2 
(AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
lieving that it will not, within the next two 
years, be above the present price, and the inter¬ 
est on the money. Others may think differently, 
and if they can hold it without inconvenience, 
and too much risk, they may be wise in doing 
so. 
What we intended mainly, when commencing 
this article, was to enter our protest, in view of 
the present depressed wool market, against the 
farmer’s sacrificing his flock, and abandoning 
the business for any other branch of husbandry 
equally liable in its turn to fluctuation. Un¬ 
questionably the high price of wool last year in¬ 
duced many of our flock-masters to keep over 
many unprofitable sheep, those which were old, 
poor breeders, and badly wooled. These may 
now be very properly drawn out, fed off, and 
sold to the butcher. Every flock should be well 
selected; none but substantial, healthy sheep, 
and among the females, good, promising breed¬ 
ers, with good fleeces, should be retained. Even 
in flocks devoted solely for mutton, a good 
fleece is an important item, as well as a good 
carcase ; for at the season when mutton bears 
the best price, the pelt is at the highest value. 
A thorough culling of the flocks of the country 
the ensuing fall and winter, will very much re¬ 
duce the numbers of their sheep ; and the pre¬ 
servation of none but good ones in place of the 
bad, will add greatly to their future revenues, 
even at the same cost of keeping. 
We sincerely wish that the American people 
would substitute mutton for beef and pork to a 
much greater extent than they have been in the 
habit of doing. Mutton is more nutritious and 
wholesome than beef even, and vastly more so 
than pork. In fact the latter ought not to be 
eaten at all, and especially the fat parts. Where 
on earth are there so healthy and robust-looking 
people as the English, of all classes? It is not 
simply the fogs and humidity of their climate 
which gives them their robust appearance and 
good looks; for people near them, with a climate 
almost like theirs, look very differently. So far 
as meats are concerned, they are mutton-eaters; 
probably more than half the animal food con¬ 
sumed in England being mutton. But it is not 
Merino, nor Saxony mutton — nor of the ragged, 
fence-jumping creatures commonly kept over 
large districts of the United States. English, 
Scotch, Welsh and Irish mutton is mainly of 
improved breeds, well bred, and thoroughly 
cared for. These we may have in as high per¬ 
fection as they, by obtaining the breeds, and 
bestowing a little pains in their propagation and 
feeding. We are glad to know that the atten¬ 
tion of many of our farmers is turning to that 
branch of stock, and we trust that the good 
taste and discrimination of consumers of meats, 
will give a substantial encourage nent to their 
endeavors. 
SHADE TREES. 
The late very severe storm of wind and rain, 
we hear from every part of its track, did much 
damage in blowing down trees, buildings, &c. 
It has occurred to me that the careful observer 
may derive some benefit from noticing its effect 
upon shade trees. It is true some fruit trees 
were entirely prostrated; but these generally 
were trees much advanced in decay, the effect 
of old age, worms, &c. But its varied effect 
upon shade trees, or their ability to stand high 
winds, is worthy of notice. Purchasers in se¬ 
lecting shade trees will not be entirely indiffer- 
ent to this fact—as it is, I say, one of much im¬ 
portance, inasmuch as buildings are often in¬ 
jured by limbs of trees blowing off and falling 
upon them. A willow tree blew down in our 
place during the late hard blow, almost demol¬ 
ishing a beautiful piazza. 
Among the shade trees that I can mention 
off-hand, which will rank among those that are 
the most brittle in their joints, or weakjointed, 
are the willow, the soft maple, sycamore, the 
different varieties of poplar, and particularly the 
ailanthus and paper mulberry. The two last- 
mentioned are not worth cultivating, the former 
being extremely offensive to the touch, and 
scattering its seeds in every direction, which 
take root freely, thereby becoming a pest and a 
nuisance; the limbs also are very brashy and 
easily blow off. So with the paper mulberry. 
In exposed situations the joints easily part, 
thereby continually marring the beauty of the 
tree. 
In planting trees along avenues and open 
lawns, due regard should be had for strength of 
wood, habit and form, as well as to the other 
points of beauty, symmetry, &c. W. 
STABLES—SHEDS--CORN AND COB CRUSHERS. 
IIarrodsbprg, Ky., Aug. 27, 1854. 
I am about to build a cow-house, and am at a 
loss how to proceed. I have no pattern to go 
by, such things being very rare in this section 
of country. Can’t you give me a plan that will 
be both convenient and economical ? (a) Also, 
what is the advantage of feeding crushed corn 
over feeding it in the ear? and what is the best 
pattern of crushing mill ? ( b ) Nat. Lafon. 
