THE CULTIVATOR. 
117 
SHEEP IN OHIO. 
It is computed that the capital invested in sheep-hus¬ 
bandry in the State of Ohio, is $12,000,000—the number 
of sheep in 1844, being 3,000,000, requiring 600,000 
acres of land for their support. Great numbers of sheep 
have been slaughtered in this State during the last year. 
Besides the number killed for market, and domestic use, 
which is estimated at 200,000, it is stated that there were 
slaughtered for the pelts, hams and tallow alone, during 
the last season, at Cleveland, Columbus, Zanesville, and 
other places, 100,000—making the whole number killed 
in the State last year, 300,000. 
If-this statement is correct, and Ohio has furnished her 
quota of the number of sheep sent during the past year 
to Illinois, Wisconsin. Iowa, &c., we presume the natu¬ 
ral increase would not be equal to the number exported 
and killed, and that there is a less number now in that 
State than there was a year ago. 
According to the returns for 1840, the number of 
sheep in the United States was 19,311,374, and the whole 
amount of their wool, 35,802,114—giving an average 
of less than two pounds to each sheep. The average 
weight of fleeces in England, is over four pounds. The 
increased weight is to be attributed to the improvement 
of their breeds, and to superior attention aud care in 
sheep-husbandry. 
CHEAP MODE OF REARING HOGS. 
The Maine Farmer contains an account of the mode in 
which Mr. True Remiclc raised six hogs, which is wor¬ 
thy of attention. It is stated that the pigs were farrowed 
in May or June, 1843. Four of them belonged to one 
litter, and the others to two other litters. The first sum¬ 
mer they were kept in a close pen, and fed with skimmed 
milk and boiled potatoes. In the fall they had a run of 
an acre of pasture ground, and through the succeeding 
winter they were kept entirely on boiled potatoes. On 
the first of May last they were turned into the cow-pas¬ 
ture, with rings in their noses. While running in the 
pasture they had forty bushels of raw potatoes given them, 
but had no other food till put up to fat. Two of the 
sows raised pigs—eleven in all. The last of September 
they were put up, and fed with boiled potatoes and a lit 
tie milk, but nothing more. The long, red potatoes 
were the kind used, and it is W'ell known that swine are 
much more fond of these than any others. The hogs 
were killed from the 6th to the 28th January last, and 
their average weight, dressed, 398 pounds—the largest 
weighed 513 pounds. The account states that the whole 
six never ate so much as three bushels of meal of any 
kind. If this account should come to the ears of some 
of the French chemists and physiologists, what would 
they afterwards say about there being none of the fat- 
forming elements in potatoes? 
DEFICIENCY IN THE SUPPLY^ OF PORK FOR 1844. 
We are not surprised at the falling off in the amount 
of pork slaughtered in the west last season. From 1838 
to 1841, it is well known that an excitement, amounting 
almost to a mania , prevailed through the country in re¬ 
lation to hogs. Improved breeds were sought after with 
great avidity, and in many instances very high prices 
were paid, particularly for Berlcshires. The natural 
consequence of this excitement was, first, that unusual 
numbers of hogs were reared and fattened, and of course 
the pork-market was glutted. The unprecedently low 
prices of pork in the western markets for the years 1841 
to ’43, proved almost ruinous to those farmers who relied 
on that article for their chief income. Many farmers 
were forced to sell their hogs for no more than a dollar 
and fifty cents per hundred, “dead weight,” and in some 
instances for less. They could not stand such low pri¬ 
ces, and hence followed the second result of the former 
excitement, viz: the raising of but a small number of 
hogs, and the falling off in the quantity of pork killed 
in the western country last year. We see it stated in va¬ 
rious papers that the amount packed at Cincinnati lasj- 
year was less by one-third than for the year previous. 
