1846. THE CULTIVATOR. 375 
covering of fat throughout every part of a beast, com¬ 
mencing at the rump, and proceeding along- the back 
to the hip, loin, rib, crop, shoulder, and breast, with¬ 
out patch, or any one part having excess of fat beyond 
that of its neighbor. The breast should come promi¬ 
nently out from between the fore legs, and extend down 
to about two or three inches of the knee-joint, and its 
width should never be lost sight of. An animal with 
a wide back and a wide breast cannot fail to have 
substance, fore flanks, wide fore legs, and other indica¬ 
tions of a strong and vigorous constitution. The but¬ 
tock is a part that is not handled as a fat point, but 
should not pass entirely unnoticed, although in the best 
bred Short-Horns there is little occasion for caution 
against the black flesh in this part, which some other 
animals have; but a want of lean flesh is as great an evil 
as an excess of it; it is necessary, therefore, that there 
should be great fulness nearly as low as opposite the 
flank, tapering from thence to the hock; this fulness 
should be on the inside as well as the outside of the 
thigh, and give a full twist, lining the division between 
the hams with a continuous roll of fat to the next point 
under the belly. 
Hitherto my observations have been confined to 
feeding propensities only, without any regard to the 
dairy. It is notorious, and much to their detriment, 
that many of the most superior Short-Horns do not pos¬ 
sess that quality in an eminent degree. The annual 
loss to the breeder on each cow is very considerable, 
when we see that of two cows consuming an equal 
quantity of food, one gives six gallons of milk per day, 
and the other gives two only, this loss of milk will re¬ 
quire much gain in beef to compensate for it. Cows 
for the dairy require to be of the same shape, and pos¬ 
sessed of the same feeding propensities as have been 
attempted to be described above, with the addition of a 
well-shaped udder. When in full milk, the udder 
should be capacious and flesh-colored, with paps stand¬ 
ing square and at a distance from each other, the hind 
part to appear as if it proceeded from the twist; and if 
is the fore paps that give the most milk; the milk veins 
under the belly should be large and full. There is no 
test to determine beforehand whether a cow will give 
good milk or bad, but it is at all times very essential to 
rear bulls out of cows that are descended from a tribe of 
good milkers. 
Having given a general outline of all the points of a 
good Short-Horn, there is still the outward contour and 
character deserving of nolice. On viewing an animal 
all the points described above are brought to our sight 
at once, and we can almost determine upon their merits 
at sight, without the more unerring test of the fingers. 
The placid looks, the graceful head, neck, and horns, 
the straight top, the prominent breast, the snug laid 
shoulders, the wide back and hips, the round ribs, the 
fine long quarters, the flowing silvery hair, the clean 
limbs, and great substance—all present themselves simul¬ 
taneously, and give an impression that language cannot 
define. An artist, on looking at a painting, can instant¬ 
ly discern whether it is a i ighly-finished picture; but 
if called upon to describe its merits, he would, I pre¬ 
sume, be at a loss for language to convey his feelings 
and judgment to an inexperienced person; and there is 
the same high finish in a good Short-Horn, attended 
with the same difficulty of explanation. Experience is 
universally allowed to be the best teacher; though, if 
we are left to our own experience alone, it will require 
a lifetime of no short duration to become a proficient. 
Force of Prejudice. —An English i aper rather 
singularly explains the prejudice which the people of 
that country entertain against the use of Indian corn 
“ An Englishman cannot reconcile himself to the idea 
of eating the boasted Indian corn, though cooked in all 
the multiform modes of a Yankee cuisinier. He feels 
in himself the dignity of civilization, and when eating 
his dish of maize he assimilates to himself the idea of 
the back woods of America, the desolate chaos sur¬ 
rounding him, and the monotony of life of the back 
settlers.” 
SAUSAGE STUFFER.—Fig. 106. 
In the families of large farmers, the making of sau¬ 
sages is quite an important item of “ domestic industry.” 
In former days, when sausages were filled by stretch¬ 
ing the membrane over a small hoop, stuffing in the 
meat with the fingers, if was a slow and tedious busi¬ 
ness. A great improvement on this primitive mode, 
was the use of the tin tube, now common, by which 
a great saving of time, labor, and patience is effected. 
But where a large quantity of meat is annually to be 
worked up, the use of a machine, like that above deline¬ 
ated, will be found the most economical in the long 
run. The filling is performed with great expedition— 
one person accomplishing as much with the machine, 
as ten persons could effect in the same time by the or¬ 
dinary mode. The cost of the machine, we believe, 
varies from $3 to $5, according to size. 
SUPPOSED EFFECTS OF LIGHTNING. 
On the downs and heaths of some parts of Great 
Britain, the vegetation sometimes presents certain sin¬ 
gular appearances, commonly known as “fairy rings.” 
They are circles varying in circumference, in which 
the grass and other plants are much more verdant than 
on the adjacent ground. We believe the same phe¬ 
nomenon has been sometimes noticed in this country. 
These circles have been accounted for by various theo¬ 
ries, no one of which, it is said, is sufficient to embrace 
all the facts. They have been often attributed to the 
springing up of fungi, which it is supposed spread in a 
circular manner, and enriching the earth by their 
growth, give unusual luxuriance to other vegetation. 
In connection with this subject, and in reference to 
some accounts which have been published of the sup¬ 
posed effects of electricity on plants, a writer in the 
London Gardener’s Chronicle , with the signature of 
“D. S. E., of Lambeth,” relates the following circum¬ 
stance. He and his companions were travelling in 
Portugal, when, says he — <( we were overtaken on our 
road by one of those tremendous thunder-storms inci¬ 
dent to hot climates, and which bear no comparison 
to the slight movements of the elements in our colder at¬ 
mosphere. Whilst taking shelter from the fury of the 
storm, the forked lightning struck seveial objects not 
far from us. Soon afterwards, I observed several rings 
of smoke or gas, floating slowly in the air, which pre¬ 
serving their circular form, enlarging or diminishing 
alternately, until they ultimately settled in that form 
on the sward before us. In a day or two afterwards, on 
passing the same spot, I observed on the sward several 
rings, densely green, two or three inches wide, the 
grass of w'hich rings had grown full an inch in that 
short time, and fungi were beginning to make their 
appearance. There must have been some very highly 
fertilizing property in the gas. In this country I have 
always observed that these rings make their appearance 
after thunder-storms; and I never yet met with a better 
solution of the phenomenon than that which accident 
afforded me, as above related.” 
Hints about Food. —Roast meat contains nearly 
double the nourishment of boiled, but boiled meat is 
better adapted to weak digestion. Frying is one of the 
very worst methods of dressing food, as broiling is one 
of the best. Baked meat has a strong flavor, is de¬ 
prived of some of its nutritious qualities, and is difficult 
of digestion. Spices, sauces, and melted butter, should 
never be used by an invalid. 