( a ) The best set of stables we found in Ken¬ 
tucky, were those of Mr. Benjamin Grey, of 
Versailles; but as this was twelve years ago, 
we presume many a good planter, nearer the 
residence of our correspondent there, has erected 
others after his excellent example. For plans 
of barns and stables, see back volumes of the 
American Agriculturist, which it would be 
hardly fair to our present subscribers in gen¬ 
eral, to republish at present. See also L. F. 
Allen’s work on Rural Architecture , pages 
286 to 310, where may be found engraved 
plans, specifications and descriptions. This 
work may be found at most of the bookstores. 
The price of the volume here is $1 25. 
( b ) There are small mills here for crushing 
corn and the cob, moved by horse power, but 
they are not sufficiently strong for Kentucky 
work. The best method of grinding is, first to 
■ crush the corn and cobin a strong bark mill, 
and then pass it through common mill stones, 
dressed very coarse for this purpose. It re¬ 
quires a ten horse power at least to drive such 
a mill, and the power should be either steam or 
water, as so many horses together are not suffi¬ 
ciently steady in a dead pull. 
A very good way to prepare corn for feed¬ 
ing—and perhaps as economical as grinding— 
is to boil it soft. This can be easily done in 
large water vats, by introducing steam into 
them, by lead pipes from a boiler heated over a 
small furnace. By having three or four vats or 
large hogsheads, the corn may be boiling in two 
vats, while it is cooling and being fed from the 
others. We presume boilers and pipe can be 
had in Louisville or Cincinnati. Any mason 
can set it, and the vats can be easily constructed 
on the plantation from two-inch plank or thick 
staves. 
MUCK FOR THE 8TABLE AND YARD. 
Do not forget, in this dry season, to lay in 
large stores of this valuable absorbent for your 
manures. Many a swamp is now dry that has 
not seen the sun for years. The bottom of 
ponds is laid bare, and the mud is accessible in 
any desirable quantities. 
If farmers improve their opportunities and 
draw out the mud, the drouth may, on the 
whole, prove a blessing, and the minus crops of 
this year may be more than made up to them, 
in the increasing yield of another season. 
Dig, at least, ten loads for every horse, cow, 
and ox upon the farm, and by way of experi¬ 
ment, spread fifty half cords npon an acre of 
thin gravelly soil, where you mean to plant 
corn next year. Let the frosts and rains do 
their work upon it through the winter, plow it 
in next spring, put on your usual dressing of 
manure, and mark the result. 
-»• •- 
For the American Agriculturist. 
IRISH GRAZIER SWINE. 
Ashland. August 28,1854. 
1 venture to address you as the conductor of 
one of the principal agricultural journals in the 
country, for information respecting a race of 
hogs, perhaps more esteemed in this section of 
the country than any other. The hogs I refer 
to, are called here the Irish Grazier; and my 
impression is they were brought here originally 
from New-York. They are generally, if not al¬ 
ways, white in color; and attaining great size 
and having a great share of bone, are perhaps 
better suited to drive to market than any other 
race. I do not believe there are now any pure 
bloods of the race in Kentucky, being usually 
mixed with Berkshire and Woburn. My object 
in making the inquiry, whether you or any of 
your correspondents know the race, and where 
they are to be found of pure blood, as I desire 
to obtain some of them. I will be greatly 
obliged for any information on the subject. 
James B. Clay. 
We do not know any pure bred Irish Gra¬ 
ziers now in the United States. The most likely 
person to have them, is Mr. Wm. Neff, of Cin¬ 
cinnati, Ohio, as he imported some at different 
times about fourteen years since. 
Although the Grazier originated in Ireland, 
we believe all those imported into Kentucky and 
Ohio, from 1834 to 1841, came from the neigh¬ 
borhood of Liverpool, England. We have no 
recollection of ever seeing them in New-York, 
although they may have been often brought to 
this State, or swine much like them. 
There are large white hogs scattered through 
this State, which we think fully equal to the 
Irish Graziers; and they have a large white 
breed in Chester county, Pennsylvania, the best 
of which are very good. Mr. Aaron Clement, 
of Philadelphia, will give every information on 
this subject. They formerly had, and still may 
have, a fine large white hog called the Miami , 
in different places on that river, from 20 to 40 
miles from Cincinnati. 
We should think those hogs recently imported 
from England by Mr. Baqg, for the Kentucky 
company, would suit our correspondent for a 
cross on the native stock of the country. They 
are immensely large, and some of them quite 
fine. For dimensions, &c., see our last number, 
page 402. 
