348 
REVIEW OF THE AUGUST NO. OF THE AGRICULTURIST. 
Sheep Husbandry. —Now, whoever knows Jacob 
N. Blakeslee as well as I do, will bear witness, that 
he need not squirm because John Brown treads on 
some folks’ toes. No one will accuse friend Jacob 
with puffing up a spurious article, because we 
know that he has a good flock, and his practice 
shows that he knows how to improve them. But 
he is quite mistaken in supposing that three-fourths 
of the lambs will partake of the quality of the 
fleece of the buck in all cases. In my opinion the 
quality of the fleece of the lamb will depend much 
upon the vigor of the buck at the period of coition. 
If the buck is in low condition, or old, or sickly, 
or lacking vigor from any cause, which is often the 
case from over-working, the fleeces of the progeny 
will deteriorate from their sire. I am a strong ad¬ 
vocate of cross-breeding; yet I must own that I 
have seen some good flocks that never had enjoyed 
that advantage; and I very much doubt whether 
the mere relationship between the male and female 
is so deleterious, as the breeding together male and 
female too nearly allied in form, and of a weak 
constitution. 
Gardening, No. 6.—Mr. Talbot says that “ cot¬ 
tages and palaces are as much natural objects as 
the nests of birds,” which is a new idea, and at first 
seemed an absurd one; but, upon reflection, I am 
constrained to coincide with him in opinion. I 
have heard arguments against improvements in the 
art and science of agriculture, as “ contrary to na¬ 
ture.” Now, in fact, this cannot be, for man, in a 
healthy state of body and mind, is an improving 
animal; and it is just as much instinct for him to 
build beautiful houses, as it is for birds to build 
beautiful nests. But there is a difference in men as 
well as in birds, and there are some turkey buzzards 
in both classes. The closing line of this article 
upon gardening, is a text upon which 1 could write 
a long sermon. Reader, I pray you look to it, on 
page 247. 
On the same page is another article from Mr. 
Longworth, upon his favorite theory—practice, 
rather—a practice, however much it may be scouted 
by theorists, that has furnished the city of Cincin¬ 
nati with a greater abundance of delicious straw¬ 
berries than any other city in the world. And this 
is owing to the influence of one active mind, and 
goes to show what influence for good, one good 
man, and particularly with the aid of a good paper, 
can effect in agricultural improvement. 
The recipe to “ make water cool,” would be 
more useful if equally applicable to make the wea¬ 
ther cool. We would wrap the whole city in 
coarse cotton if it would carry off the heat from 
the inside. 
Hints on the Construction of Farm-Houses. —This 
is one of the most sensible articles of its popular and 
prolific author. “ It seems to us worthy of the at¬ 
tention of every one who would render our country 
life expressive of its true usefulness and beauty.” 
I think, too, that a farm-house should be JC unmis- 
takeably a farm-house not only in its exterior, but 
in its internal arrangement, which I consider of far 
more consequence than outward appearance; and 
the point upon which modern houses show the 
greatest lack of common sense in the builder. I 
am wedded to the old-fashioned New England 
farm-house kitchen, and can never forget the big 
fire-place and great stone oven; the old settle and 
long oak table; the great pewter platter and ditto 
plates; and ditto, too, the old cider mug, while just 
by the back-door hung i 
“ The old oaken bucket, the moss-covered bucket that 
hung in the well.” 
All of which comforts and conveniences of a 
farm-house kitchen have given way to the little 7 
by 9 room and despisable cook-stove ; the cut glass 
and china dishes upon a costly mahogany table; 
and Other et ceteras of modern life; none of which 
show “ the beauty of propriety” in a farm-house. 
In fact there is the greatest departure from propriety 
in a very large portion of all modern building, and 
even in Mr. Downing’s figures (59 and 61) in this 
article, it is not fully visible to my eye. Fig. 61, 
in particular, lacks elevation from the ground, and 
both are represented too low in the stories, while 
the windows have too much of a prison-like ap¬ 
pearance. If some person, who is fully capable, 
would publish a small work of designs, plans, de¬ 
scription, and expense of farm buildings, it would 
become as popular as “ Cottage Residences.” I 
don’t believe, however, that the talented author of 
that work is the man for the author of the “ New 
Farm-house Companion.” Several designs already 
published might be embodied. Who shall do it ? 
About Manures. —I beg your pardon, Judge 
Beatty, but you have got the cart before the horse 
in the very first sentence of your valuable article ; 
and if said cart were loaded with stone at the creek 
in front of your house, you never could back up 
the hill. You say “ there is nothing so important 
in the art of agriculture as the restoration and pre¬ 
servation of the fertility of the soil.” Now what I 
object to is, that you should give the word “ restor¬ 
ation” the precedence, when, in fact, if the word 
“ preservation” had been kept in view, such a soil 
as that of “ Prospect Hill” would never need the 
restorative power of manure. And so it is with all 
the new soil of the wide west. No thought of pre¬ 
serving its natural fertility by a rational system of 
culture is ever exercised, until at length it falls into 
the hands of some one who perceives the necessity 
of resorting to a foreign author, and perhaps im¬ 
ported manures, to learn how to restore that which 
never should have been lost. This is too much 
like our city system of licensing dens of dissipa¬ 
tion, vice, and misery, to preserve the morals of our 
youth in, and then restoring them at Blackwell’s 
Island, Sing Sing, or Auburn. Our whole govern¬ 
mental land system is conducted upon the same 
principle. It holds out inducements for “ squatters” 
to spread over the domain, and skim a little here 
and there, and then press forward towards the bor¬ 
ders of civilisation, leaving behind them their broad 
tracks of deteriorated soil for some after comer to 
restore to its pristine value, by a system of artificial 
manuring, that makes such communications as this 
of your worthy old friend highly valuable. 
Butter-making. —A few short answers to a few 
plain short questions. 
1st, 2d, 3d, and 4th.—If you have any other than 
man, or rather woman power, to drive the churn, 
let the milk sour till just beginn ng to grow thick, 
and then churn. 
5th.—Sometimes. But don’t use too much 
