278 
RABBITS FOR MARKET. 
heifers of three and two years old, thorough¬ 
bred shorthorns, Devons, and high grades, from 
both these breeds, which produced calves for the 
first time—for I have no common cattle in my 
herd. Every single one of these heifers having 
come out with fine, large, silky udders, fine taper 
teats, which yield their milk with the slightest 
pressure of the hand; and they all, without an 
exception, prove excellent milkers, giving, with 
their first calf, 16 to 20 quarts each a-day. And 
they will improve in their yield of milk until 
they are five or six years old. From my herd 
of cows, I am now raising 18 or 20 heifer calves, 
sacrificing none from so valuable a stock of 
milkers. 
For the purpose of further improving the 
milking quality, if possible—retaining it at all 
events—and still introducing a fresh cross to in¬ 
vigorate their blood and constitution, I purchased 
at Mr. Sheafe’s sale, last August, his beautiful 
imported bull Exeter, of the celebrated Princess 
tribe of shorthorns, from the herd of Mr. Ste¬ 
phenson, in England, and of the same stock as 
Mr. Bates’ noted bull Belvedere, which Mr. 
Stephenson also bred, and from which descend¬ 
ed the famous Duchess prize animals with 
which Mr, Bates has beaten all England at the 
cattle shows of the Royal Agricultural Society. 
Every thorough-bred and grade cow on my 
farm has been, and is to be bulled by Exeter 
this year. From his high quality, and fine noble 
appearance, I anticipate such a rare lot of calves 
next season as I have never yet had upon my 
farm. Exeter inherits in his long line of de¬ 
scent on the side of both sire and dam, great 
milking qualities, as well as other strong traits 
of excellence, and that he will transmit them to 
his descendants I can have no doubt. 
Looking also to the continued improvement 
of my Devons, I have this year secured the ser¬ 
vices of one of the two fine young bulls selected 
and imported last fall by that excellect judge of 
stock, Mr. Ambrose Stevens, from probably the 
best Devon herd in England, famous, also, for 
their milking as well as breeding qualities. 
From these accessions, I anticipate most satis¬ 
factory results, and with a continued attention 
to the best selections of bulls to my already, as 
I think, well-established herd of milkers, in both 
my Devons and shorthorns, I hope to continue a 
race of dairy stock equal to any ever found, as 
a herd, on either side of the Atlantic. 
From my remarks being chiefly confined to 
the milking qualities of cattle, it may be infer¬ 
red that the fattening or beef properties of the 
animal are sacrificed. Not at all. This is still 
preserved in its highest perfection, as the un¬ 
rivalled handling of these high-bred animals 
prove. No animal with such a touch can be 
otherwise than a good feeder, and the rapidity 
with which the cows, when dried of their milk, 
and put upon good feed, will take on flesh, is the 
highest evidence of their capacity, in due time, 
for the shambles. Lewis F. Allen. 
Black Rock , N. Y, August, 1851. 
RABBITS FOR MARKET. 
It is a matter of surprise to an American first 
visiting England, to see the quantities of game 
which abound at certain seasons of the year in 
the London and other markets of that country, 
in contrast with the scanty, or rather no supply 
at all, existing in the markets of American 
cities. The reason for such difference, is, that 
in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, 
every acre of the soil is appropriated to its 
most profitable uses, while we, from the abun¬ 
dance of land in America, select only the best 
for agricultural purposes, and let the remainder 
go barren and uncared for. Lands appropri¬ 
ated to the rearing of game, when fit for farm 
pasturage or tillage, is unprofitable, generally, 
with us; but there are thousands of acres in 
this state, and in New England, barren for other 
purposes, that might be devoted to the breeding 
and pasturage of rabbits, and which, by thus 
appropriating them might be turned to profit¬ 
able account. All the preparation required is, to 
inclose it with a high and nearly close paling 
fence, and the erection of a few rude hutches 
inside for winter shelter and the storage of their 
food. They will burrow into the ground and 
breed with great rapidity; and in the fall and 
winter seasons, they will be fat for market with 
the food they gather from the otherwise worth¬ 
less soil over which they run. Rocky, bushy 
and evergreen grounds, either hill, dale, or 
plain, are good for them, wherever the soils are 
dry and friable. The rabbit is a gross feeder, 
living well on what many grazing animals re¬ 
ject, and gnawing down all kinds of bushes, 
briars, and noxious weeds. 
The common domestic rabbits are probably 
the best for market purposes, and were they to 
be made an object of attention, immense tracts 
of mountain land in New Jersey, and the New- 
York and New-England highlands could be 
made available for this object. We hope some 
of our friends who are over burdened with 
land now turned to no profitable object, will 
give this subject a thorough trial, and we think 
they will find their account in it. 
