December Notes from Buffalo to New York—Silk in our State Prisons. 
361 
and we trust that we shall be favored by his 
report when completed. We like to see the 
rule, the measure, and the scale applied 
in every instance that it is possible $ for 
these are the only true test, and to these 
alone we look for our standard of infor¬ 
mation. 
Mr. Prentice’s stock is kept in fine order 
on precisely the same food as other farmers 
keep their cattle—hay and straw ,* and we 
understood him to say, that some of the in- 
calf heifers were not then stabled, but kept 
in yards with sheds open on one side to re¬ 
treat to when they chose ; and he contends 
that they are the poor rather than the wealthy 
man’s stock, inasmuch as they give more 
milk and beef for the food consumed, than 
can ever be realized from a herd of natives. 
His herd consists now of about forty in all, 
and to any one desirous of purchasing, we 
can only say they will find here a good se¬ 
lection at fair prices. 
We give another bull of Mr. Prentice’s 
breeding before concluding this article, in 
consequence of seeing him on board Steam¬ 
boat last summer on his way to Ohio. 
Short-horn Bull Leopard.—(Fig. 38.) 
The Property of E. P. Prentice , Esq., Mount Hope , JV\ Y. 
He was sold to Mr. Sandford Howard, of 
Zanesville, and took the first premium at 
the Fair held there last fall. Mr. Prentice 
has also sold stock into Massachusetts and 
elsewhere, which we understand is much 
liked. We shall probably come across them 
in our future rambles, and if so, we shall 
then hope to transfer them and their doings, 
to some future number of this paper. 
SILK IN OUR STATE PRISONS. 
We learn from the Supplementary Report 
of the agent of the State Prison, at Auburn, 
that the manufacture of silk was commenced 
there in May 1841, by the introduction of a 
single throwing mill. Since this it has been 
gradually increasing, and there are now in 
the prison, twelve throwing mills, with sixty - 
four spindles each, twelve bobbing wheels, 
twelve stationary wire swifts, eight pairs of 
horizontal swifts, one drying rack, two quill¬ 
ing mills and apparatus, one set of reeling 
pins, ten 72 inch reels, twelve 44 inch reels, 
one band maker, a dye-house with kettles, 
&c., &c. The machinery is moved by steam 
power, and forty convicts are now employed 
in the business ; and the returns for their 
labor show as great a profit as any other of 
the mechanical departments. 
The sewing silk produced here is superior 
to anything imported, in strength, softness, 
and color. The agent has purchased from 
