- 3^ 
326 
ROOT  PRUNING  CORN. 
Is  a  report  of  exporiinoiit»t  matle  at  Waishartim 
Farm,  Mush.,  given  iu  the  Bcientiflc  Farnicr.  wc 
find  K(ftno  remarks  ou  ro<»t  jinmiiig  corn,  wliicli 
are  quite  fit  variance  vitli  the  belief  btOd  by 
many  of  our  praclical  farmers.  Still  w»  hfwo 
always  contouded  that  cultivating  corn  late  in 
the  season  was  more  beneficial  than  injurious, 
even  if  a  few  of  the  longer  roots  were  cut  or 
broken  off.  Rut  here  is  what  our  scientists 
have  to  say  on  the  subject : 
With  reference  to  the  corn  crop,  to  cultivfite 
well  is  to  <M»ltlvate  close  to  the  growing  crop, 
and  this  that  we  may  cut  or  stsver  the  young 
rootlbtH,  cause  tlicon  t<j  branch,  and  thus  more 
completely  occupy  the  intersticea  of  the  Boil. 
When  the  root  of  an  apphs  trta>  is  cut  off,  inimor- 
OU8  small  roots  arc  pushetl  from  the  htids  latent 
in  the  bark  on  the  tree  side,  and  iu  the  place  of 
the  icmovcd  root  we  have  soou  developed  ! 
numerous  fibrous  brnuches  which  ])rocecd  to 
extoud  their  focduig  fibrils  into  the  soil,  and  we 
find  an  uniucuso  amount  of  fresh  feeding 
ffmface  occupying  the  jfiace  of  the  removed 
yfortiou,  whoso  functions  had  become  inert 
tlu’ougb  age.  In  n  airnilar  manner  with  the 
corn  plant;  tbo  long,  sti-aggliug  roots  which 
occur  iu  natural  course  through  the  root  pruning 
are  caused  to  branch,  and  thus  offer  a  larger 
feeding  surface  to  tbo  soil  than  they  otherwise 
would. 
That  this  is  so  we  have  reason  to  believe 
through  a  course  of  exiMsriments  on  plants 
growing  in  water,  and  in  iiots  dnring  tbo  past 
winter,  as  well  as  from  curcfnlobserv.ation  in  tbo 
field  plants  which  occujded  Inst  year's  corn  field. 
When  germinating  corn  was  suspended  over  a 
glass  of  water,  the  roots  were  perceived  to  extend, 
without  developing  ro<it  hairs,  until  the  nntri- 
mout  contained  in  tlio  seed  had  apparently  been 
exhausted.  AVheu  this  period  arrived,  root 
bau-8  soon  showed  themselves  on  the  smooth, 
white  and  cylindrical  roots  appoaring  first  at  a 
distance  from  the  extremity,  and  developing 
do\v^lwa^d  with  the  growth  of  the  root.  When 
the  extremity  Of  tlie  root  was  nipped  off,  the 
elfect  was  to  doveloi)  the  root  hairs  on  the  re¬ 
maining  portion  to  a  lai'gc  extent,  and  in  many 
instances  the  straight  root  became  branched 
before  the  experiment  was  closed,  through  an  in¬ 
ability  from  inexperience  and  want  of  tbo  proper 
facilities  for  continuing  the  growth  iu  a  properly 
fertilized  media. 
When  the  com  was  planted  in  pots,  the  same 
effects  appeared  upon  pruning  the  roots,  and 
likewise  whenever  tlm  exiouding  roots  came 
l>lump  against  the  side  of  the  pot.  Ujmui  Avash- 
ing  tho  eaith  carefully  from  the  roots  by  moans 
of  a  gentle  stream  of  wstor,  UiO  inlluonce  of  tho 
iwunitig  in  giving  the  roots  a  fibrous  character 
was  very  perceptible. 
