182 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
foreign Intelligence. 
The Weather and Crops in England _The latest 
accounts represent the weather as generally favorable, 
and the grain crops promising. In the Highlands of 
Scotland, the spring was backward, owing to the late 
continuance of the great quantities of snow which fell in 
February. 
English Farming. —J. J. Mechi Esq. gives, in the 
English Farmer's Herald, an account of his improvements 
on a farm of 130 acres in Essex. The whole improve¬ 
ments, including over eighty miles of drains, amounted to 
the sum of $23,400! The 132 acres cost him $14,400, 
making the total investment amount to $37,800—or a 
fraction over $290 per acre, and yet he esteemed this a 
better investment than to place his funds in the public 
stocks. 
Guano, —Within a short time, experiments have been 
made in England with guano found in the Hebrides, and 
other Scottish islands, and also with the same substance 
found on the coast of Africa. We have seen no state¬ 
ment showing the comparative value of the Scottish; but 
in the late English papers we notice the results of vari¬ 
ous analyses, from which it appears that Peruvian guano 
contains from 86 to 88 parts in 100 of available matter, 
and the African 76—or, compared one with the other, as 
7 to 8. Comparing cost and value, when delivered in 
England, however, the African is said to be 23 per cent 
cheaper than the Peruvian. In England, guano is esti¬ 
mated five times stronger than night-soil, four times 
stronger than dove-cote manure, “ a deadly enemy to 
the wire-worm and fly, and a preventive of mildew and 
red rust.” We doubt whether experiments in this coun¬ 
try have supported this high estimate of its value. At¬ 
tention is now being directed to the islands in the gulf of 
St. Lawrence, the coasts of Labrador and Newfoundland, 
&c., for this substance. 
Sawdust as Manure —The Highland and Agricultu¬ 
ral Society of Scotland has lately published a paper on 
the use of saw-dust as manure. It is highly recommend¬ 
ed as litter f or byres, cattle-sheds, pig-styes, &c., and 
answers well both for keeping the animals clean, and 
for absorbing the urine. We have often used saw-dust 
for this purpose, and can recommend it as one of the best 
articles to be had. We have also used, and seen it used, 
for ameliorating clayey and tenacious soils, with good ef¬ 
fect. In some sections this substance may be obtained in 
abundance, and instead of being wasted as it generally is, 
it would be found, if used in the manner above men¬ 
tioned, highly valuable. 
Large Sheep. —Two sheep, said to be of the Devon 
breed, were lately killed at Exeter, (Eng.) one of which 
weighed 71-1, and the other 73 pounds per quarter. 
Short Horns. —An eminent stock-breeder from Bel¬ 
gium has lately purchased of Mr. Maynard, and others, 
near Darlington, fifty head of short-horn bulls and heif¬ 
ers. Nine Durham bulls were lately sold at the Veteri ¬ 
nary School of Alfort, in France. The highest price 
paid was 3000 francs—(about $720,) and the lowest 1280 
francs, (about $255.) 
Pea-Straw —At a lecture of the Rev. Mr. Sidney, at 
Acle, Norfolk, the Rev. gentleman drew attention to the 
waste of bean and pea-straw. It was cut too late. He 
gave the analysis of each as to nitrogen and gluten, 
which showed that 74 lbs of pea-straw, and probably of 
bean-straw also, equalled in nutriment 100 lbs. of com¬ 
mon hay—a fact most important for farmers here, and 
well known in Scotland. 
Linseed for Calves —Boil 1 pint in a gallon of wa- 
ter; you need not soak it in water first. Give your 
calves from 1 pint to 1 quart of the jelly daily, according 
to their age. Give 1 pint to horses along with their 
chaff, &c. twice a day. It will not improve the milk, if 
given as food to cows. —Gardener's Chronicle. 
