THE CULTIVATOR. 
27 
Report on Swine. 
The committee appointed at the last annual meeting of 
the society, to inquire into the progress made in the im¬ 
provement of swine, submit the following report : 
All the breeds of hogs known among us are supposed to 
have sprung from the Wild Boar (Sus aper) of the old 
continent. The varieties are numerous, and are annually 
increasing by new crosses. They differ in size, color, 
propensities to fatten, and in the quality of their pork the 
smaller breeds affording the more fine and delicate meat, 
and the larger ones giving the most meac. The names of 
breeds indicate their origin, or some peculiar property. 
There are good points in the hog, which are similiar to 
what they are in other domestic animals ; they indicate a 
disposition to fatten readily, and constitute beauty, because 
they are the criteria of utility. The chest of the hog 
should be deep and broad; the ribs largely arched; the 
neck short, and the head and limbs small; the bristles 
should be short, approaching to hair, and the skin soft and 
elastic. 
The breeds in highest repute in Great Britain, are sta¬ 
ted by Low to be the Chinese, Berkshire and Hampshire; 
the first admired for the whiteness and delicacy of its flesh; 
the second for its hardiness, quick fattening properties, 
and the excellence of its flesh for pork or bacon; the lat¬ 
ter for the great weight which it is made to attain. 
The Chinese hog is distinguished by having the upper 
part of the body almost bare; its belly hanging nearly to the 
ground; its legs very short, and its tail still more pro- 
portionably short. The color is commonly a dark grey, 
but often of other shades. This breed has been advanta¬ 
geously crossed with several other varieties. 
The Berkshire hog, is generally of a tawney, white, or 
reddish color, spotted with black, according to Loudon, 
though with us the black color seems to preponderate; 
thick, close and well made in the body; legs short; small 
in the bone, and has a disposition to fatten quickly. 
The Hampshire hogs are large, long in the body and 
neck, but not so compact as the Berkshire; generally 
white or spotted, and well disposed to fatten, coming up 
to a great weight. Lawrence adds that they are generally 
dark spotted, and sometimes black. 
This reference is made to foreign breeds, because most 
of our improved varieties consist of one or the other of 
them, or of their crosses. Little attention has yet been 
paid, among us, to rearing new breeds; yet, from the spirit 
of improvement which is diffusing itself over our country, 
we may expect soon to see such improvements successfully 
gone into. The difference, in the return of meat for the 
quantity of food consumed, is very great between differ¬ 
ent varieties—there being some that can scarcely be made 
fat, even at an advanced age, with abundance of food.— 
There is no domestic animal which can be more readily 
improved in its form, from the facility with which it receives 
the character of its parents, and none more capable of a 
rapid increase. 
There is a breed which abounds in our country, denomi¬ 
nated the Tonezoanta, from the writer having seen some 
pure unmixed individuals of the breed in that quarter, 
though they yet abound in other parts of the state. They 
are a long-legged, long-necked, long-snouted, long-tailed, 
long-bristled, razor-backed species, of a roaming mischie¬ 
vous disposition. A friend had kindly made a drawing of 
one of these animals, which we designed to have exhibited 
here in terrorem, and as a caution against their further 
propagation among us. But we have mislaid the pencil 
sketch. 
So little attention has been paid to the improvement of 
the hog, until within a few years, among us, that it is diffi¬ 
cult to particularize or describe our best breeds. The 
grass breed was long in deservedly high repute; but as 
little care w'as had to preserve its purity and excellence, 
it has mingled and been almost lost in our innumerable 
sub-varieties. The Chinese has had its day with some, 
the Mackay is still a favorite at the east; and there are 
other varieties in equal repute in other districts of our 
country. The Berkshire, however, seems now to be 
ascendant generally. These have been in most demand 
during the last two years, have commanded high prices, 
and have been sent, in considerable numbers, from this 
city, to almost every part of the union. The stock from 
which the Berkshire breed has been propogated, was 
selected in England, and imported some five years ago, by 
Mr. Siday Hawes, who at that time emigrated and settled 
in this neighborhood. The stock was subsequently trans¬ 
ferred to C. N. Bement, who became Mr. Hawes succes¬ 
sor upon What is denominated the Three Hills Farm. 
