rAMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
138 
itics I certainly do not despise) will not fail to have due 
weight with sensible men. 
e.—l repeat, that outside of mental and sentimental 
phenomena, man is governed by the same physical laws 
as other animals. This is not an unmeaning dictum, as 
my opponent would intimate. I don’t use that sort of 
filling up ; nor will such practice go unobserved in others ! 
If he grants that “ make men savages then they are 
like other brutes,” then he yields ail that I ask from the 
argument'of “ analogy although in paragraph 2nd, (2 a.) 
lie asserts the contrary ! Let me explain a little : give an 
ox sufficient food, and he will fatten ; give a man any 
quantity of food, and he remains the same. Whyl Be¬ 
cause his mind is over active, his sentiments are engaged, 
he is speculating, he is in love ! But let his mind become 
inert.and his sentiments stagnant (all possible!) and he will 
fatten also! The physical law is, nevertheless, the same In 
man and animals because of the “ mental and sentimental 
phenomena,” but only obstructed, retarded, or deranged 
by them! Indeed the same phenomena “ mental and 
•physical,” are common to man and the lower animals : 
though the mental are more faint in brutes. Remove the 
ox from his accustomed mates, and he will not take on 
fat so well, or at all, for a time ; here his sentiments con¬ 
trol the natural law. So the cow when separated from 
her calf ceases for a while to yield her usual milk. 
It can be proved by dissection that a dog when fed, and 
put upon a hunt, does not digest his food in the usual time. 
Here the mental law simply controls the physical. 
If “close” marriages were forbidden on account of 
“mental and sentimental phenomena” only, then in the 
case supposed (2. c.) the issue would be the same as if 
“ wide ” breeding was practised ; but as in addition to 
the “ mental and sentimenlal phenomena,” the simply 
physical law is violated, I should look for (what experi¬ 
ence proves) a malformed issue ! 
f. —The Georges. I always thought the Georges were 
rather poor specimens of breeding: if my opponent likes 
the result he will advise others to follow the example ; 
I do neither ! I shall not forget that Victoria is not only 
a queen but a w oman ; and I shall say no more of her 
than to join in that general regard, which her subjects feel 
for her as a good Queen and an amiable woman ! But it 
has never been the policy of the wise aristocracy of Eng¬ 
land to breed, or desire great sovereigns ; as they prefer 
a puppet to a real “ King stock !” So I confidently claim 
English History as part of rny defense ; and Aztec Histo¬ 
ry also, especially. 
I have thus noticed at length the arguments of my op¬ 
ponent against my dictum of “analogy;” all of which 
fall to the ground of themselves ! I shall be brief in ad¬ 
vancing my standard on this field. 
g. — Authority. I have before me letters from some of 
the most distinguished Physicians of our day ; I will in¬ 
sert a few extracts : “ My impressions, made by all that 
I have witnessed in life, arc strongly against the inter¬ 
marriage of blood relations. I may say that my aversion 
to it is hereditary. My father who was a physician, and 
a close observer was in the habit of mentioning so many 
instances of deterioration of offspring from such marriages, 
in mind and body, that I can not remember w hen I did 
not look upon them as improper. I have some experience 
of the ‘in-and-in breeding’ among domestic animals, and 
am sure that it is pernicious. * * * The puppies of a 
brother and sister are often idiotic .” He agrees with Mr. 
Duke, that the rule is less perhaps to be regarded as you 
descend in the animal scale of intelligence—and that in 
birds and fishes it needs hardly to be observed. Again : 
“ i look for degeneracy in the children of first cousins 
married : I certainly have met with examples enough to 
iteep up the apprehension all my life.” He also, a mem¬ 
ber of the Presbyterian Church, approves of the Catholic 
rule against cousins marrying, as more rational than the 
Presbyterian one against the marrying of sisters-in-law, 
etc. That is to say, the physical law forbids, in the first 
case: and the “ sentimental” only, if at all, in the last! 
Another distinguished Physician after confirming my dic¬ 
tum, says : “At the last session of the Association of 
the superintendents of the American Institulions for the 
Insane, this subject was elaborately discussed ; and there 
was no difference of opinion in regard to the physical de¬ 
fects that resulted from the practice of breeding “ in-and 
-in ” so far as the Ilumar. family is concerned. Idiocy, 
diminished size, deformity, defect of the senses ( ceteris 
paribus,) are infinitely more likely to occur in the progeny 
of blood relations than in the issue of persons of dissimi¬ 
lar blood.” And in this he is sustained by Chapin of the 
Pennsylvania Institute .of the Blind. I have by me elab¬ 
orate facts. 
