THE CULTIVATOR. 
ass* 
205 
the upper soil was favorable to the growth of green 
crops. The other half was allowed to remain undrain¬ 
ed, as the whole had been until the winter of 1837. In 
spring 1838, the whole field was worked for, and plant¬ 
ed with potatoes. The potatoes were sold, and the re¬ 
sult was, that the thorough-drained half yieded £45 an 
acre, whilst the undrained only realized £13 an acre. 
The drained land thus yielded about three and one-half 
times the undrained; and, supposing that the draining 
cost, at the utmost stretch, £10 an acre, the first crop, 
notwithstanding, not only repaid that cost, but left £22 
an acre more than the whole crop per acre of the un¬ 
drained land. What an encouragement does this sim¬ 
ple fact and single instance of profit hold out to farmers 
to spare no expense and indulge in no hesitation in 
thorough-draining retentive-bottomed land? Although 
£45 an acre is a very large sum to obtain for an acre of 
potatoes, yet the crop was generally very deficient last 
year, and good potatoes were very scarce ; hut it must 
not be supposed that that amount was all profit, for the 
expenses of raising and driving the crop to market fall 
to be deducted from the value of the gross produce; 
still, £45 and £13 give the relative values of produce 
obtained from drained and undrained land. It is wor¬ 
thy of remark, that draining renders strong soil capa¬ 
ble of raising a large green crop even in a wet season, 
whilst soil, in want of draining, is comparatively mate¬ 
rially injured in a wet season. It is obvious that the 
soil here spoken of only required draining, to render it 
eminently qualified to raise green crops; and there is 
abundance of such soil in the country .—Edinburgh Q. J. 
of Agriculture. 
Mode of Ascertaining the Milking Properties of 
Cows. 
The French Agricultural Societies have been lately 
occupied in investigating the pretensions of a M. Gue¬ 
non, who asserts that he can, by means of certain out¬ 
ward marks common to every cow, at once declare what 
quantity of milk she gives, of what quality it may be, 
and how long it will last after calving. In a late num¬ 
ber of the Annales de VAgriculture Francaise, we find 
the particulars of a report made to the Society of Agri¬ 
culture at Rosoy, on an examination which took place 
of M. Guenon’s system. The application of his plan 
was tried in the dairy of one of the chief proprietors of 
the place. It appears by the report, that out of 30 cows 
submitted to his examination, 25 were perfectly well 
described as to their milking qualities, and in the other 
5, the differences from the truth were of such a nature, 
as to leave room for doubting whether they were not ap¬ 
parent rather than real differences. In two cases only 
was M. Guenon altogether in error. Afterwards, 20 
milking cows were brought under his notice, and, in 
thirteen cases, his declarations agreed perfectly with 
those of the steward of the farm ; three of the others to 
which he had attributed a greater quantity of milk than 
they really produced, were declared to have diminished 
from age, for which he, having made the examination 
with great rapidity, had not made any allowance.— 
With respect to two others, the steward was notable 
to declare positively as to the produce which they gave; 
for the other two, there were several quarts difference 
from the quantity named by M. Guenon. 
In making his examination, M. Guenon more than 
once declared, that when he was required to name the 
quantity of milk exactly in measure, it might occur that 
his declaration was less than that which the animal pro¬ 
duced, but that if the whole of the judgments which he 
gave were compared, it would be found that the rela¬ 
tive proportions held good throughout the whole dairy. 
Besides, he does not maintain that he may not some¬ 
times be in error ; he thinks that it arises from the im¬ 
perfect mode of applying the system, and not from the 
system itself. A circumstance occurred on this occa¬ 
sion, which serves to confirm the certainty of M. Gue¬ 
non’s judgment. He had to examine in a stable apart 
two heifers, of whose mothers he knew nothing: he de¬ 
clared that they ought to give certain quantities of milk, 
differing altogether from each other other, but agreeing 
perfectly with the nature of their mothers. An indivi¬ 
dual, not belonging to the farm, asked permission to 
bring in a cow whose produce he knew perfectly well, 
and of which he named beforehand, the quantity of 
milk, its continuance, and its quality. M. Guenon’s 
account agreed in all parts with the person’s statement. 
