308 THE CULTIVATOR. Oct. 
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STEVENS’ PATENT FENCE.—Fig. 84. 
Joseph Stevens, of Northumberland, Saratoga Co., 
N. Y., has lately obtained a patent for an improvement 
in fences. The manner of making this fence is de¬ 
scribed as follows: 
The posts are made of the same composition as com¬ 
mon brick, being burnt or baked to the consistency of a 
hard, arch brick. They are set in the ground diago¬ 
nally or cornenvise; a tenon is made on the top of 
each post, on which is placed a coupling block for the 
top rail to rest upon, and fastened to it by a pin or 
nail, which unites the whole fence firmly together; 
the bottom rail is notched at each end, so as to em¬ 
brace the posts firmly, and is supported by the paling 
or pickets. It will be seen that in this mode of con¬ 
struction, there are no tenons in the rails, thus prevent¬ 
ing rot or decay in the wood part. 
This fence has been erected on the premises of Mr. 
Finney, of Northumberland, and it is said to be highly 
approved by him and all others who have seen it. 
In no department of husbandry is improvement more 
needed than in fences. The above mode appears to 
possess the advantages of durability and ornament. The 
inventor believes, also, that this fence can be construc¬ 
ted as cheap as the ordinary kind, and this fact taken 
in connection with its acknowledged durability, must 
be a strong recommendation. 
EXCITEMENTS—BERKSHIRE HOGS, &C. 
A few years ago, the Berkshire breed of hogs was 
pretty generally disseminated through the country. 
Quite an excitement was got up in relation to them, and 
for a time it seemed almost impossbile to obtain a suf¬ 
ficient number to supply the demand, although frequent 
importations were made from England. They were 
sold at such high prices that a few individuals made 
large profits by the breeding and sale of them. From 
twenty-five to fifty dollars for pigs of three months old, 
and from one hundred to two hundred, and in some in ¬ 
stances even three hundred dollars each, for grown 
hogs, were obtained. It was easy to see that the profits 
of raising hogs for pork, however good might be the 
breed, would never justify such prices. But there was 
a diversity of opinion as to the real merits of the Berk- 
shires compared with other breeds. For a time, how¬ 
ever, the tide continued to set strongly in favor of the 
Berkshires, and either for the purpose of participating 
in the speculation, or with a view of giving them a fair 
trial, they became extensively adopted. 
The writer of this article, was one who believed that 
the Berkshires, in their “ palmiest days,” were over¬ 
rated, when compared with several good breeds. At 
the same time it is proper to state that he believes they 
are now in many cases, estimated as much too low as 
they formerly were too high. It must be admitted 
that their reputation has greatly fallen, if, indeed, it is 
not now entirely the reverse of what it was five or six 
years ago. But the change of public opinion in this in¬ 
stance, is only another evidence that excitements are 
followed by re-actions, and that in the two extremes of 
opinion, truth is seldom found. It is not always easy 
to induce people to judge a thing by its own intrinsic 
merits; there is frequently a tendency to exaggeration; 
some are disposed to place an undue value on a favorite 
Object, while others, disgusted or provoked, as it were^ ^ 
by the enthusiasm or infatuation of their neighbors, run 
directly into the opposite extreme, and refuse to concede 
merit where it is really deserved. 
A striking instance of the false estimate of an article, 
in two respects, was furnished a few years ago, in the 
somewhat famous £t Chinese Tree Corn.” This corn 
was first described as having a peculiar habit—“ grow¬ 
ing like a tree,” and te producing its ears on the ends 
of the branches.” It was withal represented as an “un¬ 
commonly early ” corn. It was sold at twenty-five cents 
an ear over the whole country. The people generally 
were disappointed in regard to it. At the north, it was 
found a late ripening kind, compared with the kinds 
commonly cultivated, and it was not, therefore, adapted 
to thisregion; while its habit of growth was every where 
different from what was expected from the description 
first given. In consequence of this the article was 
pronounced a “ humbug,” and condemned—not in all 
cases because it was unworthy of cultivation, but be¬ 
cause it was thought not to correspond with the repre¬ 
sentation which had been given of it. It was not, it is 
true, adapted to those sections where a very early kind 
must be grown; but as far south as forty degrees, it is 
known to have succeeded well. On soils of medium 
quality, it would out-yield most varieties. It also 
made the best and sweetest meal; and the crop would 
turn out the greatest quantity of fodder, and of the best 
quality, (owing to its abundance of soft leaves,) of any 
corn known. All this can be verified by the testimony 
of persons who, like the writer, have given this com 
several years’ trial. 
Now the point we wish to make appear, is, that ex¬ 
aggerated statements of the value of an article, tend 
ultimately to an undue reduction of its value. We could 
cite other instances in proof of this. The Merino sheep, 
from having been sold soon after their introduction to 
this country, for from one thousand to fifteen hundred 
dollars per head, during the reaction which followed, 
fell down in price to less than two dollars per head; 
though such was the prejudice against them, that few 
buyers were found at that. It required many years— 
after the days of speculation were over, and fortunes had 
been made and sunk—for the equilibrium to be restored, 
and a true standard of value established for these useful 
animals. 
And has not the value of the Berkshire hogs been un¬ 
justly depreciated from causes similar to those above- 
named? We admit there are breeds which are equal 
and in some respects preferable to the Berkshires—and 
this, in fact, has always been our opinion—but at the 
same time, the Berkshires are far superior to a large 
portion of the hogs which have been, and still are kept 
in various portions of the country. 
The objections which we have heard against this 
breed of hogs may be thus enumerated. 1. Their color is 
black. This we believe is the most common objection 
in this section. 2. They are too small. 3. They have 
too much lean in proportion to the fat. 4. Their flesh 
is coarse grained. 
As to color, we do not see why black is not equally 
as objectionable as any other color, and we cannot dis¬ 
cover any reason for its being more so. It is all a mat¬ 
ter of fancy whether we choose black, white, or green. 
As to size, from the origin of the present breed of 
