763 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
were properly and harmoniously grouped. 
Where are our Slippery Elms, our Kentucky 
Coffee Trees, our Liquidambar, our Magno- 
ias, Cypresses, Virgil las, Audroruedas and 
Stuartias? They are almost unrivaled as 
lawn trees, especially in America, and they 
are scarcely seen on lawns in either Europe or 
America. Why not be distinctively American ? 
Do not our chances of success iu lawn-planting 
lie Just in that direction ? Should the frequent 
failure of European lawn plants—Deodar Ce¬ 
dars, Mahonias, Hollies, Aucubas and what 
not, encourage us to U6e them exclusively on 
American lawns ? Evergreens of most kinds 
never attain the perfection here they do in 
Europe. Yet, where we must U6e the ever¬ 
greens, we gain by using American evergreens. 
The While Spruce (Abies alba) aud Engel- 
mann’8 Spruce (AbicB pungens) are both more 
satisfactory plants in America than tbo uni¬ 
versally popular Norway Spruce. These are 
questions and reflections which deserve seri¬ 
ous consideration, if we are to develop any¬ 
thing distinctive or national—anything worthy 
of being called American lawn-pl anting. 
Do not understand what I say as intended to 
decry the cultivation of European plants gen¬ 
erally ; for to Europe we must ever look for 
some of our best lawn-planting materials. I 
would even secure, for the sake of variety, 
somewhat tender European plants in sheltered 
spots, Mahouias, Chiuese Arbor-vitais and 
choice evergreens of like tender natures. But 
these should not make up the major part of 
the lawu, as often occurs. I would keep, in 
fact, evergreens of all kinds, both shrubs and 
trees, in sti’ict abeyauce on the lawn to hardy 
deciduoue American plants. Believe me, I do 
not exaggerate when I say that American lawn- 
plauting would soon euter a higher aud more 
prosperous phase of its existence—for it docs 
exist—if European models were followed so¬ 
berly and with discrimination. 
®jjf Ijrttaiiait. 
JERSEY CATTLE. 
F . K . MORELAND. 
It is an axiom in breeding that “like begets 
like;" and also that a well-bred animal has 
greater power in stamping his own likeness 
upon his offspring than is possible with scrub 
stock. A cow of dung-hill breeding may drop 
a calf totally' opposite to herself in appear¬ 
ance, color and form. A red cow may drop a 
calf of white, a bundle or black color, ac¬ 
cording to the color of the auirnal with which 
she is coupled. It is almost Impossible for a 
dung-hill animal to produce offspring in its 
own likeness, even if that likeness is a poor 
one, and the cause is simple:—there are no 
marked characteristics which, according to 
the established principles of breeding, must be 
impressed upon the progeny of scrub stock. 
Take any of the pure breeds of dairy auimalp, 
and couple a male or female with one of the 
opposite sex of dung-hill breeding, and, in 
nine cases out of ten, the progeny will bear 
the likeness of its thoroughbred ancestor. 
There may be many marks of the dung-hill 
ancestor, but the offspring of such a union 
will possess unduniable distinguishing marks 
of the existence of good blood in its system. 
It is only upon this principle that thoroughbred 
stock beiomes valuable for improving scrub 
stock. There may be native stock as valuable 
for feeding purposes as the Short-horns, as val¬ 
uable for dairy purposes as the Ayrshire or the 
Jersey; hut their value for breeding is un¬ 
important. Where a thoroughbred animal, 
when coupled with its kind, will produce off¬ 
spring as good as the average of its breed, 
with the greatest regularity, a dung-hill ani¬ 
mal, no matter what good qualities and excel¬ 
lent points may predominate, has a slight 
chance of producing offspring having the same 
exceptional qualities, eveu to a modified ex¬ 
tent. The older the breed, and the more per¬ 
manent and well fixed its distinguishing char” 
acteristics, the greater is its value in improving 
other stock. And it is for this purpose and 
this reason that the Jersey stands pre-eminent 
among all other breeds for the improvement 
of other stock. The breed is an old one; it 
has been so placed that there was but little 
danger of the introduction of foreign blood, 
and, moreover, the authorities on the Island, 
more than one hundred years ago, prohibited 
the introdaetion of foreign stock. The good 
citizens of Jersey evidently thought that their 
breed was good euough, and it is to their far- 
seeing policy that we are indebted for the 
present valuable race of Jerseys. These may 
not compete with Short-horns in converting 
corn and grass into beef; but they will make 
much more butter from the same amount of corn 
and grass. They may not give as much milk 
as the Ayrshire or Holstein ; but the Jersey 
butter is known the world over for its supe¬ 
rior excellence. 
