RURAL LIFE 
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1 WHOLE NO. 539 
FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, MAY 1 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
A.V ORIGINAL WRKKI.Y 
RURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
With an Able Corps of Assistants and Contributors, 
The Rural Nrw-Yoiikkk is ik-sitrned to he unsurpassed 
in Value, Purity, UsofnlncM and Variety of Contents, and 
unique and beautiful in Appearance. Its Conductor devote* 
liis personal intention to trie supervision of its various de¬ 
partment*, and earnestly labors to render the Rural an 
eminently Reliable Guide on all the Important Practical, 
Scientific and other Subjects intimately connected with the 
business of those whose interests it zealously advocates. 
As a Family Journal it. is eminently Instructive and En¬ 
tertaining—beta? so conducted that it can be safely taken 
to the Hearts and Homes of people of intelligence, taste 
and dlscrimlnation. It embraces more Agricultural, Horti¬ 
cultural, Scientific, Educational, Literary and News Matter, 
interspersed with appropriate and beautiful Engravings, 
than any other journal, rendering it the most, complete 
Agricultural, Literary and Family Newspaper in 
America. 
For Terms and other particulars, see last page. 
CULTURE OF THE PEA, 
Otilved November 22, 1855, got by Young Ealco 
(I2J2U,) c ut of Duma Gwysne, by the Duke of Lan¬ 
caster (10920,)—Dolly Vardon, by Kibblesdalo 
(7434,)—Dorothy (iWynne, by Conservative (3472,) 
— Cripple, lty Marmion (406),—Daphne, by Merlin 
(430,)—Nell Gwynne, by laiyton (366,)—Old Noll 
Gwynno, by Phenomenon (491,) — Princess, by 
Favorite (252,)—by Favorite (252,)—by Snow¬ 
don’s bull (612,)—by Masterman’s bull (422,)—by 
Huhback (319,)— by Waiatcll'a bull (609,)— by the 
Studley bull (626.) 
Bull “ Hiawatha,” winner of the first prize at the 
last Show of the X, Y. Hlutc A*. Society, (DAIV, 
It is meet and proper that one who bus done bo 
much to portray the most celebrated animals of 
the herds and Hocks of othera, should have his 
own favorites properly represented. The portrait 
of the animal constitutes the picture, with no 
fancy surroundings to add to its charms. 
Pedigree ok Hiawatha (1663.)—Rod, bred by 
Samuel Thorne, Dutchess county, the property 
of John R. Page, Scnnett, Cayuga Co., N. Y., 
Mr. John It. I’aov:, m H-mnott, N. Y., lias 
become somewhat cei>tbr.itrcl as an artist in tile 
line of animal portraiture, having sketched and 
painted many representative animals, of the vari¬ 
ous improved breeds, during the past ten years, 
very satisfactorily. The fact that he is himself a 
breeder and conuoiseur of fine stock, gives him 
great advantage in understanding the “points” 
of the best breeds of Cattle, Horses, Sheep and 
Swine. It is with pleasure, therefore, that wo 
give Mr. Page's own delineation of his Short-horn 
HINTS ON SHEEP MANAGEMENT. 
contrary, every dairyman has seen good cows 
that bred after themselves, and every heifer calf, 
saved from the knife, which they brought bore 
the good points and possessed the qualities of tho 
parent. Wo have known instances of such excel¬ 
lence where plain evidence of this fact was trans¬ 
mitted from dam to offspring for years, again to 
he reproduced and purpetuatod if allowed by 
them. 
Hut there are principles of practice at work 
which sacrifice many,—victims to ignorance,—of 
tho better class of calves for the dairy. First, the 
cow is a good milker, and all her milk is wanted, 
and the calf is deaconed,—second, her calves fat¬ 
ten readily and bring four fifty in the village 
market If they escape all this, being hearty, 
good feeders,—as good milkers always arc,—they 
develop and fatten early, and arc early admired as 
the “sweetest bit” of beef ever eaten. Are not 
tbcie sutlieient causes to hinder increase in tho 
production of good dairy cows? We lay it down 
as u fact, that it is much more difficult finding first 
class dairy cows, even in dairy regions, In prox¬ 
imity to a lively market for veal, than away from 
such destroying causes. 
la selecting a calf to be grown for the dairy, 
see that it has a line head, bright eyes, thin, taper¬ 
ing neck, flat, clean legs, good skin, hind-quarters 
set wido behind, and udder veins well developed. 
