i89i THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 59i 
To “Improve a neglected farm” these chemical farmers 
would, if they were to start in the spring, plow as large an 
area as practicable of the most suitable land, and plant 
potatoes on it, using at least 1,300 pounds of high-grade 
fertilizer per acre. They would use all the stable manure 
they could get on some old meadow or pasture that had a 
thick sod, and plant it to corn, using more fertilizer in the 
hill or drill. If there was any fall-sown grain on the farm 
they would broadcast at least 400 pounds per acre of ferti¬ 
lizer and sow clover on it. Other ground might be seeded 
to oats and clover with fertilizers. The prime object 
would be to provide as quickly as possible a strong clover 
sod on which corn might grow and prepare the ground for 
potatoes. In the fall, wheat would follow in the potato 
ground. This would be the first step towards the rotation. 
Other available ground might be plowed, fertilized, and 
sowed to rye to be plowed under in the spring for corn, 
while the former corn ground would be fitted for potatoes. 
This rye-sowing would be useful until a strong grass sod 
two years old came into the rotation. In five years the rota¬ 
tion would be complete, and with good culture the land 
might be reasonably expected to grow stronger with each 
round. Of course it is understood that this treatment is 
prescribed for a level, easily worked farm. There are 
many rough, hilly farms in the back country where stable 
manure would be cheaper than chemicals and clover. 
Live Stock Matters. 
Wensleydale Sheep.— The sheep pictured at Fig. 314 
were exhibited at the late English Royal Agricultural 
Show at Doncaster. The Mark Lane Express in speaking 
of this breed, says : “ A Wensleydale sheep will, when 13 
months old, weigh from 35 pounds to 30 pounds a quarter. 
The quality of their mutton is that which is required by 
consumers of the present day, that is, that it shall con¬ 
tain a large proportion of lean flesh of a fine texture. The 
wool is of a fine, silky, long staple, of which a * hogg ’ or 
yearling sheep will produce about 14 pounds, and this 
wool is highly appreciated by manufacturers. The Wens¬ 
leydale breed by many South- 
country visitors to Doncaster 
would possibly be looked upon 
as a new one, but in reality it is 
one of the oldest in the king¬ 
dom, being the rightful heirs 
of the old Teeswater breed, 
which were a well-known breed 
more than 100 years ago, and 
they only need to be more widely 
known to be better liked. As an 
instance of their grazing quali¬ 
ties, the first prize two-shear 
ram exhibited at Doncaster, 
after serving ewes last autumn 
up to about Christmas, was 
taken from the ewes, and a fort¬ 
night afterwards was weighed. 
In fifty-four days it was again 
weighed, and was found during 
that time to have gained 55 
pounds. The shearling ewes il¬ 
lustrated here have never been 
weighed, but coming from a 
flock which possesses grazing 
qualities to a high degree, would 
no doubt have a good record of 
weight gained in a given time. 
Wensleydale sheep are not a breed of sheep kept chiefly 
for fancy, but for ordinary every-day, rent-paying pur¬ 
poses, being chiefly bred by hard-headed Yorkshire farm¬ 
ers, who most particularly require that every sovereign 
shall contain 30s.—or more if possible, they tell us.” 
Evidence of Sheep Murder.— They have a way of 
treating sheep killing dogs in England that is worthy of 
imitation here. Such a dog is considered a criminal and 
public sentiment never interferes to shield him from death 
or his owner from damages. The following account is 
given of a recent English law case. “ A collie dog had 
been seen worrying lambs. A visit was paid to its owner 
almost immediately, and the seemingly innocent canine 
trespasser was found half asleep in a stable where it had 
been fastened up. It was, however, noticed that there was 
a broken window and signs of its having been used. The 
Innocent look of the sleepy animal was not accepted as 
conclusive evidence except by the owner, and an emetic 
was administered, with the result that the poor collie dis¬ 
gorged a quantity of raw lamb and wool, which was con¬ 
sidered so conclusive that the owner at once paid for the 
damage done by his dog.” Much has been said about the 
great intelligence of the collie. The English Law Journal 
says: “ We confess that in this case we cannot help ad¬ 
miring this sagacious collie; its deep scheme to avoid 
detection by respecting its master’s flocks and going 
further afield for its prey, its prompt return to its home 
and its deliberate attempt to prove an alibi.” 
