484 
succeeded in satisfy ng them of the value of 
ashes and bones, but not one of them hue yet 
been able to do eo “ wicked ” a thing aB to 
plow down a good field of ither clover or rye. 
I can coax them, on thtlr poorest land, to 
plow under a crop of buckwheat, but that 1 b 
as far as I cun toll them along. The d fficulty 
is eirnply. as Mr. Safford has eaid, alack of 
courage to forego the immediate use of so 
much good feeding material. 
Orleans Co., Vt. 
LEVELING PLOWED FI1LDS. 
In the article headed •• Raising Good Crops 
of Corn Without Hoeing," published in a late 
number of the Rural, there is au allusion to 
the plan of plowing with the furrows turned 
toward the center of the field. Now I think 
this is a matter of considerable importance. I 
have practiced the method quite a good deal 
on pieces of stubble ground that had been 
plowed around in the old way till Lhev were all 
out of shape. 1 had never before heard of ar y 
one plowing in the way “ 8. E, T." names, but 
1 took it up myself some time ago, as I saw 
theie was need of some similar plan to level 
up the ground. How many farmers there are 
who will tell you that the easiest way to plow 
a field 16 to *• just strike a furrow around by 
the fence and plow right around the whole 
piece.” Now if your field were level and the 
first few furrows were plowed shallow, it 
would do very well for once or twice, perhaps. 
But after a field has been plowed aiouud for a 
number of successive years it gets in wretched 
shape—heaped against the fences or at the edge 
of the piece plowed, with a broad dead-furrow 
extending from each coiner to the center of 
the piece, and au ever-deepening one, like a 
canal, iu the center. This dead-furrow is, of 
course, making the soil iu that part leaner 
eveiy time It is plowed; but the greatest dam¬ 
age to the crop then put in is done in the cor¬ 
ners, where the team tramp down the plowed 
ground hard at the end of each furrow. It is 
very plaiu that the turnings of the team at the 
ends of the furrows does pack the ground a 
great deal—so much so that, in hauling ont 
manure for spreading, any oue will almost un¬ 
consciously drive as far as he can on these 
four pacaed roads to the center of the field. 
That ought to be proof enough of the hardness 
of the ground. 
When a field gets in this state it cannot be 
remedied by plowing in "lands,”or l y plowing 
with the swivel plow, turning It all one way. 
The only true way to level it ud is by simply 
reversing the process by which it was plowed 
out of shape. This is best done in the way 
named at first, and iB easily done unless the 
field is partly on a hill-side, or is very uneven 
or full of knolls. Qaite often the surface of 
it will 6how for itself just where the dead-fur¬ 
row in the center of the field begins and ends. 
Then simply back-furrow, filling tbiB up, and 
when a few furrows have been turned, plow 
across the ends of them, going around the 
back-furrow and turning towards the middle. 
It will come out alike on all Bides of the field, 
and, instead ot four hollows extending from 
the center, the land plowed in this way will 
be slightly ridged in the same places, like a 
flat back-furrow. Then there will be the sat¬ 
isfaction of knowing that every part of it is 
alike mellow, as the team have not stepped 
once on any part of the plowed ground. 
If necessary it would be an easy matter to 
locate the center of the field each way by 
measuring or even carefully pacing it. I find 
it still better to place some marks on the 
fences opposite these points, as it saves lime. 
I once read of a farmer, somewhat noted 
at the time, who wonld have his fields level 
and made them so by carting the soil from 
the edges to fill up the dead-furrow at the 
center. It probably had never occurred 
to him that there was an easier way to level 
it when out of shape, or he would have 
adopted a plan similar to this one. 1. 
South Cairo, Greene Co., N. Y. 
THE BUBAL 
from eight to ten acres where last season not 
more than five were planted. What the in¬ 
crease will lead to remains to be Been, but the 
probability is that the lower grades of leaf 
will soon become a drag in the market. 
Therb is much diversity of opinion among 
tobacco growers in regard to the best time for 
setting the plants. Some prefer to Bet early, 
or before June 10; others argue that late set¬ 
tings produce larger crops at Ices cost for cul¬ 
tivation and fighting Insect enemies. The set¬ 
ting ot plants in th.s valley has now continued 
fora full month and much yet remains to be 
planted. The yield of the crop of ’81, if the 
season should prove favorable, must exceed 
last year’s estimate by at least 20 per cent. 
