EXHIBITION OF STRAWBERIES, ETC. 
287 
seed somewhat dear; stands the climate and vermin 
well; rather rapid in its growth ; will sometimes 
produce ten or twelve tons of herbage per acre; 
and its roots penetrate to the depth of two feet into 
the soil. Every 1,000 lbs. of the dry plant con¬ 
tain 1 lb. of potash, If lbs. of phosphoric acid, and 
4 T 3 ff lbs. of nitrogen. Its stalks are somewhat slow 
to decay, when plowed under as a green manure. 
Another method of obtaining vegetable matter 
for composting in the manure heap, or for plowing 
under the soil, consists in cultivating, near at hand, 
quick, rank-growing plants, on some richly-manured 
spot, in order to avoid the expense of collecting 
and carting such matter from a distance. Among 
the perennials of this class, may be mentioned the 
Jerusalem artichoke, tansey, prickly comfrey, and 
Bokhara clover, which throw up a heavy mass of 
stalks and foliage, that may be cut several times in 
a season, and are rich in nitrogen and fertiliz¬ 
ing salts. 
A Tansey , it is stated, is satisfied with poor, hun¬ 
gry soils; stands all weathers; suffers little from 
vermin; produces a great mass of foliage, say 24 
tons per acre; extends its roots from two to four 
feet into the subsoil; will last ten years without 
further expense; w r ill sow itself again; and may 
be cut twice a year. One acre, when cut in the 
blossom, will “green manure” two acres for two 
years, or will keep four acres of hungry soil in a 
fertile condition from year to year. ... 
The prickly comfrey , it is stated, has produced 
90 tons per annum, of green foliage, to the acre! 
Among annuals, that possess the above-named 
properties, the pindar, (peanut,) the cow pea, 
and white mustard, have particularly been recom¬ 
mended to be cultivated as a cheap manure. In 
fact, any other quick-growing plant, or shrub, which 
flourish naturally upon waste places, maybe increas¬ 
ed by cultivation, and contribute to fertilize the soil. 
They should be cut when in blossom, as they then 
generally yield the heaviest and richest produce; 
but before seeding, in order that they may not be 
carried into the tillage lands as weeds. If the land 
is under crop at the time, they can be heaped in 
compost, as a substitute for the dung heap; or, if 
the land be bare, they can be plowed under at 
once. 
EXHIBITION OF STRAWBERRIES. 
The following is the report of the committee, as 
published at Rochester N. Y. :— 
Matthew G. Warner, Esq., presented thirteen 
varieties of strawberries, viz : Hovey’s Seedling, 
Columbus, Ross’ Phoenix, Black Prince, Boston 
Pine, Burr’s Old Seedling, Hudson, Rival Hudson, 
Corse’s Seedling, Crimson Cone, Burr’s New Pine, 
Early Scarlet, Austrian Scarlet; the Hovey’s Seed¬ 
ling being entitled to the society’s highest premium 
for the best quart. 
Mr. Lewis Burtis presented Hovey’s Seedling, 
fine specimens, entitled to the society’s premium for 
second best quart. Matthew G. Warner, Esq., 
entitled to society’s premium for the largest number 
of varieties, and best grown pint of each. 
Messrs. Elhvanger & Barry presented Myatt’s 
Eliza, Boston Pine, Early Scarlet, Black Prince, 
Burr’s Seedling, and eight new seedlings, worthy 
the thanks of the society, being a larger number of 
new seedlings than has been offered on any previ¬ 
ous occasion. The committee think a premium 
ought hereafter to be offered for seedling strawber¬ 
ries of superior merit. 
Mr. Charles Paulk, of Honeoye Falls, presented 
seven varieties of strawberries—Bishop’s Orange, 
Black Prince, Prolific Hautbois, Stoddard’s Alpine, 
Hudson’s Bay, Boston Pine, and a new seedling. 
Messrs. Bissell, Hooker, and Sloane, presented 
Burr’s New Pine, Columbus, Burr’s Old Pine, 
Black Prince, Cushing, Early Scarlet, Hudson, 
Rival Hudson, Boston Pine, and the celebrated 
Hovey’s Seedling.— Rochester Paper. 
SMALL vs. LARGE CALVES—REPLY TO REVIEWER. 
It is Reviewer that has to explain his language. 
He first made use of the term, “ a runt of a calf,” 
if he calls a small calf a runt. I call that calf the 
“good one,” and not the “large calf.” It is an 
invariable rule with me to kill a calf, if large, when 
first dropped from the cow. I have never yet seen 
such a calf grown up to a good animal, and I will 
venture to say that Reviewer never saw a well-bred 
herd produce large calves. It would be positive 
proof to me of their mongrel pedigrees. I could 
show him instances from my own practice, suffi¬ 
ciently convincing to any man. 
This season, I saved a calf, when first dropped. 
I knew its pedigree, and felt perfectly safe in rais¬ 
ing her. I will risk my judgment by saying she 
will make the best of ten half bloods raised with 
her, all sharing equal feed. I will refer Reviewer 
to any “ scientific breeder,” for proof of this state¬ 
ment. If the butcher’s knife caught all those large 
calves, there would not be so many mongrel cattle 
in the country; for it is those that produce them. 
I mean to be thoroughly understood, that I would 
not raise a large calf I do not mean a calf that 
has been forced by its mother’s side, and with 
meal; but the appearance of the calf the day it is 
born. 
I consider the Herefords the best breed of cattle 
in the world, for all purposes. The Devons second, 
which I think is sufficient proof of my not being 
a shorthorn man, Wm. H. Sotham. 
Black Rock , N. Y., August 5th, 1849. 
Our readers must bear in mind, that friend Sotham 
is always “ death” on the shorthorns. They will 
therefore excuse his placing them as third-rate 
among the improved breeds. Others hold different 
opinions; and, although he seems disposed to war 
against them, even to u the knife,” still, we think, 
good shorthorns are destined to live yet a little 
while longer, and flourish. At any rate, their 
breeders, and no small portion of the public, seem 
to be so obstinately set in the belief that they pos¬ 
sess first-rate , instead of third-rate merits, that 
we doubt whether they will allow them to be 
utterly exterminated very suddenly, by the thrusts 
of our belligerent friend. But to the point. 
The three breeds of improved cattle, Hereford, 
Devon, and shorthorns, have each their different 
merits, particularly suited to particular localities 
and requirements. It is for the farmer to study 
these peculiarities, and make up his mind which is 
most suitable for him, and then choose. 
