254 
COOKING TOMATOES.—HEREFORD CATTLE. 
saved; but we do not now follow that barbarous 
custom. We get our surplus honey, and retain our 
bees for further labors. Various are the modes 
adopted to remove the bees on the third or fourth 
years of their existence to new habitations, and, 
indeed, it is a subject that merits our most serious 
attention. The mode of artificial swarming, treated 
upon in July No. of the Agriculturist, by division , 
does partially remedy the evil, yet we must have it 
entirely removed. Mr. L. F. Allen, of Black Rock, 
N. Y., has solicited my opinion upon this point, in 
a communication in May No. of this paper, p. 147, 
for the details of whose remarks, I would refer the 
interested reader, and, in my next number, I will 
give such information and experience upon this 
branch of bee-management, as I have become pos¬ 
sessed of. Mr. “ Reviewer” shall be made to un¬ 
derstand me in regard to bees freezing and starving 
to death, in due time. T. B. Miner. 
Ravenswood, L. I., August, 1847. 
A Quick Mode of Cooking Tomatoes. —Boil 
the tomatoes a quarter of an hour, with milk suf¬ 
ficient to cover them; add, while boiling, a little 
batter made of water ‘and wheat flour, and season 
the dish according to your taste. The advantages 
of this mode over those usually practised are, that 
the tomatoes are rich, though less acid, and are 
much sooner cooked. 
HEREFORD CATTLE. 
This has frequently been stated, but proves nothiiw. 
Trials have been made to prove it, and the Hereford’s 
have, in every instance, proved most profitable. I 
am fully satisfied in my own mind, that Herefords 
do consume less than Short-Horns, but I cannot say 
whether the trials have been fair on both sides. 
My experience has been proof to me. The Here¬ 
fords have lighter paunches than Short-Horns, and 
breeders of the former have paid more attention to 
this than the latter; this is the principal objection I 
have to them. 
The Short-Horn men pretend to say, that their best 
calves are too valuable to make steers of; and this 
has been invariably their excuse when they have 
been beaten. Their opponents may say the same 
with equal truth. This should be no excuse. The 
question is, Which are the best? The answer, Go 
to work and prove it. I make a proposition that 
six of the best breeders of Short-Horns prepare a. 
steer each to be shown at Smithfield, in 1852, force 
them their own way until they are three years old, 
then place the twelve steers in the keeping of ail 
upright, honest, and competent person, or let him 
take them from the cow and treat them all the same 
till shown. Weigh the feed of each of equal qua¬ 
lity, and that would decide this mooted question 
satisfactorily. The facts would be known to the 
world without excuses. If the Short-Horn men feel 
confident of superiority, they will not scruple to 
sacrifice a few bulls from their best cows, to main¬ 
tain it, and the Hereford men will be able to show 
T noticed your review of Mr. Colman’s No. 8, 
on live stock. I must say I was very much disap¬ 
pointed in his description of this most important 
subject. I should be pleased to learn more definitely, 
how he gained the information he has communicated 
to us. 
Speaking of the Short-Horns, he says: “ The 
calves often run with the cows six months, and are 
frequently fed with artificial food, from the time 
they can be made to take it, until they are sent to 
the butcher.” Such an assertion would give the 
Hereford men sufficient ground to say, that in this 
way the Short-Horns established their credit for early 
maturity, and that they must have been a very in¬ 
ferior race indeed, had they not been superior under, 
such treatment. I have never seen a case of this 
kind, and am willing to give the Short-Horns credit 
for early maturity without this expensive forcing. 
I do admit that a Short-Horn, previous to two years 
old, shows better than a Hereford, but not furfher. 
A Hereford steer makes more improvement the 
third year than the Short-Horn, and will come to 
market at three years old quite as ripe, have won 
more premiums at that age at the Smithfield show, 
and sold for higher prices to the butcher, than any 
other breed. I am now investigating the premiums 
awarded since the commencement of the Smithfield 
show, and will give you correct particulars as soon 
as I have gained proof--positive ; my impression now 
is, that they exceed two to one of any other breed 
in classes for steers and oxen. 
Mr. C. says, “ an intelligent herdsman who had 
been accustomed to the feeding and fattening of 
animals, and with respect to whose judgment I 
know of no private interest to affect it, gave it to 
me as his decided experience that the Short-Horns 
require a third more food than the Herefords.” 
what they can do to prove their ascendency. 
Neither will want a spur to speed them in obtain¬ 
ing the glory they are fighting for. This trial will 
be worth all the “printed puffs’’ and windy ivords 
of those interested and engaged in the enterprise, and 
the matter will be permanently settled.—So with 
the milking qualities of these two rival breeds. Let 
each of these breeders place a cow in the hands of 
the same person, weigh feed, milk, and butter, and 
report the management of the dairy, while under 
his care. This is what we want without guesses or 
excuses ; then that breed most worthy of praise, will 
rest on a sound basis. 
I should like a trial of this sort in this country, 
and will produce some of the steers and cows for 
trial, whenever called upon. I am ready to stand 
the test with any Short-Horn breeder in this coun¬ 
try with six of each, and am willing to follow the 
example of “ Old Rough and Ready,” meet a com¬ 
bination of three to one. I do not do this with 
any idea of boasting. I consider that the Short- 
Horns have been properly represented in this 
country in but very few instances. If the Here¬ 
fords are not, the blame rests upon me, and I am 
willing to rise or fall with them. I know their 
merits, and shall always be ready to test it. I sup¬ 
pose Mr. Colman has been amongst some long 
legged narrow hipped Herefords , “ lacking sub¬ 
stance,” as he describes in comparing the Short- 
Horns with them. This information leads me to 
believe he has not seen the best of either. He ought 
not to have disgraced his bin with such animals. 
Give me a breed of cattle that will continue uni¬ 
form in their milking, and all other characteristics 
of their breed, and if they will come up to sixteen 
quarts per day, I will be quite contented. Mr. C. 
should have examined the London butchers, before 