The heavy rains during the past month have 
so compacted the soil In tobacco fields that 
early-set plants seem slow to start, and it is a 
difficult matter to get the soil in good condi¬ 
tion with hoe and cultivator. The only way 
is to cultivate very often and very thoroughly, 
letting the cultivator’s teeth run deep into the 
toil. Thorough and careful work in hoeing 
is also important. The soil between the.plants 
should be made mellow, and when a crust has 
formed on the surface it should be broken or 
removed, to allow the air to penetrate and the 
gases in the soil to escape. It is an unwise 
practice in hoeing tobacco, to merely scrape 
the weeds out, leivlog the surface about and 
between the plants as hard as a brick. It 
needs to be thoroughly pulverised. 
There are always a good many farmers in¬ 
quiring for tobacco plants after it is too late 
for successful planting. These are farmers 
who do not understand the 'tobacco growing 
trade. They have not yet learned even the 
rudimentB of tobacco raising. My advice to 
such men is to plant such ground as they in¬ 
tend for tobacco to some other crop which 
they can grow successfully, postponing tobacco 
culture until they have learned how a crop 
Bhould be grown. It is true, experience is the 
only true teacher in this line of farming, bnt 
a few thlnge need to be learned before itiB at¬ 
tempted. The manner of making beds and 
sowing seed, the best way to prepare the ground 
and the best time to plant are all subjects 
which may be learned from others, and un¬ 
less they are understood in a measure, failure 
Is certain.__ 
Talking with an extensive tobacco manu¬ 
facturer (who is also a grower of the weed) 
a short time since, I aeked his opinion as to 
the probable outcome of the tobacco-growing 
business, mentioning the great increase of 
production. His answer was, " Gojd Jobacco 
will always sell for a pi ice that will well repay 
the producer. There is no danger of over¬ 
production of the higher grades of leaf bo long 
as the rising generation continues the uba of 
tobacco.” Low grades cannot now be pro¬ 
duced at a profit to the grower. It is only by 
careful management and great energy em¬ 
ployed in the growing and manipulation, 
that tobacco growing can be made remuner¬ 
ative. Therefore my advice to those who 
contemplate undertaking tobacco raising, is 
to first study up the matter until the rudi¬ 
ments of the business have become understood, 
and then, beginning first on a very BtnaU scale, 
aim to grow only good leaf. o. o., /a. 
Chemung Co., N. Y. 
-» ♦ ♦•- 
The Fertilization or Wheat.— Referring 
to what has lately been said, in the Rural, on 
this topic, S. B. P., of Ottoville, Ohio, writes 
us that last year he selected seven heads of 
smooth wheat and sowed the kernels along¬ 
side a bearded variety. ThiB year one-third of 
the product are bearded. While some varie¬ 
ties in his opinion will " mix,” others will not, 
as those that do not open their spikelets can¬ 
not receive the pollen from other sorts. 
-Y0BKEB 
JULY 23 
®|}t gjtr&sraaii. 
HEREFORDS IN THE WEST. 
7. L. MILLER. 
The movement which haB resulted la the 
high position attained to-day by Hereford cat¬ 
tle in the West began in 1872. At that lime 
very few know of the breed, and their claims 
to superiority were ridiculed. The breeders 
of Short-horns were convinced that for the 
production of beef the position of their cattle 
at the West could not be disturbed. The pub¬ 
lic saleB of Short-horns during the above-named 
year averaged from 8250 to 8700, individual 
animals reaching from 81,000 to 88,000, and 
a couple of years before—In 1870—the McMil¬ 
lan Bale averaged 8900 per head. Accordingly 
when the Herefords made their first appear¬ 
ance here before the public the Short-horn in¬ 
terest seemed more firmly established than 
ever before. The fancied impregnability of 
their position had led the Short-horn men to 
indulge in a warm controversy among them- 
Mlves a* to the relative superiority of differ¬ 
ent families, and on this question the contest 
between tbem raged as hotly as it does now 
between 8hort-born and Hereford breeders, 
and in the midBt of the confl .ct the appearance 
of the Herefords and their modest claims to su¬ 
periority over all the Short-born tribes for 
economical production and excellence of beef, 
were scarcely noticed except to be ridiculed. 
The Short-horn supporters pointed to the fact 
that their breed bad been generally accepted 
both in Europe and America as the best of all, 
and insisted that this public recognition of their 
superiority was ample proof of its existence. 
" If.” said thty, " the Herefords have the high 
excellence their present advocates claim for 
them, it would have been discovered before 
thiB and they would have found their proper 
place.” 