It  was  also  a  matter  of  obsej-vation  in  the  field, 
that  those  portions  which  were  tire  beat  culti¬ 
vated,  produced  tlio  hargest  crop  ;  and  a  careful 
examination  of  autboi'itics  shows  beytmd  ques¬ 
tion,  <?hat  under  judicions  jnactioc,  the  nearer  to 
the  plant  and  tho  deeper  the  cultivator  stirs  tbo 
sou,  the  hettta’  tho  crop— prorided  common  sense 
is  used,  and  the  plant  is  not  killed  tlirough 
following  tlio  letter  of  tlio  law,  or  the  maturity  of 
the  crop  delayed  by  its  unseasonable  practice. 
Steange  as  it  may  seem,  avo  are  unable  to  fint\, 
in  any'  of  the  books  and  authorities  at  our  dis¬ 
posal,  any  reference  to  the  rout  pnming  of 
annual  plants,  as  a  beneficial  prac.tice.  The 
Avholc  object  of  cultivation  is  given  as  the  stuiiug 
and  aerating  of  the  soil,  its  pulverization,  and 
destruction  of  weeds.  Indeed,  the  mention  is 
oooasionuUy  made  of  t)ie  root  cutting,  but  it  is 
propounded  most  sagely  that  tho  beuofits  of  tho 
tillage  BO  fur  exceed  tho  injm-y  of  the  root  cutting 
of  tlie  plants,  that  aa-g  must  till,  till,  till— the 
more  the  better.  Yet  the  secret  of  tho  success 
of  tho  new  husbandi7  as  originated  and  practiced 
by  Jethro  Lull,  must  bo  explained  by  tho  root 
pruning— the  success  of  the  Louis  Woeden  hus¬ 
bandry,  iu  the  hands  of  its  originator  and  his 
disciples;  and  its  failui-e  when  tried  experimen¬ 
tally  by  Messrs.  Lawes,  must  be  explained  by  the 
lu-esenco  of  root  pmuing  in  the  one  case,  and  its 
absence  in  tho  other.  Tho  profitableness  of 
.filling  of  wheat  iu  England  over  tho  hroadcast- 
iug,  and  the  f.'iot  tliat  there  apijears  to  be  no 
prominent  difference  hetAvecn  these  methods  of 
sowing,  in  om-  country,  may  be  legitimately 
ascribed  to  the  root  pruning  elTooted  by  tho 
English  method  of  spring  hoeing.  When  avo 
come  to  the  practice  of  the  florist  and  the  gard¬ 
ener,  we  find  Avlth  them  an  empirical  practice, 
Avhich,  in  part,  accompUshes  tho  same  result, 
and  produces  theii'  success. 
- - 
TOBACCO  PLANTS  UNDER  GLASS. 
The  Plauter  and  Farmer  says Eagi^  spiing 
both  the  plauter  and  seller  of  tobacco  are  kept  in 
a  state  of  great  anxiety,  for  scA'cral  weeks  ou 
account  of  tho  damage  apprehended  to  plant 
MOORE’S  RURAL  fJEW-YORKER. 
beds  from  cold  Aveathcr  and  the  fly.  It  seems  to 
UR  that  this  might,  in  some  practicable  Avay,  be 
avoided.  Tlie  immense  growth  of  the  trucking 
intercRl  has  made  the  use  of  glass  a  matter  of  so 
much  moment,  that  every  device  to  reduce  the 
cxpeu.st!  of  its  provision  has  been  resort<Hl  to. 
The  frame  is  uoav  made  without  tho  use  at  all  of 
putty,  the  RtrijiH  holding  tho  glass  being  merely 
grooved  on  both  Hides,  allowing  the  ghiRS  to  bo 
slipjHAd  backArard  or  forwaid  at  Avill.  It  is  so 
siinplft  that  any  “  jack-log  ”  could  make  it.  As 
loss  l)y  cold  Aveather  and  tbo  fly  l.iolb  Avould  be 
saACid  by  such  an  arrangement,  it  AA’ould  seem 
that  the  space  neoeHRai7  to  produce  plants  for 
quite  a  large  crop  would  not  he  very  great ; 
besides,  it  Avoiihl  jirovido  for  both  cabbage  and 
tomato  plants  for  the  kitchen  garden ;  and,  of 
course,  every  farmer  has  or  ought  to  haA-e  a 
first-rutc  garden.  Wo  mention  this  matter, 
boUeving  it  is  practicable,  and  trust  that  our 
friends  AA  ill  find  it  so. 
