1849. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
171 
1. That the soil will be most improved by those trees 
which thrive best upon it. 
2. Among those which thrive equally, by such as 
yield the largest produce of leaves, and— 
3. Among such as yield an equal weight of leaves, 
by those whose leaves contain the lai gest proportion oi 
inorganic matter—-which bring up from beneath, that 
is, and spread over the surface in largest quantity, the 
materials of a fertile soil. 
u The mode in which the lower branches of the larch 
spread out and, overshadow the surface is not without 
its influence upon the ultimate improvement which the 
soil exhibits. All vegetation being prevented, the land 
besides receiving a yearly manure of vegetable mould, 
is made to lie for upwards of twenty years in uninter* 
rupted naked fallow. It is sheltered also from the beat¬ 
ing of the rain drops, which descend slowly and gently 
upon it, bearing principles of fertility instead of wash¬ 
ing out the valuable saline substances it may contain. 
Beneath the overshadowing branches of a forest, the 
soil is also protected from the wind, and to this protec¬ 
tion Sprengel attributes much of that rapid improve¬ 
ment so generally experienced where lands are covered 
with wood. The winds bear along particles oi earthy 
matter* which they deposit again in the still forests ; 
and thus gradually form a soil even on the most naked 
places.” 
Thousands of acres of waste lands in New England, 
entirely unprofitable to the owners and to community, 
might, by judicious planting with trees, be redeemed 
from their sterility,—thus adding, in effect, to the ter¬ 
ritorial extent as well as wealth of the countryj besides 
in many cases five-folding the value of individual estates 
thus planted. Numerous instances might be given in 
proof of this statement. 
It is worthy of separate and particular consideration 
that our country is fast becoming penetrated in every 
direction by railroads, whose consumption of wood is so 
enormous that we must look well to our forests, or they 
will vanish. The facilities of transportation which they 
afford will induce a greater demand for lumber and 
stuff for turning purposes, for the manufactories near 
the sea-board. Thus new and greater inducements 
for the cultivation and preservation of woodlands are 
yearly becoming developed, urging our farmers to 
awake to the importance of this subject. 
In treating this topic at this time, I have chosen to 
give a somewhat desultory statement and citation of 
facts and principles which are so palpable as to come 
within the observation of every one, rather than a me¬ 
thodical and formal essay j—hoping by this means the 
more surely to attract the attention of the practical 
farmer. F. Holbrook. Brattleboro\ Ft. Feb. 1849. 
iDifiermt Varieties of tl)e ©£. 
The Middle-Horns. 
The Hereford Breed.— As this valuable breed has 
been introduced, and is increasing in several sections of 
the country, we offer a few remarks in reference to its 
history and qualities. 
We have mentioned in a previous chapter, that the 
Herefords are a branch of one of the original stocks of 
Britain. They have been known in certain districts for 
an indefinite period; but it was not until after the mid¬ 
dle of the last century that any systematic attempts 
were made to improve the breed. The first effort of 
this kind, of which we have any authentic account, was 
* It has been observed that on spots purposely sheltered from 
the wind and rain on every side, the quantity of dust that is collect¬ 
ed, when pressed down , is in three years equal to one line, or in 36 
years, to one inch in thickness —Sprexoel. 
made by Benjamin Tomkins, of Wellington-Court, 
Herefordshire. He commenced, according to Prof. 
Low, about the year 1766, with two cows, which, pre¬ 
vious to his purchase of them, had often attracted his 
attention on account of their singular aptitude to fatten. 
Mr. Eyton, the compiler of the “ Herd-Book of Here¬ 
ford Cattle,” states that he was informed by the family 
oi Mr. Tomkins, that one of the cows 11 was a grey, 
and the other a dark red with a spotted face.” The 
former Mr. T. called Pigeon and the latter Mottle. It 
appears that Mr. T. kept two families from these two 
cows—-one of a grey color, called the Pigeon branch, 
and the other of a red color, with white or mottled face, 
called the Mottle branch-—and they have been contin¬ 
ued to this day. The Rev. J. R. Smythies, of Lynch- 
Court, Herefordshire, a gentleman, who for a long pe¬ 
riod was distinguished as a breeder of Hereford stock, 
speaking of the two families alluded to, in a late num¬ 
ber of the Mark-Lane Express , says —“ the grey ones 
are considered the oldest breed, and by -many people, 
considered the best,* from long experience, I am inclin¬ 
ed to think they possess more constitution and more qua¬ 
lity than the white-faced ones, and generally more size 
than the mottled-faced ones.” 
From the two cows mentioned, Mr. Tomkins bred a 
large herd - from which he supplied other breeders with 
choice animals, during his lifetime, and shortly after 
his death in 1819, the entire stock was disposed of at 
public auction. The prices obtained deserve notice. 
Fifty-two animals-—among which were twenty-two 
steers, from calves to two-year-olds, and two heifer- 
calves,—brought the aggregate sum of £4673 14s.— 
averaging £99 17s. 6d. ($449,371 each.) One bull 
sold to Lord Talbot for £588, and several cows and 
heifers brought £215 to £273 each. This stock 
was purchased by breeders in different parts of the 
kingdom, and laid the foundation of many eminent 
herds. (See Herd-Book of Hereford Cattle, appendix, 
pp. 1 to 23.) 
Another noted early breeder of Herefords was Mr. 
Tully, of Huntington, near Hereford. His were chief¬ 
ly of the grey stock; and Mr. Smythies, in the article 
above referred to, states that their descendants are still 
known as “ the Huntington breed.” 
Mr. Smythies was for forty years, one of the largest 
breeders of Hereford cattle in England—-rearing, as he 
states about seventy calves yearly. He purchased his 
first stock in 1802, of Mr. Tully of Clirow, a relative 
of the before-named gentleman of this name. He was 
induced to adopt this stock by the recommendation of 
the celebrated grazier, Mr. J. Westcar, of Creslow, 
near Aylesbury. Mr. Smythies relates, that meeting 
Mr. Westcar at the Hereford fair, the latter remarked 
— u This is the fiftieth October fair I have attended in 
this town, without missing one. I graze five hundred 
oxen every year, and the best beasts I ever fed, were 
bred by Mr. Tully of Huntington, and Mr. Skegrue of 
Stretton Court, both near Hereford.” 
Mr. Smythies closed business in 1843, at which time- 
he sold at public auction, 131 head of cows, heifers and 
bulls. He had a previous sale in 1823, at which sixty 
six head of breeding stock were sold. We have not 
the prices obtained at either sale. 
The late Mr. John Price, of Poole-House, Worces¬ 
tershire, commenced breeding Hereford cattle in 1814,. 
with several animals purchased of Mr. Tomkins above 
mentioned. He continued to breed on an extensive 
scale till 1841. In October of that year, he disposed 
of his stock at public sale. Ninety-nine animals—cows 
heifers and bulls, brought an aggregate of £5328-— 
averaging £53 16s. 4|d. each. At a previous sale, 
in 1816, he sold one hundred and twenty-six head of 
Herefords, comprising fourteen bulls of various ages, 
six bull calves, one hundred and six breeding cows, 