Such was the state of things from 1872 to 
1875 and 60 powerful were the fame of the 
Short-horns and the influence of breeders and 
dealers in them, that if the success of the move¬ 
ment for the introduction of Herefords had 
depended on their introduction among the 
farmers and stockmen in the States, the re¬ 
sult would have been doubtful. About that 
time, however, the cattle interests on the 
plains was assuming large proportions and of¬ 
fered a fair field for the new enterprise with 
good prospects of ultimate success. Already 
Herefords had obtained a foothold with Mr. 
Church, near Denver, Colorado; with Mr. J. 
W. Powers at West Las Animas, and with Mr. 
Culver at Longmont, whose herds were taken 
from that of Mr. Stone of Canada. The ani- 
malB had proved themselves well adapted to 
the condition of the country, aud other stock 
owners were willing, nay, anxious to try them 
on a small scale; but the distance waB too 
great between those who wished to buy 
and those who were willing to sell, aud 
it was therefore difficult to get the demand 
and supply together. This trouble, however, 
was soon overcome by taking the bulls to the 
WeBt for a market. There they soon became 
favorites, and at even prices would be used in 
preference to all others. They were also 
shown before the leading agricultural socie¬ 
ties and made a good exhibit at the Centennial 
in 1878 at Philadelphia. At the Western shows 
the “ machines” were largely in the hands of 
the Short-horn men and used for the further¬ 
ance of that interest; but iu spite of this draw¬ 
back Herefords have made steady progress. 
The first large sale of Herefords at the West 
was made to the Messrs. Swan A Bros, at 
Cheyenne. Wyoming Territory, and this was 
the result of the purchase of the Culver herd 
of cattle in which there were Herefords, Short¬ 
horns and Polled Scots; the Messrs. Swan, 
however, after due investigation determined 
in favor of the Herefords. They made their 
first purchase of some 40 hulls for 810 000 iu 
1878, and from that time the success of the 
Herefords has been assured. They are now 
in the hands of a great many men through the 
States, men that keep from 10 to20 cows as well 
as those thatkeep from 50 to 200. Among these 
are Borne of the wealthiest cattle and business 
men of the country. Among them may be 
mentioned Mr. C. M. Culbertson, of Chicago, 
one of the leading and earliest packers of the 
West, formerly of Jones & Culbertson, af¬ 
terwards of Culbertson & Blair. Having 
a farm of some 2 500 acres on which he 
was grazing aud feeding steers, Mr. Culbert¬ 
son purchased from me iu the Fall of 1877 
Bix Herefords at the Illinois State Fair, aud 
afterwards ho added several head more, and 
was so well pleased with them that he has pur¬ 
chased of several other parties and has made 
two importations from England. He has now 
a large herd of pnre-breds and is breed¬ 
ing some 200 high-grade Hereford and Short- 
born cows to Hereford bullB. Messrs. Earl 
and Robb, of Lafayette, Indiana, who have 
been for years large graziers and feeders 
of bullocks, are now owners of a large herd 
of thoroughbred Herefords, aud are breeding 
a large herd of high-grude Hereford aud 
Short-horn cows to Hereford bulls. Mr. 
Thomas Pouting, -who has been a prominent 
cattle man of the WeBt for 80 or more years, 
and for several years a breeder of thorough¬ 
bred Short-horns, is now breeding his thor¬ 
ough-bred Short-horn cows to Hereford bulls 
and has also a large herd of pure-bred Here¬ 
ford cows. 
These are but samples of what is being done 
with Herefords throughout the WeBt. Those 
who have been breeders of Short-horas for 
years and then take the Herefords, indorse all 
that is claimed for them, and become firm 
Hereford advocates. 
Herefords are good grazers and feeders; they 
are hardy, mature early and are of excellent 
quality. They have made their claims boldly 
and with confidence- They have been obliged 
to go before our agricultural Societies and 
show against Short-horn cattle wLh Short¬ 
horn judges. While often leaving the ground 
in such contests without awards, they have 
achieved a substantial success with the pub¬ 
lic. This has been especially true at Lafayette, 
Indiana. The Tippecanoe Cotmty Fair is held 
at that town and is one of the most prorni- 
nent county fairs at the West. It is in its 
character a district fair. 
At the first show there, there was no class for 
Herefords ; but the sweepstakes exhibit was of 
Herefords and Short-horns. I left the ground 
without an award. The Herefords again made 
a show there, and as between them and the 
8hort-horns they made no winnings, still the 
Herefords at La Fayette have more friends 
than at any other point in the West, and from 
the exhibits at this Tippecanoe County Fair. 