The committee are happy to state, that an increased 
interest is now given to the fattening of pork as constitu- 
tuting a profitable staple of our husbandry; that the advan¬ 
tages of improved breeds, in beauty of form, facility of 
fattening, and profit of feeding, are becoming daily more 
apparent; that our general stock has been greatly improved 
—and that the improvement promises to progress. The 
new facilities of making pork upon the farm, by the aid of 
the apple orchard, and the increased culture of roots; and 
from the excellent practice, now becoming general, of 
grinding or cooking the provender and roots upon which 
our hogs are fed, added to the uniform fair demand for this 
meat in the market—all these considerations combine to 
give an importance to this branch of rural economy, which 
is worthy the special notice of the farmer. 
Respectfully submitted. 
J. BUEL, Chairman. 
On Motion of Mr. Randall of Cortland, 
Resolved, That Messrs Buel and Randall be a committee 
to prepare the proceedings ofthe society for publication and 
that said committee furnish copies to the editors of The 
Cultivator and Genesee Farmer for publication. 
On nation of Mr. Buel, 
Resolved , That this society adjourn to meet at the City- 
Hall on the first Tuesday in Feb. 1839. 
JOHN P. BEEKMAN, Prest. 
H. S. Randall, Sec. \ _ 
N. Y. St. Agricultural Convention. 
The Convention assembled agreeably to public notice, 
in the Mavor’s Room, in the City-Hall of the city ot Albany, 
on the 1st day of February, 1838. W. A. S. North of 
Schenectady, was called temporarily to the chair, and 
Henry S. Randall, of Cortland, was chosen secretary, p. t. 
On motion of J. Buel, it was 
Resolved, That Messrs. J. P. Beekman, of Columbia, 
L. F. Allen, of Erie, J. Buel, of Albany, H. Baldwin, of 
Onondaga, and J. B. Duane, of Schenectady, be a com¬ 
mittee to report suitable names for officers of the con¬ 
vention. 
On motion of J. P. Beekman, it was 
Resolved, That Messrs. H. Baldwin, J. Buel, A. Van 
Bergen, of Greene, F. Rotch, of Otsego, andH. S. Ran¬ 
dall, be a committee to report subjects that ought to be 
brought before the convention, and the order of proceed¬ 
ings thereon. 
The convention then adjourned to meet at the Assembly 
Chamber at 3 o’clock P. M. 
Assembly Chamber, Feb. 1. 3. P. M. 
The convention met pursuant to adjournment. 
Mr. Beekman, from the committee to nominate officers 
for the convention, reported the following, which was 
accepted by the convention, 
JAMES R. LAWRENCE, of Onondaga, President. 
Avery Skinner, of Otsego, 
Daniel Wardwell, of Jefferson, 
D. S. Dickerson, of Broome, 
A. Van Bergen, of Greene, 
F. Rotch, of Otsego, 
G. W. Patterson, of Livingston, 
E. Hall, of Oneida, 
R. Swartwout, of Tompkins, 
C. Dubois, of Dutchess, 
C. Bergen, of Kings, 
J. J. Viele, of Rensselaer, 
J. S. Spencer, of Madison, 
Henry S. Randall, of Cortland, 
R. L. Allen, of Erie, 
John Fry, of Montgomery, 
Samuel Hoag, of Rensselaer, 
The following delegates appeared and took seats in the 
convention. 
Albany —Jesse Buel, John Townsend, William Thor- 
burn, John Willard, James D. Wasson. J. K. Paige, 
C. N. Bement, Samuel Cheever, Charles Smith. 
Allegany —Seth H. Pratt. 
Cattaraugus —Nelson Green, S. A. Goodwin. 
Chautauque —Geo. A. French, Abner Lewis. 
Chenango —Henry Balcom, D. Hubbbard, jr, Justus 
Pearce. 
Clinton —Percival Morse. 
Columbia— S. Van Buren, P. I. Storrs, John VanSlyck, 
Wm. Bain, J. P. Beekman, A. B. Ludlow, Joab Center, 
Wm. H. Wilson, Adam L. Shaver, I. Crocker. 