- -  — ♦♦♦■ - 
PREMIUMS  FOR  TOBACCO. 
We  see  by  tho  papers  that  Mr.  Geo.  J.  Sumner 
of  Louisa  Co.,  Va.,  has  offered  a  premium  of  one 
hundred  dolliu's  iu  silver,  for  the  best  crop  of 
tobacco  produced  Giis  year,  by  a  young  white 
man,  the  Aviirk  to  he  done  so  far  as  iiossible  by 
himself ;  and  another  premium  of  fifty  dollars  in 
silver,  for  the  best  crop  by  a  oolor«;d  man.  Wc 
learn,  also,  that  it  has  caused  mneh  excitement 
tbrougliout  the  County,  and  that  Mr.  Sumner 
has  every  reason  to  expect  results  that  will 
make  our  hearts  glad.  The  negro,  a  Avorker,  is 
our  friend,  and  Ave  are  his ;  hut  the  negro,  a 
politician,  is  our  enemy,  and  avo  are  his ;  because, 
being  an  absiirdity  iu  such  a  position,  and  acting 
as  the  servant  of  unprincipled  AA  hlto  num,  ho  not 
only  juodiices  nothing,  and  thus  becomes  a 
cuinbci'er  of  tho  gi'ound,  but  be  liitcrleroa  AAitli 
proibiction  by  others,  by  seibicing  them  from 
their  Avoik,  and  putting  notions  into  their  hc^ads 
that  are  evil,  and  only  “  evil  continually.”  As  a 
question  of  right,  avo  owe  the  negro  nothing. 
No  Laboring  man,  in  any  coimti7,  ever  got  as 
good  a  living  for  as  little  Avitrk. 
- - 
NUTRITIVE  VALUE  OF  CORN. 
The  Boston  Journal  of  Chemistry,  spenkiug  in 
praise  of  corn,  says:  Tho  prejudice  existing 
against  the  use  of  maize  as  nn  article  of  human 
food,  among  certwin  classes  of  people,  is  mu- 
prising,  anil  tins  prejudice  is  based  on  iguv-Fauce. 
Om-  coni  is  seldom  found  in  Irish  or  English 
kitchens,  altiiough  millions  of  busliels  are  ex- 
ixjrted  to  England  every  yoai’.  Tiie  people 
there  are  strangers  to  those  Now  England  lux¬ 
uries,  corn  bread  and  puddings,  and  Ave  sU]>i)Oko 
it  Avill  be  a  long  time  before  they  AA-ill  know  any¬ 
thing  of  tliem. 
Indian  coni  is  one  of  the  most  important  and 
healthful  articles  of  human  food  that  a  bencli- 
ceut  Providonce  has  bestoAved  npnii  man  ;  and  to 
itsliigb  nutritive  value  is  duo,  iu  a  largo  degree, 
till'!  strengtlr  and  Aigor  of  the  race  of  men  Avhu 
laid  the  foundations  of  this  gi  eat  republic.  It 
Avas  much  more  largely  used  fifty  or  one  hun- 
di-ed  year's  ago  than  uoaa',  as  tine  Avheat  flour,  for 
Honio  not  Aveh-foiuided  reason,  has  usurped  its 
place  iu  bread-making,  lu  the  several  forms, 
hoAVcver.  of  huUed  corn,  popped  corn,  hominy, 
samj),  ixini  starch,  maizena,  etc.,  vast  quantities 
ai’o  consumed  by  all  classes  of  people. 