Thu calf selected should then grow to what na¬ 
ture designed,—neither forced by over feeding, 
nor, what is still worse, stinted. If you want 
dwarfed cattle, grow them, as too many are grown, 
inside a hairy leathern sack, with two starved 
eyes in front, and spindle legs beneath, animated 
by the last fraction of animal life which will servo 
to keep the clamorous crows away, hut lacking all 
those animal spirits so good to look upon in tho 
frolic of healthful, developing exercise. Espe¬ 
cially should heifers never bo stinted which are 
to lie in calf young. Do not let them to the male 
too early, for the same reason. Maturity, or ripe 
with a sharp knife, cuts off about one-half to two- 
thirds of the testicle hag; then drops his knife, 
and draws ont one of the testicles at a time, till 
a portion of the connecting cord is seen, which 
he divides by friction of his thumb nail, ibis 
mode of division lacerates tho cord, and less 
bleediug will follow than if done by a sharp in¬ 
strument. 
condition is equally necessary to sustain the lamb 
subsequently, and impart to it sound constitution, 
size, and thrift.” 
Hummer Care of Lamb*, &c. 
A young Illinois shepherd desires the Rural 
to give “some practical directions for the man¬ 
agement of sheep—ewes and lambs, more particu¬ 
larly,—from the period of yeaning until brought 
up to shed for the winter.” Here is a large field 
to traverse, and we cannot be expected to cover 
the whole within the limits of one or even two 
articles. Each branch will have its due share of 
attention during the summer, and if any specialty 
be omitted, upon which our young friend would 
desire the experience of others, he will please 
make it manifest. 
During the lambing period, if the ewes are in 
fair condition, the pasture in which they are kept 
must not be very luxuriant, but when it is over 
better keep ought to be given them. The herd¬ 
ing together, at this time, of large numbers of 
ewes is not considered as working advantageously 
Morrell sets the num- 
Tuere are upon our table quite a number of 
inquiries relative to the cure and management of 
sheep, and as some of these require immediate 
attention, we purpose devoting a column in 
reply thereto. 
Grain for Breeding Ewes. 
The subject of feeding grain to breeding ewes, 
has been quite frequently discussed in the col¬ 
umns of the Rural, and we think a revision of 
the experiences and arguments educed by the 
disputants would result in showing that the forces 
were pretty equally divided. With the large 
majority, however, corn (if any grain be used,) 
seems to have found special favor, while oats arc- 
deemed the most baneful. Our own opinion is 
that grain can be used without evil results follow¬ 
ing as a necessity, but it must be given sparingly 
Until two or three weeks 
It may, to some, appear unnecessary, 
and therefore objectionable, to cut off so much 
of the scrotum or bag; but if dislodged of its 
contents it is certainly quite an useless affair, tiie 
little wool growing upon it being almost worth¬ 
less, and a bother always to the tagger and 
shearer when cutting it oik” 
Yoitatt says the preferable mode of operating 
is to tie a waxed cord as tightly as possible round 
the scrotum, above, and quite clear of the testi¬ 
cles. This will completely stop the circulation, 
and in a few days scrotum and testicles will drop 
off Care mnst be exercised in the application 
of the cord to the exact part, and in the tighten¬ 
ing of the ligature, 
Where the first given method has been adopted, 
an application of the following ointment, is re¬ 
commended:— One quart of tar; two pounds of 
lard; warm to a thin liquid, and add one gill 
spirits of turpentine. Apply to the mutilations, 
and for one or two inches around them, by means 
of a soft swab. This ointment; is healing in Its 
effects, prevents inflammation from colds, and, 
most important of all, is an effectual guard against 
the attacks of the maggot-lly. 
The operation of dockiug is very simple. An 
assistant holds the lamb with its buck pressing 
against its body, thus presenting the haunches to 
the operator, who cuts off the tail at the second 
joint from the rump. It is seldom that bleeding 
PEA BEETLE. 
when the peas are in flower and forming pods, the 
female beetle deposits an egg in almost every pea. 
When matured, the pea does not appear injured, 
but on close examination we can discover in each 
a minute black speck, which is the larva. Dr. 