One word as to the growing importance of 
the breed in the United States. There are more 
Jerseys bred in this country to-day than in any 
other. Our breeders, with an enthusiasm tha 
is commendable, annually Import from the Is¬ 
land the best specimens of the breed that can 
be purchased. This course cannot be con¬ 
tinued many years, without its effect being 
felt here as well as on the Island of Jersey. 
That our breeders should import the best and 
only the best that are bred hi Jersey, is quite 
right, as they can breed the inferior grades 
with bnt little trouble. But it is not only to 
the importation of the very best that cau be 
obtained, but also to great success in breeding 
that the growing importance of the American 
Jersey interests is due. There are many large 
herds of Jerseys to-day thatiu purity and value 
will compare favorably with anything iu any 
other country, even iu the Island ol Jersey. The 
American Jersey Cattle Club takes just as 
effective precautions to preserve the purity of 
the breed as is possible for the local authori¬ 
ties of Jersey. And we have ether advantages 
in the breeding of Jerseys, and, among them, 
one that the Island breeders most soon see:— 
we breed the cattle throughout the extent of a 
vast country, through a vast diversity of soil, 
climate and herbage. All these influences must 
have their effect, aud iu less than ten years we 
shall not only export Jerseys to every country 
to which the Island exports them, but we shall 
also export Jerseys to the Island of Jersey. 
This is notan absurd statement; the Short¬ 
horn breeders of Euglaud have for several 
years purchased cattle from our breeders, aud 
why may not the breeders in the Island of 
Jersey come to us for Jurseys, in the same 
way. We are making as good progress in 
breeding Jerseys as we ever did in breeding 
Short-horns. 
Bnt this is the future. We can use this val¬ 
uable. breed for a much better purpose.thau as 
the foundation of “castles i n the air." The breed 
is designed to be the breed for Ibis country. 
While occupying an unassailable position in 
those States that are especially devoted to the 
production of butter, cheese and milk, the 
breed is yet to contest tor fli st position in those 
States that are still devoted to the production 
of beef. Cheap lands and cheap grain will not 
always continue at the West, and the farmers 
will be compelled to try some other brauch of 
husbandry thau the production of beef. 
In the Eastern States where any attention 
has been paid to the production of butter, we 
find that Jerseys already take a first rank, and 
we have not only many herds of pure Jerseys, 
bnt also many other herds of high-bred grades; 
and as grades they arc excellent in disposition, 
beauty and value. A three-fourths Jersey is, I 
think, as pretty an animal as can be found. 
In St. Lawrence County, we have not only 
several good herds of pure Jerseys ; but nu¬ 
merous dairies possessing a strong infusion of 
the best of Jersey blood. 
St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. 
Herdsmen * Convenience*. 
Anti-Sucking Device. —The accompanying 
engraving illustrates a device found very use¬ 
ful in preventing calves from sucking cows 
and also cows trom sucking each other, a fault 
they sometimes fall into, bnt it is not very 
effectual in preventing cows from sucking 
themselves, an effective contrivance for 
which purpose we 
shall give in our 
next issue. The 
e P* koa ]U tlie halter 
^ are sin 'l )lv wroughi- 
* iron na ^ B t with 
\BK flattened heads, 
stuck through a 
stout piece of leath- 
vW er, and the heads 
protected under¬ 
neath by another piece of the same material. 
The engraving sufficiently describes the form, 
size and method of attaching the halter. Prof. 
Sheldon says that after trying many devices for 
the above purpose, he has never found any so 
effectual as this. 
