A WORD ON KENTUCKY PLOWING.—HORTICULTURAL CALENDAR FOR MAY. 
some definite opinion as to the points most desir¬ 
able to be attained in breeding.” 
As this subject is not only a very interesting but 
a very important one, and requires some agitation, 
I am induced to throw out the following hints, and 
solicit others to give their ideas and opinions upon 
it. 
We will suppose, for example, that the follow¬ 
ing should be agreed on as the points of horned 
cattle for comparison, and that the animal com¬ 
bining or possessing the greatest number of these 
points, shall be deemed most meritorious. 
1. Head small with a bright and prominent eye. 
2. Horns small and tapering. 
3. Neck small at the junction with the head, and 
gradually thickening to the shoulders. 
4. Brisket broad, deep, and projecting well for¬ 
ward. 
5. Shoulders full and no hollow behind them. 
6. Body deep, round, and capacious; back straight. 
7. Loins broad, and wide between the hips. 
8. Legs short, full, and muscular above the knee 
—small below. 
9. Flanks well let down. 
10. Tail set on even with the line of the back, 
small and tapering to the end. 
11. Broad in the twist, and if a cow, large milk 
veins and capacious udder. 
12. Though last, not least, soft silky hair, thin 
skin, and good handling of the flesh. 
Other points might be given, but the above will 
exemplify my ideas on the subject. 
Truly yours, 
C. N. Bement. 
Three Hills Farm y March , 1843. 
The soil in the country from which the letter 
below is dated, and in fact, in quite a district of 
country around, is exceedingly fertile, and some¬ 
what peculiar. It is found, upon strict analysis, 
to be totally destitute of silex,* plows, conse¬ 
quently, of the least roughness of mould-board, 
clog badly in the soil, and do their work imper¬ 
fectly. Wrought-iron shares, polished in the finest 
manner, are most used, and found to work easiest 
and best. We make these observations, in order 
that Mr. Williams may be properly understood by 
those settled on different soils, where a rough cast- 
iron plow works as well as any other. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
A WORD ON KENTUCKY PLOWING. 
Centreville, Ky ., March 20,1843. 
Let the plow be the best that can be had, one 
that runs steady and deep, freeing itself well from 
the mould, and casting off all litter and stubble 
with ease. The rounded plow is the best in use 
Here—the diamond next. No plow can work well 
if it is not as bright as a dollar, and one that will 
not become bright is a nuisance. Let the team 
be strong and steady, in good heart, and true to 
the rein. Do not use double trees (they are too 
heavy) or chain stretchers. Use the stretcher 
made from rod iron, having an eye in the centre, 
by a twist in the rod, to receive the clevis, and a 
link at each end for the cross piece. This enables 
the plowman to give his team as short a draught 
as is desirable. Do not plow in depth less than 
four inches, and as much deeper as the plow and 
team will work. Let there be no stops in the 
labor, except such as necessarily occur and such as 
can not be prevented. A team properly cared for, 
will keep in heart through the plowing season, 
with three rests in a day, and these are necessary, 
and no more. One at mid-day to water, feed, 
and curry; one at mid-morning to water; and one 
at mid-evening for same purpose. These last are 
positively necessary in warm weather, but need 
not occupy more than fifteen minutes. The plow¬ 
man should always hold his plow steadily and 
walk in the furrow. 
Plow from the middle of the land out. The 
usual mode is to plow from the out edge of the 
land to the middle. In plowing from the middle , 
out , the team must at each end be turned to the 
right. In following this course two things are 
gained: 1. The team has firm ground on which to 
turn, and is not fatigued by having plowed land to 
turn on. 2. The plowed land is not trampled by 
the team being turned on it. In plowing from the 
out edge of the land to the middle, the team is 
unnecessarily fatigued by turning on plowed land, 
and the plowed land is so much trampled as to re¬ 
quire a second plowing. Try this ; if you have 
not heretofore practised it, it will be awkward at 
first, perhaps, but when you adopt it once, you will 
not be apt to abandon it. These remarks have 
reference to stubble land, not to sod,—though to 
some extent they are applicable to sod land. 
Geo. W. Williams. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
HORTICULTURAL CALENDAR FOR MAY. 
During the past month, there has been much wet 
weather, and the ground having become fully satur¬ 
ated, vegetation is advancing with great rapidity. 
Those, therefore, who rnay not have had opportunity 
or leisure to attend to the suggestions of last month’s 
calendar, will be compelled now to redouble their ex¬ 
ertions. 
Kitchen Garden. —In the fore part of this month 
all the early cucumbers, melons, cabbages, cauliflowers, 
lettuce, radishes, &c., which have not been taken out 
of the hot bed, should be removed and transplanted 
into the open ground. 
The Seeds. —All kinds of table vegetables, such as 
peas,beans,beets, onions, paisnips, carrots, and esculent 
herbs, should be sown early. Tomatoes, egg-plants, 
peppers, &c., can also be planted out. 
Fruit Garden and Nursery. —All kinds of fruit 
and forest trees and shrubs that have not leaved out, 
should be transplanted immediately. Spring inocula¬ 
ting may still be performed in the early part of the 
month. Strawberry beds may also be planted out, and 
the suggestions in the April calendar for pruning be 
observed. 
Ornamental Grounds. —The borders of the flower 
garden should be finished, and perennial herbaceous 
plants transplanted. Sow seeds of autumnal flowers 
in seed beds, to be transplanted at a future time. Set 
out box edging early in the month, or it will be liable 
to suffer from the drought. Trim hedges and shrubs. 
Give the lawns and pleasure grounds a top dressing of 
ashes or stable manure, and put the gravel walks and 
carriage ways in order. S. B. Parsons. 