At St. Louis, it is said, the decrease is still greater; and 
through the State of Illinois there is said to have been a 
falling off of from one-third to one-half. In Ohio the 
falling off was much greater, as we are informed, at the 
interior slaughtering places, than at Cincinnati. In the 
Scioto valley, for instance, where the number slaughtered 
at nine places, in 1843, was 121,800, the number for 1844 
is only 48,350. 
It seems probable, from present prospects, that pork 
will command, at least, remunerating prices the coming 
fall, and those farmers who had the foresight to see this, 
and have wisely provided themselves with a sufficient 
stock of a good breed of hogs, will be likely to leap 
their reward. 
Union (Conn.) Ag. Society.—Good Cows—We have 
before us a copy of the report of the Executive Commit¬ 
tee of this Society, for the last year. It contains many 
interesting facts. The committee state that there were 
at the last exhibition, 104 yoke of oxen, which compe¬ 
ted for the several awards. In reference to them, the 
committee say—“ The exhibition was certainly credita¬ 
ble to their owners, from the appearance and ready obe¬ 
dience to the word of their driver, without a resort to the 
cruel infliction of the lash.” Among the cows exhibit¬ 
ed, there were two very highly commended. One of 
these, a heifer of two years of age, five months in milk 
with ordinary grass feed alone, produced 13 lbs. butter 
from October 9 to 15th inclusive, besides affording to the 
family 3 pints of new milk per day—the other a 6 year 
old co w, two months in milk, with grass feed alone, pro¬ 
duced in seven days in the month of October 11| lbs. of 
butter; in the month of September, the same cow produ¬ 
ced 8 ibs. 6 oz. in four days in better feed. 
Of horses, the committee speak highly of one, as a 
farm horse, owned by J. N. Blakeslee, of Watertown. 
Mr. Blakeslee’s Merino sheep are likewise spoken of as a 
valuable stock. In the department of Farm Products, 
Butter and Cheeese, and Domestic Manufactures, are spa 
ken of as highly creditable and encouraging. 
Osage Orange.— This tree is found wild in Missis¬ 
sippi, Arkansas, &c., where it is said to attain the height 
of 20 to 25 feet. It has lately receive^ considerable at¬ 
tention as a plant for hedges. It readily adapts itself to 
the climate of the middle and eastern States, and though 
not growing so large as in its natural location, it is one 
of our most beautiful ornamental shrubs. The American 
Farmer's Encyclopedia gives the following description 
of it: “It is very branching; each branch being armed 
with numerous sharp thorns. The wood is remarkably 
tough and solid. The male and female flowers are on 
(separate trees. The fertile, or female tree, bears fruit 
abundantly in a very few years. These are round, rough, 
and greenish-colored, resembling somewhat an orange, 
and weighing from 12 to 18 ounces, containing from 100 
to 250 seeds.” The wood is said to be very elastic, 
being preferred for bows by the Indians to any other. 
The tree is said to be readily propagated from seed, and 
its growth is so rapid that it will make a very good hedge 
in from three to five years. 
Number of Kernels in a Bushrl cf Grain, &c.— 
Our friend Holmes, of the Maine Farmer, says it has 
been ascertained by actual counting, that a bushel of 
Wheat, weighing 62 lbs. contained 550,000 ker’ls. 
Barley, “ 52± “ 520,000 “ 
Oats, “ 32 “ 1,200,000 “ 
Eng. Horse Beans, 64 ‘ c 87,000 “ 
Poplar Pea, (Eng.) 64 “ 110,000 “ 
Dr. Holmes suggests that if we were sure that every 
kernel of wheat which we put into the earth would 
grow and come to maturity, we could so place them 
that a small portion of a bushel would be sufficient to 
plant it. Taking 42,360 square feet for an acre, and di¬ 
viding each foot into four compartments, and placing a 
kernel of wheat in the centre of each, Dr. H. says the 
acre will only require four-fifths of a bushel. This is, 
in effect, the dibbling system of England; and where 
land is dear and labor cheap, it has its advantages. 