M. Guenon was afterwards taken to the farm of M. Gi- 
bert, and five cows were submitted to his examination. 
He was perfectly correct as to the quantity of milk they 
gave, and its duration ; as to its quality, the servant 
who was in charge of the place, could not declare any 
thing with certainty. Amongst these cows was one 
which was an exceedingly bad milker; on her appear¬ 
ing M. Guenon uttered some exclamations on her beauty. 
The persons present thought he was on the point of 
making some mistake. On examining her nearer, he 
at once declared her not equal by half in produce to the 
rest, and retaining her milk for five months only. In 
both respects he was perfectly correct. 
The following article appeared in the Gardener’s Ga¬ 
zette of the 4th May last, which gives an account of the 
discovery of M. Guenon’s, as far as it has been made 
known. 
MODE OF JUDGING OF THE MILKING QUALITIES OF 
COWS. 
The Minister of Public Works and Agriculture in 
France, was lately applied to by a M. Guenon, a land- 
owner at Libourne, respecting a new method which he 
had discovered for classing the cows of every descrip¬ 
tion, according to the quantity of milk which thej r can 
give per day, the quality of their produce, and the time 
they can keep it. The minister requested the Society 
of Agriculture to take charge of the necessary experi¬ 
ments to test the value of the discovery ; and, in conse¬ 
quence, certain members were appointed to investigate 
the matter. M. Guenon, previous to his arrival at Pa¬ 
ris, tried to obtain a remunerating number of subscri¬ 
bers to a pamphlet of his, containing full particulars of 
his discovery. When the total of the subscribed sums 
would amount to what he thought a sufficient reward 
for his secret, he proposed to send each subscriber a 
copy. This work he shewed at once to the gentlemen 
appointed by the society. In their report, they allude 
to the work, but very cautiously abstain from disclosing 
the mode of M. Guenon’s procedure. They presented 
lately a report of what they did, from which we gain 
the following information: 
M. Guenon’s declaration goes so far as to assert that 
he can decide respecting the quality as well as the quan¬ 
tity of the milk. He asserts, besides, that his system 
applies to calves, no matter how young; so that, from 
examining one of the bovine race, he can predict with 
certainty the qualities which the animal, whether male 
or female, must be marked by. This part of his plan 
could not be tested, as it demands an examination ex¬ 
tending to several years. M. Guenon gave an opinion 
before the gentlemen appointed by the society to act as 
a committee, on 149 cows giving milk, on 17 bulls and 
male calves, and 30 females. The whole experiments 
lasted four days. It would appear from the terms of 
the report, that M. Guenon, in deciding on the quantity 
of milk in those cases, only approximated, but did not 
often hit on the exact number of quarts. Out of the 
149 cases, only 21 were exactly corresponding with the 
declarations of the owners of the cows. Also, in speak- 
iug of the time during which the cow holds her milk be¬ 
fore calving, M. Guenon was seldom exact; the most he 
did was to come near the mark. On 2,573 quarts of 
milk given in three dairies, he was wrong in 514, or a 
fifth of the whole. The committee declare that the cha¬ 
racters which serve as the foundation of the system are 
easy to be understood. The only fault they find is in 
the number of divisions and subdivisions which his sys¬ 
tem includes. First of all, he makes eight classes, and 
to each of these, the mark which serves as a guiding 
star may be varied frequently, according to the age and 
form of the animal. This gives eight subdivisions to 
each, which at once gives sixty-four different orders.— 
Again, in each of these there are three degrees, accord¬ 
ing to the age of the cows ; so that we have thus 192 dif¬ 
ferent kinds. But, omitting this drawback, it must be 
acknowledged that the character which directs him, and 
which is common to the whole of the race, must be con¬ 
sidered of some value. He was incorrect in several in¬ 
stances, no doubt; but his method of deciding is new, 
and may be carried much farther. The sign by which 
he judges has been altogether unperceived up to the 
present time. In theory, it is such as may be admitted ; 
and the presumption is, that it is of some value. 