Meal  from  Indian  corn  contains  more  than 
four  times  as  much  oleaginous  matter  as  Avheat 
flour,  more  starch,  aud  nearly  as  much  nitroge 
110118  material;  consequently  iu  all  cold  climates 
it  is  admirably  adapted  to  sustain  tho  system  by 
furnishing  heat-forming  compounds.  The  oil 
gives  warmth,  Uie  nitrogenous  principle  gives 
muscular  strength.  The  combinatiou  of  aliment¬ 
ary  compoiniils  in  Indian  com  renders  it  alone  the 
mixed  diet  ca}>ahle  of  eustainiug  man  iiuder  the 
most  DxtraordlnaiT  circumstaneos.  It  holds  the 
elementary  priueiples  Avhich  constitute  tlie  basis 
of  organic  hfo.  In  this  particular  it  is  more  re¬ 
markable  than  any  otlrer  vegetable  production 
knoAHi  to  man.  Tliero  is  a  large  nmnher  of 
dishes  of  which  com  meal  forms  the  basis,  ivhich 
ai'o  exceedingly  pakitahlo.  Wliat,  for  instance, 
is  more  delicious  than  cold  com  pudding  cut  in 
shecs  aud  fried  iu  swoet  butter  aud  lard  ?  Hot 
coi’n-cakes,  wJien  properly  aud  skillfully  made, 
aro  almost  universally  regarded  as  a  luxury,  aud 
Boston  broAvn-bread  is  famous  evoryAvhero  in  the 
country.  The  reason  why  corn  meal  is  not  more 
largely  used  at  the  present  time  is  that  it  is  quite 
diflicult  to  obtain  it  of  dealors  or  grocers  in  a 
perfectly  pure  and  SAveet  state.  Millers  grind  the 
com  as  it  comes  from  tlie  West,  mixed  Avitli  poi'- 
tious  of  tho  cob  and  saturated  with  dust  aud 
dirt,  and  this  is  sold  for  kitchen  as  well  as  for 
stable  use.  Much  of  the  Wostoi'n  corn  is  dam¬ 
aged  iu  transportation,  and  this  is  gi'ouud  up 
witli  that  which  is  sound.  If  good,  sweet,  Nortli- 
eru  oom  is  properly  groimd  iu  an  old-fashioned 
stone  mill,  after  being  Avinnoived  to  free  it  fi  om 
du.st,  a  meal  wiU  result  of  a  rich  golden  color,  aud 
no  dish  can  ho  pvcqmrcd  from  it  winch  Avill  not  be 
palatable  and  most  nutiitious.  1  ii  our  family  Ave 
iiBc  the  Lakeside-grown  com,  selected  for  do¬ 
mestic  use,  pafis  it  after  it  is  shelled  thrAuigh  a 
wiunOAving  machine,  and  have  it  groimd  Itetween 
millstones  which  have  been  revolving  for  proba¬ 
bly  bair  a  century.  In  this  way  wo  secure  meal 
in  its  blghest  perfection,  and  this  is  what  ought 
to  be  accessible  to  all  families. 
In  trials  at  tbe  faim  lo  test  tbo  comparative 
value  of  meal  from  home-groAvn  com  and  that 
from  commercial  sources,  wlieii  fed  to  coavs  and 
other  animals,  we  baA-c  Iciimcd  that  tho  nutritive 
value  of  the  former  is  nearly  double  that  of  the 
hitter,  and  this  practical  result  confirms  analyti¬ 
cal  results.  The  difference  between  the  sjieei- 
nieiis  from  tho  tAvo*s<)Uices  is  most  surjirising. 
Ji’armers  Avho  aro  so  foolish  as  to  go  into  the 
market  to  purchase  com  and  meal  for  thcii'  aui- 
luuJs  should  understand  tho  great  difference  in 
nutritive  value  betiveeu  what  they  can  raise  and 
Avhat  they  pm'chase. 
^anii  (Efoiioiug, 
SEEDING  LOW  MEADOW. 
I  have  ahoiil  ten  acres  of  bottom  land  that  was 
drahicd  last  year  by  a  county  ditch  being  pul 
through  it.  TliC  ditch  is  about  four  feet  deep. 
During  tbo  simiiner  mouths  the  Avater  is  about  j 
six  inches  deep,  but  in  a  time  of  high  Avatcr  it  I 
ovi'rfloAvs  the  banks. 