Cortland— D. Matthews, I. Osgood, E. W. Edgecomb 
H. S. Randall, N. Gillet. 
Dutchess —Freeborn Garretson, Cornelius Dubois. 
Erie —Richard L. Allen, Cyrenus Wilbur, A. Warner, 
L. F. Allen. 
Essex —Gideon Hammond. 
Franklin —Luther Bradish. 
Genesee —A. H. Green, John Head. 
Greene —Seth Hawley, J. P. Hawley, A. T. Van Slyck, 
A. Van Bergen, Martin G. Van Bergen. 
Herkimer —Abijah Mann, jr, Volney Owen, Aaron 
Petrie. 
Jefferson —D. Wardwell, Chancey Baker. 
Kings —Cornelius Bergen. 
Livingston —N. Scott. 
Madison —Mr. Lord, Mr. Bostwicu, Mr. Spencer. 
Derick Sibley, W. C. Bloss. 
Montgomery-1 ohn Fry, G. Gortner, jr, A. V. Putnam, 
E. W. Prindle, J. L. Bevins, A. A. Nestall, A. W. Sebor. 
JVeW- York —John Harris, H. W. Childs. 
Oneida —W. C, Noyes, F. C. White, R. Fuller, J. H. 
Ostrom, E. Mart, E. Elmer, Ii. Hearsey. 
Onondaga —S. L. Edwards, E. Lynds, H. Baldwin, 
G. Lawrence, A. Smith, P. Gould, Victory Birdseye, 
James R. Lawrence, Wm. Gibbs, Henry Lawrence. 
Ontario —Jonathan Buell. 
Orange —Hudson McFarlan. 
Oswego— Sami. Freeman, Jno. M. Richardson, A. Rice, 
L. Babcock, T. S. Morgan, J 03 . E. Bloomfield. 
Otsego —L. Beardsley, Sami. Betts, jr, Jacob K. Snell, 
John Drake, Francis Rotch. 
Orleans —Horatio Reid. 
Putnam —Saxton Smith. 
Queens —John A. King. 
Rensselaer —H. D. Grove, L. C, Ball, Jas. Wallace, 
Alex. Walsh, Hezekiah Hull, Win. A. McCullock, A. D. 
Spoor, Jacob Ten Eyck, Cornelius Lansing, jr, John J. 
Viele, Joseph Hastings, Wm. S. Clapp. 
Saratoga —H. C. Foster, 
St. Lawrence- —M. G. Peck. 
Schenectady —Jno. B. Duane, John Ferguson, W. A. 
North, J. H. Strang, Wm. B. Walton, J. A. Tower, S. G. 
Tower. 
Sullivan-3. H. Bowers, Jno. Maynard, Nathan Wake- 
man. 
Tioga— John Coryell. 
Tompkins —E. Curtiss. 
• V.Presidents. 
• Secretaries. 
Washington —Martin Lee, L. Gibbs, E. D. Culver, 
E. Smith, J. W. Richards, Jas. Martin, Jno. Crary, L. B. 
Armstrong, Jno. McDonald, dhos. Whiteside, Jno. Rost, 
Nathan Wilson. 
Wayne—A.. L. Beaumont. 
Yates —Miles Benham. 
Mr. Buel, from the committee on the subject of the 
Grain worm, presented the following report. 
The committee appointed at the last Agricultural Con¬ 
vention, “ to collect facts in regard to the history and habits 
of the Grain worm, to its ravages upon our farm crops, 
and to the means, if any are known, of preventing its de¬ 
predations,” offer the following report.— 
The habits of the Grain worm, believed to be the 
Tipuli, or Cecidomia tritici of entomologists, are yet 
but imperfectly known among us. We find in Kirby & 
Spence's Entomology, one of our best authorities upon 
insects, but an incidental notice of one insect that can be 
considered identical with this. The following is the 
passage: 
<< When the wheat blossoms, another marauder, to 
which Mr. Marsham first called the attention of the public, 
takes its turn to make an attack upon it, under the form 
of an orange colored gnat, which, introducing its long 
retractile ovipositor into the centre of the corolla, there 
deposites its eggs. These being hatched, the larvae, per¬ 
haps by eating the pollen, prevent the impregnation of the 
grain, and so in some seasons destroy the twentieth part 
of the crop.” Vol. 1 p. 172-3. 
