Fairfield Co., Con., Jan. 16, 1843. 
Messrs. A. B. & R. L. Allen :— 
In 1836, Mallett Seeley, Esq., of this town, pur¬ 
chased a tract of land here, containing 11 acres, at $28 
per acre, a price which, even in those times of specu¬ 
lation, was considered high. It was emphatically a 
hard bargain, the surface of the ground being covered 
with large stones; a small part of the tract also, was 
a ledge, and another part a swamp, with bushes on it, 
and this quite stony. 
In 1837, Mr. Seeley commenced improving two acres 
situated near the centre of the piece. About one-third 
of these two acres was occupied by a pond of stagnant 