Tliis  land  has  ahvays  grown  up  to  flags  and 
scratch  grass.  After  aa'G  were  tbi'ough  Avith  the 
ditch,  1  moAved  it  for  bedding.  The  soil  is  muck 
to  the  depth  of  Iavo  or  three  feet,  aud  clay  under. 
Noav,  I  Avaot  to  get  it  into  jiastnre  and  meadow'. 
What  kind  of  grass  had  1  bettor  soav  ?  Would  it 
do  to  soAV  rod  top  and  blue  grass  I  Hoav  Avoiild 
the  land  Avant  to  be  fitted,  aud  wlien  should  Ibe 
seed  be  BOAVU '(  Would  it  do  to  sow  this  rpring 
on  the  laud  as  it  is  now?  Will  it  eventually 
come  into  grass  if  let  alone  ? 
By  answering  the  above,  you  avUI  obUge 
A  SUBSCKIBKR. 
lliG  one  main  ditch  tlu-ough  the  center  wifi 
scai'celyhe  suflicient  to  make  the  land  dry  enough 
for  tlie*  better  kind  of  cultivated  grasses.  You 
should  oiieu  smaller  ditches  at  right  angles  with 
the  main  one  and  about  100  feet  apart.  Thou 
plow  aud  cultivate  the  bind  for  two  or  three 
years,  or  until  all  the  coarse  sedge  grasses  aud 
eat  -  tail  flag  roots  are  complotoly  killed  out. 
After  this  you  can  seed  doAA-n  in  spring  with 
oats  or  sow  the  grass  seed  alone,  Avitli  a  fan* 
prospect  of  snccesB. 
It  is  useless  to  try  to  seed  down  Viy  sowing 
iijiou  tho  natural  seed,  or  before  Iboroughly 
subduing  the  land  by  culture  and  draining. 
Just  so  long  as  tlie  laud  remamsAvet  enough  to 
keep  tlie  sodgo  aud  cat-tail  flags  alive,  just  so 
long  Avill  they  remain  aud  crowd  out  the  more 
'  dcliciite  grasses,  which  thrive  best  iqjou  mode¬ 
rately  dry  soil. 
Loav  bog  and  peat  lands,  such  as  you  describe, 
make  excellent  meadoAVSAvhou  properly  prepared 
or  subdued ;  but  good  drainage  is  tbe  first  requi¬ 
site,  in  order  to  loll  out  tbeuatiu-al  bog  plants. 
YVe  Lave  secu  such  lands,  which  Avere  primed 
and  cultivated  for  Iavo  or  three  yoai-s  before 
seeding,  afterward  become  overrun  with  wild 
grasses,  through  tho  choking  up  of  tho  ditches, 
shciwing  that  as  soou  as  the  proper  conditions 
,  wore  restored,  the  native  AA'ild  plants  would  take 
possession  of  it  again. 
Bometimes  the  sods  and  di7  grasses  can  be 
lulled  by  bm-uing  in  a  dry  time,  aud  gi-ass  seed 
made  to  take  by  soAving  on  the  exposed  soil ;  but 
there  is  some  danger  of  burning  too  deep  if  tho 
peat  has  become  very  dr>',  IcaA'ing  deep  holes  to 
be  filled  with  Avater. 
Upon  tho  Avholc,  the  he.st  AA'ay  to  reclaim  such 
lauds  is  to  drain  them,  plow  up  and  cultivate 
afterw'ard,  and  seed  doAVu  in  the  usual  maimer. 
Bed  Top  and  Blue  Grass,  equal  parts,  AviU 
probably  do  as  avcU  as  any  other  species  on  such 
lands,  for  both  hay  aud  pastm'age. 
- - 
A  FARMER’S  EXPERIENCE. 