A Barbarous Practice. —The season is now here 
when some people commence one of the most cruel and 
barbarous practices ever retained by a civilized people, viz,, 
that of burning the lampass from the mouths of young 
horses! At what time or among what people the practice 
originated I will not pretend to say. It is most likely a 
remnant of the dark ages of barbarism. But there is one 
nation which should either discontinue it, or else say less 
about the general diffusion of useful knowledge, that is 
America. The idea that the enlargement of that part of 
the roof of the horse’s mouth is a disease is absurd, and 
has long been exploded by all veterinary surgeons, and is 
ridiculous to a man possessed of common sense. All horses 
are subject to be affected between the ages of three and 
five. In some cases the soft, spongy enlargement descends 
to a level with the fore teeth, yet upon examining it there 
will appear to be no tendernessor inflammation indicating 
disease; and if left alone to the operations of nature it will 
disappear and the horse will have a sound and healthy 
mouth. There is also great danger of bleeding by open¬ 
ing the palatine nerve ; the manner of performing the 
operation is shocking to the feelings of humanity as well as 
painful to the animal. It is uncalled for, behind the 
times, and must therefore be considered a piece of wanton 
cruelty. H. M. c. 
Steuben Co., N. Y. 
A Trio of Trotters.— A sensation at the races in Cleve¬ 
land, Ohio, last week was the appearance of three trot¬ 
ters harnessed abreast and drawing a light skeleton wagon. 
They were Belle Hamlin, Justina and Globe, all bred and 
owned by C. J. Hamlin, of Buffalo, N. Y. They trotted a 
mile in 3:14. This may open a new field or class for driv¬ 
ing, and three horse teams may take the place of some of 
our spans. It is a novel idea, anyway. 
Polo Ponies.— The development of the game of polo has 
caused a great demand for the stout and active little 
ponies needed in this game. Polo is described as “ hookey 
on horseback.” In playing “ hookey ” the players try to 
hit the ball with their sticks and knock it in the direction 
of their opponents’ side of the field. The object is the same 
in polo, only here the players ride instead of running. 
Each player needs a pony stout enough to carry him 
easily, and active enough to turn and twist after the ball. 
Such little horses are very hard to find. There is an in¬ 
creasing demand for them, and many a farmer who is 
raising big horses at little or no profit would make money 
raising ponies suitable for polo. It is strange that more 
farmers do not see the profit of raising dwarfs. Who 
over heard of a sound, well-trained pony that could not 
be easily sold at a good price f We do not believe the 
Shetland ponies would make good polo horses. They are 
too slow and clumsy, built for hauling and carrying bur¬ 
dens rather than for active dodging. Probably a new 
type or strain of pony will be required for polo. We should 
think the Exmoor or Welch Mountain ponies must be 
excellent as a foundation for this strain. There are a 
number of Exmoor ponies in the country, Mr. Geo. E. 
Brown having quite a large herd. 
FEEDING FAT INTO A COW. 
It Is curious that this question of feeding fat into a cow 
is answered so differently by scientific men and practical 
dairymen. The former generally oppose the possibility of 
Increasing the proportion of the fat in the milk by feed¬ 
ing, while the latter almost invariably admit it. The dis¬ 
cussion given on page 536 is typical of this fact, but it ap¬ 
pears by it that some of the professors appear to be argu¬ 
ing to support a belief by means of instances which are 
selected for the purpose, without regard to the fact that 
cows differ very much in this respect and that a great 
many examples can be produced proving the contrary of 
what they insist upon. Some of the reports of the Wis¬ 
consin Station have shown that the food has a decided 
reference to the proportion of fat in the milk. Some of 
the Geneva reforts a few years ago showed the same. The 
reference to a starved cow which gave milk largely in¬ 
creased in fat, made by Prof. Cook, is, I think, taken from 
one of the Geneva reports, but it is a wholly unfair exam¬ 
ple. The cow was not starved, but sick and worried by 
long travel, and it was not the absence of food, but the 
physiological breaking down of the cow which caused the 
loss of fat from the tissues into the secretion, a common oc¬ 
currence in cases of nervous excitement, when fat is often 
eliminated from the tissues through the kidneys even, A 
similar unfair remark is made by Prof. Jordan in regard 
to feeding brains Into a Digger Indian. This is a quite ir¬ 
relevant bit of argument, a clap-trap in fact, for no one 
has yet proposed as a possibility the improvement of the 
mind by variety of food. 
The production of fat in an animal is a physiological 
function, whether the fat is in the tissues or the milk, and 
must come from the food, and it has been shown beyond a 
question that the fats of the food are taken into the sys¬ 
tem directly, and deposited wherever the idiosyncracy of 
the animal favors their disposition, either in the meat or 
in the milk. No doubt cows vary as much in this respect 
as beeves do in making fat from the food; or any other 
animals, persons included. There are men like “ the lean 
and hungry Cassius,” whom no feeding can make fat, but 
in general good selected nourishment will have its effect. 
It Is hardly to be supposed that this change can be made 
in cows in a few days or months. But that it can be made 
in a few years in almost any cow existing I am fully con¬ 
vinced, while I am quite certain that any good cow can be 
so fed as to enrich her milk in the short space of a few 
weeks so as to affect her yield of butter the same season. 