But the “Report on influence of marriages of consan¬ 
guinity upon offspring ; by S. M. Bemiss, M. D., (extracted 
from the transactions of the American Medical Associa¬ 
tion) Plrila., 1858,” is conclusive upon this subject. Here 
are 833 cases of marriages of consanguinity, classified so 
as to show the results ; and 125 cases of non-relationship 
also : which last being negative and limited, is not of so 
much worth. The tables occupy 109 pages, and are diffi¬ 
cult to condense , but I will state generally, that of the 
incestuous intercourse between brother and sister (class a. ) 
father and child, in 55 reported cases of marriage or inter¬ 
course, there were only 31 children ! and of these 29 were 
“defective!” (class i.) Marriages between uncle, aunt 
and nephew, 78 cases show 51 children! “Defective” 
40 ! The tables of kindred more remote are too volumi¬ 
nous to condense: but there is a summary (Table 2) which 
shows that of 200 families there were 1,375 children: 267 
“defective:” 92 “deaf and dumb;” 23 “blind:” 137 
“idiotic:” 17 “insane!” That, is to say, out of 1,375 
children of parents of “ close ” breeding there were 536 
abnormals ! Whilst out of 125 cases of not “ near of kin ” 
there were 837 children, 18 “defective :” 3 “deaf and 
dumb:” 1 “blind:” G“idiots:” 1 “insane!” That is to 
say 29 abnormals only ! out of 833 children ! Thus 40.3 
per cent of the children of “close” breeding were ab¬ 
normal; and only 14.91 per cent of the children of “wide” 
breeding abnormal ! The positive proof here is over¬ 
whelming; the negative proof I think is about fully up 
to common observation ; but requires the full statistics of 
the nation or nations to put it beyond cavil. 
I think I may safely rest my case, of “analogy ” from 
“ man,” with my readers. 
3. Experience. —“ A Cattle Breeder’s ” comments upon 
“ Experience ” as laid down by me, is decidedly “ Pick¬ 
wickian !” I call the attention of my readers to it as a 
polemical curiosity ! 
4. Special Proof .—The question with regard to the 
“ Campbell ” hogs is pertinent. They excelled in weight; 
of good average neatness and maturity. They could have 
been improved by more compactness, and facility of fat¬ 
tening which generally follows that form; but then the 
fault was not in wide selection, but in bad selection ! They 
certainly displayed none of the effects which I attribute 
to close breeding. 
5. False Proof.—My opponents objections are fully an¬ 
swered in a previous paragraph (1 a. b. c. etc.). It is true 
the “ stud book breeders ” have not changed their practice 
“ yesterday, last year,” nor for “ a long time ago !” But 
I overlook my opponents “ close sailing ” inconsequence 
of his compliment to “ Old Kentucky !” So much for 
“A Cattle Breeder’s” No. 2! 
White Hall P. O., Madison Co., Ky , April, ’59. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
Hints on Preparing “Garden Truck’’ and 
other Country Produce for Market — I. 
BY B. STEPHENS-WASHINGTON MARKET, N. Y. 
[According to our own observations, a very large 
amount in the aggregate of vegetables and other farm pro¬ 
duce brought to this market is lost, or sold at less than 
half price, simply because ignorantly or carelessly put up 
or handled. We doubt not the same is the case else¬ 
where, though we think there is less loss from this cause 
in Philadelphia, and perhaps one or two others of the 
various markets we have visited. Regular gardeners, or 
those who make a business of marketing vegetables, soon 
learn what is necessary; the loss is generally experi¬ 
enced by those, who only occasionally send in some spe¬ 
cial erop, or a chance surplus of anything grown in ex¬ 
cess. We purpose therefore to give, from time to time, 
some specific directions for putting up various articles. 
These are prepared by a gentleman long conversant with 
maiket operations. These articles are not “ ax-grind- 
ers” or advertisements ; no one will find in Washington 
Market any dealer by the name of “ B. Stephens’’—this 
is merely a nom de plume which the writer has taken a 
fancy to assume and write under.—E d.) 