M.. Guenon’s discovery is applicable to every country, 
and the publication of his pamphlet is the only means 
of ascertaining (by a number of persons observing close¬ 
ly at the same time in different places) whether the me¬ 
thod is as valuable as he asserts. One thing is certain, 
that he appears convinced that the principle upon which 
he judges is unerring. He acted most fairly and openly 
before the commission, and secured the approbation of 
each and all by his straightforward conduct. Their re¬ 
port may be thus summed up :—That the discoverer did 
not prove all he asserted, but the subject was worthy of 
further investigation. In pointing out bad milkers, M. 
Guenon was mistaken only in one instance, and then by 
omission rather than false declaration. At Rambouil- 
let, there was one bad milker in the number, and that 
he pointed out at once; and at A1 fort one which gave 
infinitely less milk than the rest was instantly discover¬ 
ed. The commission also declare that the mark by 
which he judges can be used approximately, in every 
form and every age.*— lb. 
Crossing the Musmon with the Sheep. 
The Edinburg Quarterly Journal of Agriculture, 
says—“ It is known that many naturalists, amongst oth¬ 
ers Cuvier, have presumed that the Musmon of Corsica 
(Ovis Musmon f) may be the stock from whence our do¬ 
mestic sheep have sprung. On this supposition, it 
would be a curious thing to ascertain if a reconcilement 
could be made between the wild and domesticated ra¬ 
ces of so useful an animal as the sheep.” 
“ To attain this object, M. Durieu, receiver-general 
of the finances at Carcassonne,” saysM. Marcel de Ser- 
res, “ has imported musmons from Corsica, and when a 
* Horticultural Journal for July, 1839. 
f “ This sheep, now, wc may say, so comparatively little 
known, inhabits the mountainous wilds of Corsica and Sar¬ 
dinia, and has there only to contend against man as its ene¬ 
my, no large carnivorous animals existing which would car¬ 
ry destruction among its herds ; and it is to this circum¬ 
stance probably that these islands are indebted to the rem¬ 
nant of the flocks which appear to have formerly existed 
among the mountains of Spain, and some neighboring parts 
of the continent of Europe. 
“ The flocks consist sometimes of a hundred or more, pla¬ 
ced under the guidance of some old and courageous male. 
In a domestic state, the young males and females are docile 
and gentle ; but the old males became subject to ill-natured 
fits, and sometimes assail children, women, and even men, 
attempting to bear them down by butting.”— The Natura¬ 
lists' Library , vol, iv. Mammalia .— Editor Q. J. rig- 
female of them has been in season, she has been put to 
a merino ram. These two animals, deprived of their 
liberty, and coupled, have produced a female cross, 
which was much more like the sire than the dam (that 
is the merino than the musmon). Indeed, this hybrid 
was no longer covered over with course reddish hairs, 
such as those which characterize the musmon ; but only 
whitish wool scattered singly and at intervals among 
the coarse hairs. 
“This female cross was then put to a pure musmon 
ram, and the produce obtained resembled, this time, 
much more the sire than the dam, (that is, the musmon 
than the merino). It was reddish coloured like the 
musmon, and bore only some woolly patches mixed 
among the reddish hairs, principally upon the neck. 
This produce was a male. 
“ This new cross was put to a female merino, and 
from that union resulted this time an individual of the 
male sex, which retained all the characters of its dam. 