Harris says:—“The eggs are laid only during 
the night, or in cloudy weather. Each egg is 
placed opposite the pea, and the holes through 
which they pass are so fine as scarcely to he seen, 
and are soon closed.” The larva remains in the 
pea all winter, gradually consuming its internal 
substance, and in spring it is transformed into a 
perfect insect, pierces the skin, and emerges to 
deposit its eggs in the new pods. The larva has 
a soft whitish body, and a head small, scaly, and 
armed with strong and sharp catting mandibles. 
The maggot, when it reaches maturity, gnaws a 
circular hole to the husk or skin of the pea, and 
even cuts round the inner surface which covers 
the aperture; so that, when changed to a beetle, 
by a elight dilation of its body it forces oil' the 
lid, and emerges the new-born Bmchus, as repre¬ 
sented iu small engraving. In many of the peas 
the insect will be found dead. Whether this 
arises from a lower temperature than they are ac¬ 
customed to, not invigorating them sufficiently to 
leave their habitations, or whether-they return to 
feed when they cannot make their escape readily, 
which is the case when the peas are confined in 
sacks, or heaped up in a warehouse, has not been 
determined. The vitality of the seed is not 
usually destroyed; as the egg is deposited iu the 
side of the pea, where the insect when hatched 
emerges, leaving the germ uninjured. It is 
doubtful, however, whether the plants raised 
from such pea3 are as strong and healthy as those 
from perfect seed; and they should therefore 
never be used for seed when it can be avoided. 
This insect was doubtless imported from Europe 
and with judgment 
before lambing, breeding ewes need only be kept 
iu good, plump, ordinary condition. Iu back¬ 
ward seasons, or where the grass has not obtained 
a lair start at the period of lambing, careful 
flock-masters feed their ewes chopped roots, or 
roots mixed with oats or meal, and the results, 
as exhibited by the flocks of this class of men, 
would seem to indicate that such a coarse was 
excellent economy. If ewes were tn poor condi¬ 
tio nwben the feeding of grain commenced, and 
nothing but dry hay was given in connection 
w.th the grain, we would not be surprised at a 
if the ewes 
to either flock or master, 
ber at about one hundred, and remarks that still 
less will prove better. The breeder should, at all 
seasons, have before him the fact that a few sheep 
kept together will do better than many. 
Iu from five to twenty days from the birth of 
the lamb, (being governed somewhat by the 
weather,) the important and necessary operations 
of docking and castration are performed. By the 
majority of breeders these operations are accom¬ 
plished at the same time; others, again, contend 
that the lamb has hardly sufficient stamina to en¬ 
dure both at the one handling, and that a suffi¬ 
cient period should elapse between them to 
permit its recruiting. Writers upon the subject 
argue that more depends upon the work being 
properly done than anything else, and that where 
skill and care are used no danger may be appre¬ 
hended. The lambs being brought from the field 
as quietly as possible, no bustle or hurry, and be- 
iog confined in a small enclosure, so us to prevent 
any running when catching them, you are ready 
to begin the work. The modes adopted in the 
process of castration are various, but we give, 
from the authority already referred to, one sanc¬ 
tioned by the successful practice of many years: 
“One catches a lamb and scats birnself astride 
:;f a narrow plank or scantling, which is placed 
at an inclination of about thirty degrees, pressing 
the back of the lamb firmly against his belly, and 
with his hands grasps the hind legs, drawing 
them upward and toward him, so that the scrotum 
is fairly exposed ior the operation. The operator 
great mortality among the lambs,' 
escaped the evils arising from constfpatiou and 
inflammation, it might be deemed remarkable. 
If, however, the grain was given ground, fed 
out in moderation, mixed with chopped roots, or 
in a warm bran mash, we cannot well conceive 
of aught save a beneficial termination. Probably 
we cannot do better than quote the American 
Shepherd on this point:—“The ewes during preg¬ 
nancy should be disturbed aB little as possible, 
and every attention paid to the quantity and 
quality of their food. Ewes, however, should 
not be kept fat at this stage; indeed, this state is 
injurious, as it predisposes them sometimes to 
abortion; but what is usually termed ‘good store 
condition’ should be maintained through the 
whole period of gestation. It cannot be expected 
REARING AND TRAINING MILCH COWS. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker:— We would urge the 
fullest care in selecting, rearing, and traiuing 
cows for the dairy; not only cows, but tbo calves, 
which are to grow to be cows. We lay it down 
as a rule that all antecedents should be good,— 
not only of the male, but, much more especially, 
tbe female. We consider the instances rare where 
good and valuable dairy cows are grown from 
little, meanly-formed, meager milkers. On the 
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