Asparagus. —This should be cut as long as pos¬ 
sible, by running the knife down in the ground by 
the side of the sprout, taking care not to injure 
roots. Wash in clean water, and tie in bunches 
of 5 to 6 inches in diameter. Tie lightly with strips 
of bass matting, which are the cheapest and best 
material. A strap should be used to compress the 
bunches in tying. Two ties are needed, one near 
the butts, and the other about two inches from 
the tops. Keep the tops even, and throw out all 
small and crooked sprouts, which may be put up for 
second quality. Set them in a cool, shady place, 
until ready to send to market. Just before pack¬ 
ing, cut the butts off even, with a large knife. 
Use slat crates for transporting them, to give air. 
Put around and between the bunches plenty of 
fresh meadow grass, previously watered. Never 
sprinkle water over the bunches, as it will turn 
the plants rusty. If kept over night after cutting, 
stand it butt down on clean grass or hay, which 
has been made thoroughly wet. 
Rhubarb or Pie Plant.— Tie in bunches of 
seven or nine stalks, with bass matting, keeping 
the butts all even, and cut the tops off square, 
leaving on about three inches of the leaf. Tie 
with three bands, and pack the same as aspa¬ 
ragus. 
Spinach, Sprouts are sent to market in bar¬ 
rels, well aired by boring full of holes. They 
should be covered with muslin or coarse cloth. 
Wash the sprouts clean before packing. 
Early White Turnips.— Pull and trim the lap 
root off, and thoroughly wash in clean water, 
being careful not to bruise either top or bottom, 
as this would cause the top to ferment, ar.d tho 
bottom to turn black. Tie in bunches of seven, 
putting the largest one in the middle. Use bass 
for ties. Keep in a cool, shady place, as it injures 
the sale very much if they are wilted. The best 
kind is the early red top strap-leaved. The red 
top looks best after handling, and the small top 
will bunch easier, hold less water and sap, and is 
less liable to ferment when bruised ; consequent¬ 
ly they are in more demand for shipping. Tur¬ 
nips, beets, parsnips, and cabbages arc generally 
sold at wholesale 13 for the dozen, or 104 for 100. 
Rut a Bagas when raised early, are bunched 
the same as white ones, but the best way with 
them is to cut the tops off, and send in barrels 
Early Beets, Parsneps, and Carrots are 
worked and bunched like turnips. 
Green Corn should be selected with care, and 
be cut so as to leave all the husks on. Put up 
in gunny bags, adding five to each hundred for 
“ tallies.” Keep in the shade, and where it can 
have plenty of air, as it will heat very easily. 
New Potatoes should be put in barrels, and 
covered with coarse cloth, the barrels to he cut 
or bored at the sides to admit air. It is advisable 
to sort the potatoes, so as to make large ones 
seconds, and culls. Fill the barrels so that thev 
will be full when they get to market. Be sure 
they do not get sun-burnt after digging, as it will 
spoil the whole of them. 
Tomatoes are best sent in crates about 6 inches 
high, and broad and long enough to hold a bushel. 
Put in none that are bruised or over-ripe, as they 
will spoil the rest. If baskets are used, let them 
hold a bushel, and be made stout so that they will 
not yield to pressure in handling, and mash the 
tomatoes. 
Cucumbers are to be sorted, making primes and 
seconds. Put up in baskets or barrels, 105 for a 
hundred. [This adding a small number above 
the actual count, in putting up green-corn, cu¬ 
cumbers, etc., is customary in the New-York 
market, and is expected by dealers. It is equiva¬ 
lent to the “Baker’s Dozen,” and is designed, 
we suppose, to allow the retailer a chance to 
throw out an occasional broken or defective spe¬ 
cimen objected to by the purchaser.— Ed.] 
Green Beans and Peas are sent in barrels, 
baskets, etc. Be sure to give plenty of air. 
(To be Continued.) 
Consolatory. —A Scotchman having lodged at 
an inn, was asked in the morning how he had 
slept. “ Not very good,” he replied, “ but I was 
better off than the bugs, for not one of them 
stopped to close an eye during the whole night.” 
A young man at Niagara having been crossed in 
love, walked out to the precipice, gave one ling¬ 
ering look at the gulf beneath him, and then went 
home. His body was found next morning—in bed. 
A very sensible young man, we think. Ed. 