Like her, he was covered with thick enough wool, 
through which were scattered here and there, reddish 
hairs, that reminded of its origin 
In all these crosses, obtained as we have stated, the 
limbs remained always naked, without wool as without 
hair, and it was the same with the under part of the 
body- The limbs were remarkable for strength, thick¬ 
ness, and vigor. Their habits also retained those of 
the musmons; at least those wild, savage crosses do 
not walk with a proper step, but almost always bound 
or leap. They also climb with as much ease as dexter¬ 
ity, and, when pursued, dart forward with nimbleness, 
and readily and quickly fall again upon their four feet. 
“ Such attempts at crossing are continued in order to 
ascertain the certainty of the crosses being prolific, and 
if they can be led back to a fixed type, whether to that of 
the musmon or the sheep. Those researches have an¬ 
other object, and that is, to ascertain, by means of cros¬ 
sings, whether the middling size of the merino can be 
enlarged, and a greater quantity of wool obtained. 
“ We may mention, that every attempt has been made 
to cross the lie-goat in season, deprived of its liberty, 
with the female musmon in the same state, but every 
such attempt to overcome the aversion which they shew 
for each other has failed. 
“ It seems to result from these facts, that it is not al¬ 
ways possible to triumph over the repugnance which 
different species feel against mutual crossing; and since 
the musmon and sheep do cross with one another, it is 
probable that both belong to one and the same spe¬ 
cies .”—Comptes Rendus, 15 th October, 1838. 
Poudrette and Farm-Yard Manure. 
M. Hermbstadt gives, in the monthly journal of the 
Economical Society of Potsdam, these as the results of 
his experiments instituted with the view of ascertaining 
the comparative fertilizing powers of farm-yard manure 
and poudrette, one of the new compound manures made 
in France, it is supposed, principally of night-soil.— Ed. 
Q. J. Ag. 
“ 1 . Poudrette is a perfectsubstitute for common dung, 
whether with respect to price or quality. 2. Its favora¬ 
ble effects essentially depend on the moisture of the sea¬ 
son. 3. In dry years it is less effiea-ious upon sandy 
soils than upon very greasy or medium clays. 4. It is 
particularly suitable to very greasy clays. 5. By virtue 
of the lime and ammonia which it contains, it quickens 
anddevelopes the inert humus, and the humic acid which 
offfin accumulates in the soil. 6. The poudrette com¬ 
bined with organic matter, or in the state it is actually 
made, is a powerful means of rendering clay land fria¬ 
ble .”—Le Cultivateur for August, 1838. 
Extraordinary Crop. 
We are informed that George C. Harness, Esq. of 
Hardy county, raised the past season, from one acre of 
ground, one hundred and seventy-eight bushels of corn. 
Mr. H. cultivated the same with a view for a premium 
at the approaching Agricultural Exhibition of Hardy 
county, and the husking and measuring of the corn was 
attended to by a disinterested, intelligent, and highly 
respectable citizen of Moorefield. This is the most ex¬ 
traordinary yield, from one acre of ground, that we have 
ever heard of. Truly, may the South Branch Bottoms, 
be termed the “garden spots of the Union .”—Romney 
Intelligencer. 
The Late Jesse Buel. 
The following resolutions were unanimously adopted 
by the Northanna Agricultural Association, at its first 
meeting after the death of the late J. Buel, Esq. They 
would have been transmitted sooner for publication, but 
it was not known until the last number of the Cultiva¬ 
tor was received, that the paper would be continued. 
Resolved, That the public spirited, able and success¬ 
ful exertions of J. Buel, the late Editor of the Culti¬ 
vator, to improve the agriculture of the country, have 
merited the highest praise, and entitled him to the gra¬ 
titude of every friend of agriculture, and that this asso¬ 
ciation deplores his death as a public loss. 
Reeolved, As a testimonial of the estimation in which 
we held him, and of our regret for his loss, that these 
resolutions be transmitted to the Cultivator, and the 
Farmers’ Register, for publication. 
W. HOLLADAY, Sec’y. 
Spottsylvania co. Va. Eov-. 18, 1839. 