Guano from the Islands of the North Sea. _Ex¬ 
periments are being made in England and Scotland, with 
the dung of sea-birds, procured from the islands to the 
north of Scotland. Its effects are not yet known. It can 
hardly be expected that it will be as powerful as the Gu¬ 
ano from the Pacific, because it seldom lains where the 
latter is procured, and it might reasonably be supposed to 
possess more strength, than that which had been exposed 
to soaking rains. But it is yet thought doubtful whether 
Guano is really the dung of birds. 
Stall Feeding. —Every one will admit the superior 
value of artificial grasses, who has made a fair trial of 
the difference between leetling cattle upon them cut green 
and given within doors, and on the other hand in turning 
cattle out upon a common pasture. A trial of this kind 
was once made in Scotland, and it was found that 27 head 
of cattle were as well kept upon the same quantity of 
ground in one method, as 18 in the other. Added to this, 
there is an immense saving in the making of manure, 
which process, the most important one of any, may be 
going on during the whole summer, instead of having 
what dung falls, scattered abroad, and dried up in the 
heat of the sun.— Rawstorne’s Remarks on Lancashire 
Farming. 
Manures are to farming what blood is to the animal 
frame; divested of their aid vegetation languishes, as the 
abstraction of the other leads to dissolution. Of all ma¬ 
nures that are in use, commend your friends I pray you, 
to that from the farm-yard. Much goes to waste about 
every steading, that, being otherwise carefully used, with 
a trifling amount of labor might be made available in 
superseding the use of artificial or foreign manures.— 
Ayr. Ag. 
Points of a Good Milch Cow. —The following is 
from a report of the Guernsey Agricultural Society. 
Points. — 1 . Purity of breed and qualities of the dam for 
yielding rich and yellow butter. 2. Small head, large 
and bright eyes, small muzzle, small ears, orange-color 
within. 3. Straight back from the shoulders to the tail, 
and chest wide. 4. A fine and loose skin, with soft and 
short hair. 5. Sides well rounded, flank small between 
the side and haunch, tail fine. 6. Fore legs straight and 
well proportioned, hind legs broad above the knee, fine 
and clean below; hoofs small; legs should not cross in 
walking. 7. Udder large, and the teats large and spring¬ 
ing from the four corners of the udder; milk-vein large 
and well defined. 
Cheese. —A return of the quantities of cheese import¬ 
ed into the several ports of Great Britain in each month 
of the year 1843, distinguishing the European, United 
States, and Colonial produce, has been printed on the 
motion of Mr. Colvile the member for Derbyshire. The 
aggregate importations from all parts during the year 
ending January 5, 1844, amounted to 179,389 cwt. From 
various countries in Europe, there were imported during 
the year, 136,898 cwt. From the United States of Amer¬ 
ica (whence very rich fine flavored cheeses are now be¬ 
ing constantly imported,) 48,3l2cwt.; and from the 
British possessions abroad, only 79 cwt.— English Farm¬ 
er's Journal. 
CULTURE OF MILLET. 
June is a good time to sow millet. It will do well 
sown any time in the month. It makes, when well 
cured, excellent fodder. One of the general advantages 
of this crop, is, that if the hay-crop is likely to come in 
light, this may be grown as a substitute. Half a bushel 
of seed, broadcast to the acre, is a proper quantity, 
though only a peck is sometimes sown on rich ground. 
It may, if desired, be sown in drills, and if designed for 
seed, this is the best way. A common turnep-drill will 
sow the seed well. It will yield bountifully, and the 
seed, when ground into meal, is excellent for fattening* 
animals. Rather light ground is best for it—it will in¬ 
deed do well on land that is too light for grass. In 1841, 
Mr. G. Jones received a premium from the Tompkins 
County Agricultural Society, for having raised on tw*o 
acres, five and a half tons of millet-fodder, and sixty- 
three bushels of seed. It was new land—the wood and 
timber from wLich was taken off in the month of April, 
and twenty quarts of seed sown to the acre the 8th of 
June succeeding. 
