1858 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
205 
Fourteen yearling South Down rams were sold as 
follows: — 
No. 1. Phillip Swigert, Frankfort, Ky.,.$31 
2. J. K. Duke. 36 
3. C. M. Clay,—. 86 
4. Wm. Garrett, Woodford Oo.,. 25 
5. Frank Kinkead, do. .. 35 
6 . J. G. Kinnaird, Fayette Co.,. 40 
7. Rich’d Higgins, do., .. 31 
8. H. T. Duncan, do. 28 
9. R. Johnson, Scott Co.,. 35 
10. S. Meredith, Indiana,. 28 
11. II. Gratz, Scott Co.,. 41 
12 H. T. Duncan,. 32 
13. E. D. Hobbs. Jefferson,. 30 
14. John Jeans, Fayette,. 25 
Total for 14 head, being an average to each of $36, $503 
Since the conclusion of the sale we have been look¬ 
ing at some of Mr. Alexander’s stock bulls. (t Albion,” 
white as his name imports, sired in England by the 
noted “ Grand Turk,” out of “ Frances Fairfax,” and 
calved in this country March 14, 1856, attains very 
nearly to the Short-Horn breeder’s standard of perfec¬ 
tion. Such indeed, is his excellence throughout, that 
his color will be little against him, if at all, and with 
perhaps one or two unimportant exceptions, he is re¬ 
garded as equal to his sire by those who have seen 
them both. Orontes 2d, Duke of Airdrie, Dr. Buck¬ 
ingham, El Ilakim, &c., having been previously noticed 
in our columns, and as it is nearly midnight, and this 
should be sent early in the morning, I must forego 
another word at present, l. h. t. 
Training Steers to the Yoke and to Work. 
It is one thing to train steers to the yoke, and another 
to train them to work—even as knowledge of the theory 
differs practically from “ knowing how,” and going 
through with it. As in teaching human scholars, “ one 
thing at a time” is better acquired, than a miscella¬ 
neous jumble of information, so it is in teaching steers, 
and the first object is to train them to wear the yoke 
and to obey the commands of the driver. 
Four pair of steers can be trained at once, with near¬ 
ly the same ease as one. The first step is to shut them 
into a well-fenced yard, with an area of from twelve 
to sixteen square rods, where the driver can stand in 
the center and make the steers travel around him. 
They should be kept going in pairs or Indian file, until 
they will allow his approach—until they learn to be 
handled without fear, which is an important rudiment 
in the education of an ox. In doing this, the same 
patience and gentleness should be exercised which is 
expected of the teacher of a school—a patience which 
never yields to vexation. In a short time they will al¬ 
low themselves to be yoked on either side, and can be 
driven anywhere, either in or out of the yard. Four 
days spent in this way, will better train steers to the 
yoke, than 4 months of miscellaneous farm service, and 
they will be better cattle for all kinds of teaming, and 
sell for a higher price. The drilling in the yard should 
be continued until they can be driven with ease. To 
learn them to stand when left to rest, they need hitch¬ 
ing as much as a span of horses. 
When steers are trained to drive well in the yoke, 
the entirely different operation of training them to 
work should be commenced. This should proceed by 
degrees, with light loads and short journeys, until they 
give evidence of ability as well as knowledge. Oxen 
can be trained to work with as little expense to the 
natural spirits of the animal, as the horse, and it should 
be the aim of every ox-teamster, to train his cattle to 
work well without discouraging or abusing them. 
Doubtless many of our farming readers are training 
steers to the yoke this season—will they adopt the rule, 
“one thing at a time,” and break to the yoke before 
putting them untaught to drawing loads; and after a 
patient trial, report success or the want of it for our 
columns. One thing should be remembered—no far¬ 
mer is competent to manage steers, who cannot govern 
and manage himself. 
-- 
Green Rye for Soiling Cattle. 
Messrs. Editors —In the No. for May 27, I see an 
inquiry about green rye for soiling. I have been rais¬ 
ing rye fcr soiling for the past ten years. I commence 
cutting about the last of April or first of May, or as 
soon about as the heads begin to appear. For the first 
few days I mix hay and green rye in equal parts, run¬ 
ning all through the cutting-box, for my horses and 
working oxen, and adding meal according to the work 
required. For my cows, I think the rye and hay as 
good as hay and bran. As the rye gets larger and 
harder, I discontinue the hay and feed rye alone, just 
as it is cut from the fields to my cows, but continue the 
cutting for the teams until the orchard grass is large 
enough for them. 
I sow early on rich land, for the first feeding; sow 
later and very thick, and, if necessary to keep it back, 
pasture it in the spring, for my last feeding. I think 
rye the most profitable crop for a short time in the 
spring, of any green crop I raise. I have soiled from 
twenty to thirty head of cows all summer, for the past 
fifteen years. 
Can you or any of your subscribers tell me if winter 
barley is grown in New-York, or as far north as New- 
York 7 If so, where can it be had, and at what price 2 
Lewis Bailey. Moray Farm, Fairfax Co ., Va. 
Wliat England Eats from Albvoad. 
The recent returns of the English Board of Trade 
for the year 1857, are reviewed in the London Field , 
The importation of wheat showed a very large increase 
in the amount brought from Prussia, a large decrease 
in that received from the Danubian provinces, and a 
very heavy falling off in American imports—the in¬ 
ducements as regards price not having been sufficient 
to draw our large surplus across the water. The im¬ 
portation of barley in 1857 was nearly two and a half 
times that of 1856; oats also show considerable in¬ 
crease, but Indian corn a large diminution. The total 
importation of wheat-meal and flour for the year 1857 
was 2,178,148 cwts, while for 1856 it was 3,970,100 
cwts., thus showing a diminution to the extent of 1,791,- 
752 cwts. Among stock and other importations for 
three years were: 
Cattle. Calves. Sheep. Swine. 
Eggs. 
1855.. ... 73,750 23,777 162,642 1,217 99,782,800 
1856.. ... 61,862 21,444 145,059 9.916 117,230,600 
1857,---- 65,648 27,315 177,207 10,677 127,039,600 
Guano shows an increase from 191,501 tons in 1856 to 
288,362 in 1857, and potatoes the immense increase 
from 58,261 cwt. in 1855, and 109,838 cwt. in 1856, to 
955,057 cwt. in 1857—an evidence of the havoc com¬ 
mitted by the rot in the home crop of the year. The 
importation of provisions, bacon and hams, salt beef 
and pork, butter and cheese, was of about average 
extent. 