A Cale’s Feeding Pail.— The feeding pail 
here illustrated was invented and patented 
some years ago in Great Britain; but, so far 
as we know, the device is not covered by pa¬ 
tent in this country, and consequently can 
Bately be made from our engraving by the 
nearest tin-smith. For it, it is claimed that by 
causing the calf to suck the milk through the 
india - rubber tube . 
shown in the en¬ 
graving, nature’s 
process is closely 
copied, and the calf 
cannot gulp down 
its food, as is too 
commonly done 
wlieD drinking from 
a pail; moreover, 
the saliva of the 
mouth mixes freely 
with the milk, and 
the digestion is 
theieby promoted. Then again, it obviates the 
necessity of putting one’s finger into the little 
thing’s mouth, and, furthermore, as the pail 
stands on a broad base and cannot easily be 
knocked over, one person can tend a number 
of calves while they are being fed, and none of 
the food is wasted. A pail of this kind, ’tls 
true, requires a little more cleaning than an 
ordinary pail, but the extra trouble is amply 
repaid by the extra convenience. 
ortiorltnral. 
PIT8 FOR WINTERING PLANTS. 
In every garden, be it large or small, and es¬ 
pecially if bedding aud pot plants are grown 
to some extent, nothing is of greater conveni¬ 
ence or, in fact, more indispensable than a pit 
for wintering plants. Many petted plants that 
are too valuable to throw away or that have 
become too dear to be parted with, are yet for 
the want of room, against the inclination of 
their fair owners, turned out of the pots and 
abandoned to their fate in the fall, when pre¬ 
parations for winter muBt be made. Or, if re¬ 
tained. they are Btored away in cellar, in sitting- 
room, bed-rooms and in every available window 
where Jack Frost can be kept at bay, till their 
number quite discommodes the occupants. 
Fig. 1. 
In the pits we here illustrate a large number 
of such plants can be wintered as well as, or 
better than, anywhere else. In fig. 1 can lie kept 
tall-growing, half-tender shrubs and plants, 
like Roses, that only require to be sheltered 
from frost. The pit represented by fig. 2, has 
two shelves on which can be placed plants like 
Cenerarias, Pinks, Violets in pots, etc., that 
must be close to the glass; while the sunken path 
through the middle can be filled with taller 
plants. 
Fig. 2. 
Such a pit should be lined inside with boards, 
and drained if the ground is damp. If made 
so that the ordinary sashe6 from the hot-bed or 
cold-frames can fit it, the expense of building 
will be very small. For a large part of the 
winter the sashes alone are sufficient covering, 
and when the cold increases, frost can readily 
be kept out by covering with straw mats, hay 
and the like. 
tsftllancotts. 
HISTORY OF A POOR FARM. No.- 20. 
■ ■# 
Farming Sixty Year* Ago and Now. 
Mr old neighbor is what one might very 
justly call a good practical farmer. He is one 
of the old style that are fast disappearing. 
Beginning his farming experience more than 
60 years ago, he has varied his management 
and his methods very little from that day to 
this. Born on a farm 87 years ago, and 
brought up a farm boy. he learned his busi¬ 
ness under very different circumstances from 
those of the farm boy of the present time. 
To hear the old gentleman,—still shrewd, 
sharp, with all his faculties as bright as ever, 
but some what garrulous as may be expected 
in so old a man—recite his early experiences 
is both interesting and amusing. Bitting in 
his ample kitchen, in his stone house that has 
withstood the storms of more thau a century, 
wila a broad, open fire-place that still holds 
the long-accustomed wood fire with the enor¬ 
mous back log that, Binolderiug, gives out a 
plentiful but not too fervent heat, he relates 
his pa6t history when his farm was worked by 
slaves, and a large family of them filled this 
broad aud capacious kitchen. Then he talks 
of his long experience In farming, aud laments 
the changes and new-fangled ideas which he 
fears will yet bring trouble to those who come 
after him. The old gentleman’s greatest 
trouble seems to be the papers and books 
which his grandson aud his great-grandchil¬ 
dren—and more especially the oldest, Fred, who 
has been to college—read and study so fre¬ 
quently. 
“ We had n<5 books in those days" said the 
old gentleman, “and if we got a letter once 
in three months and heard the news when it 
was a month old, that was enough for ub. We 
had no time for such things, nor money either. 
