THE DUCHESS TRIBE OF SHORT-HORNS. 
179 
quiry, induce investigation, inform the public mind, 
and carry forward improvements far beyond the 
anticipations of the most sanguine and enthusias¬ 
tic. Whoever may become the founders of such 
an institution will have fairly earned the lasting 
gratitude of the state. 
Economy of labor, by the adoption of the best 
implements, is a subject not sufficiently heeded. 
The adoption of the cast-iron plow, with its re¬ 
newable points, or shares, which, with a trifling ex¬ 
pense for their first cost, can, in a moment, replace 
those worn out or broken, and thus effectually repair 
the plow, is calculated to abridge labor to a large 
extent. Many planters have assured me, that plows 
flfcqual to such as they can purchase for $4, of the 
best eastern make, they cannot manufacture at 
home nor procure in their neighborhood under $7, 
and that the repairs, on the latter, before the first 
mould wears out, will cost $4 or $5 more; thus 
making a useless expense to them of two or three 
times the necessary cost of this implement. 
Much time is also wasted by the neglect to pro¬ 
vide a greater variety of implements. With many, 
the plow and hoe are made to cultivate the entire 
crop; while the cultivator, the harrow, and other 
implements are never used. These last will fre¬ 
quently do what the plow cannot, and accomplish 
the same work at one third the expense. Some 
will have but a single size and style of plow to per¬ 
form all their labor. This must give either a very 
imperfect breaking up, or first plowing, or a most 
unwieldly and unnecessarily fatiguing process of 
cultivation. The use of the com planter, which 
will drop a uniform quantity, at regular distances, 
and at any required depth, with one mule and hand 
only, and furrow, drop, cover, and roll 10 to 12 
acres of corn, beans, peas, or cotton per day, would 
seem to be a very desirable labor-saving machine 
for extensive planting, yet few are in use; not 
from an apprehension that they will not answer the 
purpose, but apparently because it is not an object 
to save labor. The same is true of corn shelters, 
straw cutters, manure and pitch forks, scythes, 
grain cradles, fanning mills, rakes, &c., &c., which 
would greatly abridge labor; yet, if we except 
some of the best plantations, not one in ten of the 
remaining ones through the south, have a single 
one of the foregoing implements. One gentleman 
told me recently that he was called upon, with 
some others, to appraise an estate which was cheaply 
estimated at $160,000, and after deducting a few 
new plows, all the farming implements that were, 
and had been, in use for carrying on the plantation, 
were dearly estimated at $25 ; and he added, “ he 
would not have sent 300 yards to have received 
them gratis.” 
Simplicity is desirable in all operations, and es¬ 
pecially is it among such laborers, as are prover¬ 
bially careless and ignorant. Yet perfection, or 
considerable improvement, can only be achieved by 
a careful study of the best implements and adapting 
them to general use. I was struck by the state¬ 
ments made to me last fall, by Judge Van Bergen, of 
New York, of the large quantity of products, corn, 
hay, wheat, &c., he raised with an incredibly small 
number of laborers, and think his statement would 
be highly instructive to the public, All this was 
accomplished by the judicious selection and inven¬ 
tion of such implements as were best calculated to 
subserve his purposes and accomplish what is of 
the highest importance throughout the United 
States, the cionomy of labor. The improvement in 
implements, constitutes one of the greatest aids to 
agricultural efforts of the present day, and if we 
neglect to avail ourselves of them, we forego the 
principal advantages that distinguish the present 
century from the last. 
New Orleans , Feb. 7th , 1848. 
THE DUCHESS TRIBE OF SHORT-HORNS. 
The following letter was received by George 
Vail, Esq., of Troy, from Mr. Bates, of Yorkshire, 
England, dated August 9th, 1847 : - I forward you 
a paper with an account of the Yorkshire County 
Agricultural Society’s meeting just held. I sent five 
animals, viz., 2d Oxford and her last five calves, to 
show the uniformity of the family ; all obtained premi¬ 
ums [two first, and three second premiums]. Mr. T. 
Bell showed a calf, a grandson of your Hilpa, got 
by my 2d Duke of Oxford, which won the first pre¬ 
mium for bull calves. The bull calf, shown by 
Mr. Maw, which won the 2d premium, was also 
got by a bull of my breeding. Mr. Maw also ex¬ 
hibited the 2d best bull under three years old, got 
by my Duke of Northumberland, and bred by Mr. 
Robt. Bell. Mr. Maw also showed Red Duke (of 
my stock), and which would have beaten Mr. 
Parkinson’s bull Capt. Shaltoe, had he been in con¬ 
dition, being much superior to Shaftoe. Shaftoe 
was very fat, but his quality was bad, and though 
a year older than my 2d Duke of Oxford, was at 
least one fourth less in weight, with all his high 
feeding. 
My 2d Oxford is from the same cow as the dam 
of your Wellington, and got by the same bull. 
Nearly all the prize cattle of the Royal Agricul¬ 
tural Society's show (to which I sent nothing) this 
year, were at the Yorkshire show. Mr. Parkin¬ 
son was sadly disappointed in not getting the first 
premium on Shaftoe ; but there were many better 
bulls in the yard. This bull, Shaftoe, was shown 
in 1845, at the Highland Society’s meeting at Dum¬ 
fries, and was beaten by Mr. Harvey’s Walton (of 
my breed), who got the 1st premium, and a son of 
my 2d Duke of Northumberland, won the second. 
At the Royal Agricultural Society’s show this 
year, Walton was shown and beaten by Shaftoe, 
who won the first premium there. The judges did 
not condescend to look at nor handle him; they 
were totally unfit for their office, never having 
owned nor bred a Short-Horn. It is a disgrace to 
the Royal Agricultural Society, that Walton, now 
shown for the third time at its meetings, has had 
the worst bulls each year placed before him. 
Shaftoe was shown in 1844, at Richmond, 
where my Cleveland Lad 2d, won the 1st premium, 
and Shaftoe the 2d, beating Mr. Hopper’s bull, 
Belleville. Thus my 2d Oxford beating Shaftoe this 
year was equally decisive as against Belleville. 
Belleville very improperly received, in 1846, the high¬ 
est prize at each of the four greatest shows in Eng¬ 
land, Scotland, and Ireland. 
My three Short-Horns that were placed second to 
others, were as superior to those placed before 
them, as the two that were placed first, in their 