Professor Low, in his Elements of Practical Agriculture, 
p. 236, has the following notice of the insect: 
“ The Cecidomia Tritici, is a fly with an orange colored 
body and white wings. About the month of June the 
female ascends the ears of wheat, and deposites her eggs 
in these, by means of a fine trunk, and in a few days she 
perishes. The progeny being hatched in the ear, feed 
upon the grain. They are very small, from two to four¬ 
teen being sometimes found in one grain, and are distin¬ 
guished by being of a bright orange color. They do not 
extend beyond the grain in which they had been born; but 
several grains being thus consumed in each ear, the dam¬ 
age done is often considerable. The larvae, after a period, 
fall down to the earth, in which they burrow, and remain 
there till the following summer, when they ascend from 
the earth in the form of the beautiful fly which has been 
mentioned.” 
Practical farmers have been able to add to our knowledge 
in regard to the habits of this insect. When wheat sown 
at the ordinary season, is developing its head, a species of 
fly is seen in great numbers, principally about sunset, 
attaching themselves to the ears, where they deposite 
their eggs, which in about ten days after become maggots, 
or catapillars. These destroy the young pickle, by suck¬ 
ing up the milky juice which swells the grain, and thus 
depriving it in part, and in some cases perhaps ofthe whole 
of the moisture, cause it to shrink up, and become an 
abortion. In about three weeks after, when ithas exhausted 
this substance the insect falls from the head, either upon 
the leaves or ground, and if upon the latter it shelters itself 
about half an inch below the surface, where it remains 
dormant, until the mean temperature of about 50 degrees in 
the spring, brings forth the perfect fly, about the time the 
wheat comes in the ear. Such seems to be the most ac¬ 
curate account of the habits ofthe insect which we have 
been able to obtain. 
Mr. Henry Green, of Washington County, has cited 
two instances, one in his own practice, of the insects 
emerging from the chrysalis to the perfect fly in autumn, 
in immense numbers; but this was caused as he well sup¬ 
poses, by the heating ofthe grain in the barn, the chrysalis 
being carried to the barn with the straw and chaff, in con¬ 
sequence of the grain having been housed in a greenish 
damp state. 
We find no notice ofthe ravages of this insect till the 
year 1820. During the subsequent ten years it caused 
immense damage in some districts of Scotland, sometimes 
destroying, as it has done here, a fourth, a third, or half the 
crop, and in many instances the grain was so badly injured 
as not to be worth harvesting. In 1829, in the district de¬ 
nominated the carse of G-owry, the damage which the grain 
worm did to the wheat crop, was estimated at nearly two 
hundred thousand dollars. It has been known in the 
northern parts of this state and Vermont for the last ten 
years. It seems to have been first noticed upon the bor¬ 
ders of Vermont and Lower Canada, and thence to have 
extended north and south. Its progress has been from 40 
to 60 miles a year, east, west and south. It has now ex¬ 
tended through Maine on the east, to Dutchess on the 
south, and to the Valley of the Genesee, partially, on the 
west. It will probably continue to enlarge the sphere of 
its operations, until it embraces the entire wheat growing 
districts ofthe union. 
The depredations of the grain worm have tended greatly 
to lessen the culture of wheat where it has shown itself, 
and to reduce the product of that which has been sown, 
The product, from these causes, has been reduced four 
fifths in some districts. A like diminution in the wheat 
districts of the west, which may be feared, when like cau¬ 
ses operate there, will be truly calamitous, not only to the 
farmer, but to the state at large. We cannot shut our 
eyes to what has happened, nor should we disregard the 
admonition which it conveys, to provide against the evil 
in due time. 
No certain preventive is known for the evil. It would 
seem, that the most probable means of averting it, is to 
sow winter wheat early, say the beginning of September, 
and spring wheat late, perhaps after the tenth of May, in this 
latitude. The grain of the first may become indurated 
and hard, before the worm is hatched, and will of course 
escape injury. The latter will 1 come into head after the 