I have a cow which I have had in training now for six 
years. I will send a photograph of her soon with her his¬ 
tory since she was three years old when I bought her for 
$19. This cow’s history shows that the butter yield can be 
trebled in three years’ feeding, and her calves can be so im¬ 
proved that the quality will become hereditary. This is a 
possibility that I think no one can deny In view of all the 
facts In the long experience of breeders of cattle, both for 
beef and the dairy, all of which goes to show that it is no 
longer a question as to the feeding being the foundation of 
the breeding, and this is a most encouraging experience 
for the owners of the 10,000,000 native cows that are subject 
to a course of improvement. H. STEWART. 
Macon Co., N. C. 
STRAWBERRIES FOR A TOWN TRADE. 
What protection should be given the strawberry? against 
late cultivation; wanted, a good strawberry team; 
the newer varieties considered. 
FRED. W. PROCTOR. 
The season has given a light yield of strawberries from 
many beds which survived the winter, and, later, produced 
leaves and blossoms in unusual abundance. There was a 
freeze on the earliest blossoms. I am inclined to attribute 
the shortage in the crops to injury to the crowns during 
winter, and to drought that had curtailed the yield past 
all cure before the summer rains finally came. No variety 
had its accustomed flavor. I cannot help believing with 
increased confidence each season that this berry is one to 
be protected not by a massive covering as of straw, but by 
a light shelter, as by leaves held in place with evergreen 
boughs. It should be sheltered merely from the sun and 
wind, and the beds should be 
allowed to freeze and remain 
frozen as long as possible. My 
experience in tue past year has 
shown the unwisdom of stirring 
the ground after midsummer, if 
the beds are to stand uncovered 
over-winter. Late cultivation 
made winter upheaval certain, 
while beds wintering in a sum¬ 
mer suit of weeds, while the soil 
about them remained unstirred, 
survived and fruited abundant¬ 
ly, retaining moisture better 
than those worked with a culti¬ 
vator early in spring. I have 
been testing many varieties with 
an eye to the best all-around 
“team” for a nearby trade, which 
will pay 25 cents when the mar¬ 
ket price is scarcely above half 
that figure. The Sharpless, 
Downing or Summit answers 
this purpose nicely except in 
point of earliness. As vigor and 
hardiness of plant are the first 
requisites, I have been content 
to leave trial beds unprotected 
in summer and winter, and have seen many otherwise 
fine varieties go under, which, with due pampering, 
might have been Induced to succeed except in trying 
seasons. It goes without saying that the berry for this 
trade must be of prime quality. Productiveness is im¬ 
portant, but must be ranked behind these other points. 
Finally, the varieties chosen must cover the season from 
early to late. 
For this trade I now place Haverland and Pearl at 
the head. Their plants are among the hardiest in sum¬ 
mer and winter, their fruit has no faults of color, size 
or shape, and is of that sprightly flavor which depends 
upon the right proportion of sweet and sour, and is very 
pleasing to all palates. This is especially true of the Pearl, 
its flavor being fully worthy of the distinguishing adjec¬ 
tive “refreshing.” The Haverland is quite free from faults 
of a positive nature, and is so fine a berry that I am sur¬ 
prised to see It generally classed as of medium quality. To 
cover the week preceding these kinds, I have found noth¬ 
ing to displace the Crystal City. Its power of hoeing its 
own row with the weeds will recommend it to those who 
do not love labor for its own sake. As my tests of Michel’s 
Early, Beder Wood and Lovett’s Early cannot be conclus¬ 
ive for several seasons to come, I recommend Crystal City 
as satisfactory in every point except productiveness, and 
considering its eminent earliness, it is satisfactory also in 
that. I still recommend the Sharpless as the best for the 
beginner for home use and near market. The Jersey Queen 
is a standby for late berries of great size and richness, and 
for size and vigor of plant it will stand with the Sharp¬ 
less. A row containing a few plants each of Parker Earle, 
Saunders, Beder Wood, Yale, Wolverton and Gov. Hoard, 
set in the spring of 1890, was allowed to fruit upon a few 
plants, with the unsatisfactory result of losing the fruit 
by the ravages of birds and gophers. The single Parker 
Earle allowed to fruit was protected, however, so that I 
might learn its flavor. One hundred and eighty-eight 
blossoms were set upon 16 stems, and the greater part 
matured. It has exhibited the greatest display of foliage 
and fruit I have ever seen. The fruit resembles The 
Rural’s former illustrations exactly (Henderson’s must 
be an “ impressionist ” picture), and the variety must be a 
great boon to those who are looking for great productive¬ 
ness, joined with good size and appearance and character- 
WENSLEYDALE SHEEP. Re-engraved from the Mark Lane Express. Fig. 2 14. 