We raised corn and pork, grew our own wool, 
spun our own yarn, wove our own homespuu; 
my wife and mother cut out the clothes for 
the slaves, and the wenches sewed them; we 
were not bothered for shoes, because I 
had but one pair which I wore to church on 
Sundays, and they lasted me 10 or 12 years; 
different shoes they were, too, from what we 
have now. We were up long before day and 
went to bed at dark, or sat around this same 
fire-place aud spun wool by the fire-light. We 
had no lights in those days but rushes dipped 
in beef tallow, no lamps, no oil, no carpets, 
no store chairs, only what we made at home; 
nothing to buy and scarcely anything to sell, 
and there was but little mouoy to get or to use. 
Grandmother nsed to ride to market on horse¬ 
back, and take some batter and eggs, aud I 
used to go iu the cart aud carry some flour 
and bacon and other things, and bring back, 
sugar and coffee and whatever else we wanted, 
and maybe a few silver dollars and some shil¬ 
lings for the boys. There were no wages 
to pay and we needed little money aud had 
nothing about us that could tempt thieves ; the 
latch-string was out all night, and we never 
kept awake o’nights afraid of burglars. We 
had good crops j the big barn was always full 
aud so was the cellar. Those were good times— 
no hurry, no fretting, no worry, no crying out 
for money to buy this or that every day iu the 
year; we had all we wanted and we wanted very 
little; we worked hard but we were happy 
enough, I warrant." 
** What crops did you raise when you first 
began farming here?" asked Mr. Martin. 
“Corn mostly, to feed the hogs and make 
the bread of; a little wheat or rye for bread ; 
barley and oats for the horses; and the cows 
and sheep tea the straw. We raised flax to spin 
for onrlinen, grew potatoes, but never seeded 
to grass until we began to grow clover about 
50 years ago. Then we began to farm pretty 
much as we do now. I have not changed the 
■work much for fifty years ; exdept that we 
don’t raise as much pork since we have had 
no slaves to feed.” 
“ How many slaves did you keep?" asked 
Mr. Martin. 
“ I had seven men and two women, all 
raised iu tbefamily, and some came to me with 
the farm when I bought it; and one of the 
men is working for William now ; he was born 
n this house 70 years ago, and thinks the whole 
place belongs to him. If any thing should go 
wrong, he would go crazy, I think.” 
“How long have you followed your present 
plan?”I asked. 
“ A good many years. At first we did not 
care so much for manure, but soon found we 
could not get along without it. Now we feed 
nearly everything we grow, and for a good 
many years have sold only butter, some shoe]) 
aud wool, potatoes, a spare fresh cow or some 
fat ones and fat calves; aud William is raising 
a good many lambs now. William wants to 
sell hay and straw, and buy brau and oil meal, 
but I don’t sec the use of it. We cau save two 
or three hundred dollars every year, and I am 
satisfied. When I am gone, William will have 
his own way, he will drain the meadow I sup¬ 
pose, where 1 have cut hay every year for 40 
years or more, and plow it up ; he will spend 
all he makes iu buying feed for his cows 
and fertilizers for the fields; but I don’t see 
the use of making with one hand and spending 
with the other." 
“ Grandfather has his own way pretty much," 
remarked William ; “he has his uotions and I 
do as he wants me; hut I am sure we could 
have doubled our coru and wheat tbis year, if 
we had used some superphosphate on them. 
He thinks we are doing well enough, and so 
we would ; but I don’t want my wife and girls 
to go barefoot, and hoe corn along with old 
Joe, in place of a hired man. We have been 
growing good crops; we have plenty of man¬ 
ure, aud lime a field every year when we seed 
it down. We get 46 or 50 bushels of corn to 
the acre; 100 bushels of potatoes; 15 or 20 
bushels of wheat; 40 bushels of oats and about 
a ton aud a half of hay ; that is as much as, or 
more, than any of the neighbors ; but I am not 
satisfied with that. We cau make ends meet aud 
a little more; but there is nothing to pay inter¬ 
est on the cost of this farm, aud if I had rent 
to pay, I couldn’t meet it and keep my family 
as comfortable as I want them to be, buy a 
few books aud papers and have a carpet on 
the floor. If we wunted to live in the old 
style, we could save money now ; but there 
arc some thlugs that are worth more than 
money, I think. I want to get a larger yield 
than we are now getting, and I think 1 could, 
by spending some money for feed and for fer¬ 
tilizers." 
“ You are right,” remarked Dr. Jones. “ We 
cannot farm now on the old plan. Habits are 