Messrs Earl & Robb and others in the itnmedi- 
diate vicinity are strong friends of the Here¬ 
fords. The show of Herefords before the Illi¬ 
nois State Board of Agriculture, at Chicago, 
as fat stock, for the past three years, has given 
them a prominence that promises a greater 
success than aDy other influence. While this, 
show has called forth more hard feeling and 
more opposition, still the result must be 'arge- 
ly to the advantage of the Hereford Interest. 
The Hereford movement is a recognized sue 
cess at the West, and there the Herefords are 
sure of topping the market as beef steers. 
Early in this movement I made the claim of 
25 per cent, advantage in the grazing and feed- 
lug quality of the Hereford over the Short¬ 
horn, and of 10 per cent, in the selling value. 
I offered to breed 200 cows in Illinois, the one 
half to Hereford and the other half to Short¬ 
horn bulls, and that their produce Bhould be 
brought to the Chicago market to test the com¬ 
parative value of the two breeds. I also made 
a proposition to breed 2 000 cows, one half to 
Hereford and the other half to Short-horn 
bnlls, in Colorado, and that their progeny 
should be brought to the Chicago market and 
there submitted to a test that should determine 
their relative value for the plains. I recognized 
the fact that rival claims would be made, and 
that some fair and equitable test should be 
adopted that would determine values. Such a 
te 3 t, if begun ten years ago, would have now 
settled this controversy, and proved or dis¬ 
proved the claims the Hereford men are mak¬ 
ing, as well as the right of the Short-horns to 
the position they have occupied. 
The demand for bulls of Hereford blood has 
prevented Bteers coining to the markets in 
largo numbers. The number is continually 
increasing, however, aud a few years will find 
them on the markets in quantities to command 
special quotations for Hereford bullocks. 
They have already established a reputation for 
being the beBt grazers of all the beei breeds, 
and the past Winter, which has been a very 
severe one on the plains, has established the 
fact that they are the hardiest, and not ex¬ 
celled in the faculty of taking care of them¬ 
selves, or—as the plains-raeu express it—ihey 
are the best " wrestlers.” 
The Hereford breeders in England, from 
their first efforts looking to the improvement 
of this breed, have bred with a view to produce 
the best bullock for the butcher, and this is the 
strong point of the breed; and the butcher’s 
block is the best teBt of the merit aud fitness of 
any beef breed. Their efforts have not been 
simply to produce the largest and most Btylish 
steer, but to produce the best at the least cost. 
The standard Hereford steer is short Iu the 
leg, compact aud heavily fleshed. Such a steer 
is always reckoned among butchers as the 
most piodtable to kill and cut. He is recog¬ 
nized among cattle men as the profitable steer 
to purchase for grazing aud feeding; and 
whether he is a Hereford, Short horn, Devon 
or Scot he is accepted and commands the high¬ 
est market price. Such a steer is the rule 
among the Herefords; he is the exception 
among the Short-horns—hence the value of the 
HerefordB as a beef breed. 
Iu coming before the public at the Fat Stock 
Show held at Chicago,the Herefords came at a 
disadvantage, from the fact that the Short-horn 
breeders bad thousands from which to select 
their show bullocks, while the Hereford breed¬ 
ers bad but few. They gathered their choicest 
animals from every section, aud were ouabled 
lo bring but four thoroughbred Hereford 
Bteers. Two or these were exhibited by me, 
and were purchased from the Hon. John Mer- 
rym&n, of Maryland ; the other two were ex¬ 
hibited by Mr. William Powell, and were pur¬ 
chased of Mr. Blake, of Maine. Four grade 
Herefords were exhibited by myself. Three 
of them were purchased for the show and one 
was bred by me. These were all that could be 
got together for the show in 1878 Besides 
these there were exhibited three Hereford 
cows. The cow Jennie was exhibited by my¬ 
self, and took the sweepstakes premium as the 
best cow In the show. The Hereford exhibit 
at the show of 1879 was somewhat better, and 
that at the Bhow of 1880 was clearly in favor of 
the Herefords. 
But these exhibitions have not touched the 
main question as between the Herefords and 
Short-horns, aud that is the question as to 
economy of production, This is the real ques¬ 
tion at issue between the Herefords and all 
other beef breeds, and on this question, fairly 
tried, the Herefords will stand first of all 
breeds. Not only is thiB true of the thorough¬ 
bred Hereford bull, but it is also true of his 
produce from whatever breed he is put upon. 