R.  W.  in  tho  Cincimiati  Gazette  relates  in  a 
brief  hut  iuterestiug  Avay  tho  story  of  his  hfe  as 
a  fanner.  He  says : 
Iu  1838  I  rented  a  field  of  ground  for  which  I 
paid  $.3  ijcr  acre,  and  soAved  it  to  AA'heat,  working 
the  field  AA-ith  my  father's  team,  lu  1839  I 
hia-vested  300  bushels  of  Avhoat,  solhug  it  to  a 
merchant  on  credit,  for  50  cents  per  hnshel. 
Tho  merchant  failed,  aud  I  only  received  a  suit 
of  clothes  worth  $20,  and  $52  in  money  for  300 
bushels  of  Avheat.  In  that  year,  1839,  my  father 
died.  He  left  me  83  acres  of  land.  1  had  no 
money,  horses,  or  farm  implements.  Tho  first 
crop  of  wheat  I  sowed  AA'as  a  failure.  My  second 
crop  promised  fair  until  late  in  May,  when  it 
Avns  killed  by  frost,  the  wheat  being  then  out  in 
tbe  beml.  Duriug  my  first  teu  year's  of  farmiug 
I  saved  $400  in  money  and  accumulated  $400  in 
I  chattel  property.  In  1850  I  bought  a  farm  of 
I  100  acres,  for  Avhich  1  agreed  to  pay  $3,000,  I 
paid  $400  down  and  tlie  reraainng  ?2.C00  in  annual 
paymente  with  interest.  6in«!  1850  I  have  paid 
$10,650  for  laud,  $5,000  for  buildings,  f  1,000  for 
railroails  and  free  pikes,  $5,000  for  raxes  and  $5,- 
(KlO  for  interest,  and  $1,200  for  doctor’s  biU.  I 
have  lost  in  that  time  three  crops  of  grass  with 
high  water,  equivalent  to  100  tons  of  hay.  I 
have  lost  two  crops  of  barley,  and  one  crop  of 
wheat  by  freezing,  and  a  ci'op  of  bar  ley  and  a 
crop  of  wheat  very  much  damaged  by  excessive 
wet  AA'eather.  My  entire  loss  would  lie  equiva¬ 
lent  to  $3,000.  1  have  raised  a  family  and  sold 
$00, 0(H)  worth  of  produce  in  twenty-six  years. 
I  am  now  59  years  of  age.  I  ha  ve  good  health, 
am  free  from  aclies  and  pains,  and  I  do  not 
tliinh  I  have  worked  excessively  hard.  Indeed. 
I  Would  I'atlurr  nOAv  do  a  moderate  daj'’a  Avork 
than  to  do  nothing.  Neither  lias  luy  family  been 
worked  to  death.  My  habits  have  been  regular. 
I  do  not  UMO  tobacco.  I  neA'er  Avas  drunk.  I 
have  noAV  320  acres  of  good  land.  This  has  been 
my  success  in  farming. 
-  s  ♦  ♦ - - 
VEGETABLE  MOLD  PREVENTS  LEACHING. 
A  COEEESPONDE.NT  of  the  American  Agricul¬ 
turist  throws  out  a  useful  hint  to  farmers  Avho 
have  light,  sandy  soils,  when  be  says : 
Almost  all  thin  soils  are  peculiarly  subject  to 
leaching  —  that  is,  to  liaA-iDg  theii"  goodness 
Avashod  through  thorn.  The  remedy  is  to  make 
a  soil  full  of  fine  mold.  To  this  end  the  land 
must  have  a  crop  upon  it  all  tho  time.  A  grow¬ 
ing  crop  fills  the  soil  with  roots.  The  roots  do- 
oimiiHise  and  form  mold.  Red  clover  is  pre¬ 
eminent  as  a  mold  -  malsing  and  soil  -  making 
plant.  Buckwheat  is  useful  chiefly  when  it  Is 
plowed  under.  Corn  sowed  as  for  fodder,  being 
scattered  in  eveiy  third  furroAv  Avhen  ploivuig, 
may  be  plowed  under,  or  it  may  be  cut  aud  fed 
or  cure*!;  in  eitlior  case  it  is  benoficLal.  Tho 
roote  and  stubs  m.ake  a  great  mass  of  mold  in 
the  soil,  and  where  U  is  all  made  use  of  as  a 
green  maum'ing  the  rcsuJt  is  most  satisfactory. 
Turnips  cover  the  land  quickly,  and  if  plowed 
under  are  of  marked  benefit.  In  any  oA’cnt  they 
proA'cnt  tile  groAA’th  of  Aveeds,  and  as  summer 
falloAA-ing  is  alAAivys  detrimental  to  such  land, 
quick-growiug  gi'een  manure  crops  ai'o  our  only 
reseurce,  for  by  their  use  Ave  Avork  the  soil,  we 
kill  the  AA-eeds  andAAe  improve  the  land,  all  at  the 
same  time  and  AA'ith  Uttlo  labor. 
WOOLEN  RAGS  FOR  MANURE. 
The  use  of  avooI  for  mamu'o  is  almost  as  well 
known  as  guauo.  They  are  bIoav  to  decompose, 
but  act  powerfully  Avheu  decomposition  has  been 
secured.  Mous.  Gaciux  adA’isos  freating  woolen 
rags  with  a  Ave;ik caustic  soda  lye  and  then  spread 
out  and  dry.  Afterwards  they  are  pulverized, 
passed  through  a  coarse  sieve,  and  iu  this  con¬ 
dition  spread  upon  the  land.  A  Imudred  pounds 
of  this  manure  is  suflicient  for  an  acre,  and  is 
esiieciaUy  AA'eil  suited  for  tm-nips,  beets  aud  all 
such  plants  as  reijiiire  .-.trong  stimulants  to 
hasten  their  development  and  maturity. 
f  k  licrkiiLui, 
TEXAS  CATTLE. 
The  Ivansas  City  Ih'ice  Current  publishes  a 
letter  from  a  prominent  cattle  trader  aud  banker 
of  Kansas,  giving  as  accurate  information  of 
the  cattle  drive  fr*nn  Texas  the  coming  season  as 
can  bo  obtained.  The  letter  is  from  Ban  An¬ 
tonia,  Tex.,  aud  gives  the  names  of  oAvners  and 
muuber  of  cattle  iu  each  herd,  footing  iqi  in 
aggregate  258,000  head.  Tliis  does  not  include 
cattle  Avhich  have  been  Avintere*!  in  the  Indian 
Territory.  About  ono-tliird  of  the  Avhole  iiumbey 
will  bo  contract  cattle,  and  oiic-half  stock  cattle. 
The  most  of  the  drive  will  be  conconteated  in 
Kansas,  'botAAoeii  Dodge  City  and  Ellis,  so  that 
advantage  may  be  taken  of  rates  over  either  the 
Kansas  Pacific  or  Atchison,  Topeka,  aud  Banta 
Fo  Railroads. 
- - 
NOTES  FOR  HERDSMEN. 
Reversion  of  Tlun'oughbreds. — YVhat  is  a  thor¬ 
oughbred  ?  Ail  domesticated  races  lu-o  artificial, 
and  therefore  less  firmly  fixed  than  those  formed 
by  Nature  on  Darwin’s  priueijilo.  Any  cultivated 
breed  is  certain,  if  deprived  of  human  sldU  in 
matching  suitable  parents,  to  degenerate,  and 
prol  iably  in  time  (though  this  would  require  a 
long  period)  would  rcassumc  the  form  of  one  or 
otlier  of  the  wild  races  of  Avhich  it  Avas  made  up ; 
this,  however,  being  modified  by  tho  climate  aud 
soil  of  the  eouuti7  AA'hcre  it  became  feral. — Lon¬ 
don  AgriouUural  Oaxelie. 
Australia  is  becoming  largely  mterested  iu 
cattle  breediug,  and  several  stockmen  have  had 
tbe  purest  bred  Short -Moms  and  Horefords, 
Some  of  tho  best  Short' -Horn  blood  of  England 
has  goue  to  Austi'alia.  Auioricau  cattle-groAvers 
may  expect  as  lively  competition  iu  beef  as  Ave 
have  for  some  years  had  iu  wool-growing. 
