148 
THE CULTIVATOK. 
IMPROVEMENT OF FARM STOCK. 
Mr. Editor —In a communication published in the: 
June no. of the Cultivator, 1844, page 189,1 endeavored to 
bring this subject before your readers, in the hope it 
might attract the notice and engage the attention of some 
of your corresoondents, who can appreciate the impor¬ 
tance of its bearing on the great agricultural interests of 
the country. It is believed that if this branch of agri¬ 
culture should be brought to the test of a careful and crit¬ 
ical examination, the result would prove that few even 
of those who are most interested have considered the 
magnitude of its importance. Entertaining this opinion, 
permit me again to present some remarks, having the 
same object in view, with the hope that others may take 
up the subject, and present arguments and facts, illustra¬ 
ting its importance. 
In the remarks which I now propose to make, I shall 
confine myself to the subject of the improvement of dai¬ 
ry stock. The question then is, how can this improve¬ 
ment be successfully accomplished 7 It must be acknow¬ 
ledged there are some difficulties in the way, which 
should be met and overcome before any considerable 
progress can be attained. 
One of these difficulties I apprehend, will be found in 
a lamentable want of interest, and an indisposition among 
the great mass of our agriculturists to fix their minds up¬ 
on the subject, and engage in persevering and untiring 
action. Another obstacle., I apprehend, is a prejudice in 
the minds of many well meaning men. against what is 
termed “ improved stock,” without ever having really 
tested its merits. Formidable as these and other obsta¬ 
cles are in the way of improvement, yet when the mind 
contemplates the American character, its accurate dis¬ 
cernment, its enterprise and its perseverance, when fully 
engaged in any pursuit worthy of its consideration, and 
when the understanding has become convinced of its 
practicability, who can doubt of ultimate and entire suc¬ 
cess 7 
With a view if possible, of directing public attention 
to this subject, and engaging others in active co-opera¬ 
tion, I have recently cast my eye over the official statis¬ 
tics of the United States taken in 1840. By this public 
document, it appears that there was in the County of 
Rensselaer that year, a fraction of over (36,000 neat cattle; 
and as a basis for calculation, suppose one in ten of this 
number to be appropriated to dairy purposes, then the 
will be seen that if these calculations approximate to ac¬ 
curacy, the subject is of great importance to the agricul¬ 
turists of this country, and can hardly fail to force itself 
at once upon every reflecting mind. 
The question then is, have we a breed of cattle among 
us which will produce 10 lbs. of butter a week for 17 
weeks of the most favorable season of the year, on pas¬ 
ture alone. My belief is, we have now in this country, 
dairy stock, among the improved breeds, which may be 
relied on to produce nearly or quite that result, and by 
careful, systematic breeding, it may be still lurther im¬ 
proved. 
If this opinion be correct, it becomes an important in¬ 
quiry, how is it to be made available 7 And what means 
should be instituted to promote and insure success to the 
undertaking. 
From the reflection I have been able to give to the 
subject, I am inclined to the opinion that much may be 
accomplished through the medium of the State and Coun¬ 
ty agricultural societies; and the fact should not be lost 
sight of, that the bounty of the State is contributed to pro¬ 
mote this, among other kindred objects. 
Should the State Society appropriate $300 of its funds 
to premiums, fixing the highest at $75, and graduate 
down to $10, for the greatest quantity of butter made from 
a given number of cows, to be kept on pasture only, for 
a perid of 30 or 60 days, it is believed such premiums 
would stimulate numerous dairymen throughout the 
’State, to competition, as the premiums would be a com¬ 
pensation for the extra trouble attending the trial. It 
'may be objected by some, that so large an amount could 
!not well be appropriated to this single object; in answer 
to such objections, it may be said, the State extends its 
jbouniy for the improvement of agriculture, and it will be 
expected that this bounty will be so appropriated as to 
effect the greatest amount of improvement. 
Time will not allow me to say all I intended to have 
done, but in a future number may resume the subject. In 
conclusion, permit me to remark, that to insure the 
greatest amount of benefit to this branch of husbandry, I 
cannot conceive any better plan than the one indicated 
above, as it will afford a wide field for competition, and 
the owners of the different breeds of cattle will have an 
ample opportunity to test their real merits, and then the 
great mass of farmers will be able to decide for them¬ 
selves whether the Durhams, Herefords, Devons, Ayr- 
. ...... * • . . . t. shires, or Natives, possess the best dairy qualities, as this 
number would be six thousand s,x hundred. Iron, (he I inforn ’ lalion woul ’ d ‘ be spread out in the reports of the 
inquiry I have instituted, I am led to the conclusion that 
the dairy cows now in use in this State, do not average 
more than from four to five pounds of butter a week, for 
seventeen weeks, say from the 1st of May to the 17th of 
August. Call it five pounds, and the average product for 
17 weeks of each cow, would be 85 pounds, and the to¬ 
tal product from the 6,600 would amount to 561,000 lbs. 
which at 12-| cts. a pound, would amount to $73,320. 
Asa still further illustration, by a reference to the 
same official document, it appears that there were in the 
State of New-York in 1840, 1,911,244 neat cattle. By 
applying the same rule as above, (one in ten for dairy 
purposes,) there would be in the State 191,124 dairy 
cows. Suppose the product in butter to be an average 
of 85 lbs. for each cow for the 17 weeks, the tolal quan¬ 
tity produced from the 191,124 cows would be 16,234,- 
540 lbs., which at 124 cents a pound, would amount to 
$2,029,692. 
Now if the milking qualities of the dairy stock of the 
county of Rensselaer should be improved so as to pro 
duce 10 lbs. of butter a week, for the period above sta¬ 
ted, the product from the same number of cows would be 
1,122,000 lbs. which at 12£ cents a pound, would amount 
to $134,640, creating an increased amount of product of 
$67,320 in the county of Rensselaer alone lor the profit 
of those engaged in this branch of husbandry. 
By an application of the same rule of calculation to the 
dairy stock of the Slate of New-York, the result would 
stand thus. The product in butter would be 32,469,080 
lbs., which at 12£ cents a pound would amount to $4,- 
059,385, exhibiting an increased product to this branch 
of husbandry in the State of $2,029,692.50 for the 17 
weeks, and a considerably larger amount per annum. It 
transactions of the State Society. This being faithfully 
done, each individual could not fail to be able to decide 
which is the best dairy stock; he could then make his se¬ 
lection understandingly, and improvement could not fail 
to be extensively promoted through the State and the en¬ 
tire Union. 
Troy, January 5, 1845. 
INSECTS INJURIOUS TO WHEAT. 
Mr. Tucker —During the summers of 1843-44, the 
wheat in this neighborhood had suffered considerably 
from the depredations committed by a small green worm 
about an inch in length; its head is brownish green, with 
two brown spots upon it. The worm ascends the stalk 
of wheat soon after it has put out in head, cuts ofl the 
head and feeds upon the lop of the standing part. 
If the evil increases as rapidly in future as it did last 
year compared with the year before, there will be but a 
small chance for any wheat in this section of country. I 
do not know of any person having seen any other crop 
injured by the worm, neither did any one observe them 
before the heads of wheat had fallen, nor know what they 
had previously fed upon. Some think they are what have 
been called the army worm, but I have been unable to 
find any description of that species in either the late num¬ 
bers of the Cultivator or Farmer's Cabinet. If you are 
acquainted with such a mischief-maker as I have some¬ 
what described, will you please favor us with any infor¬ 
mation or any remedy, if there is one. 
In some fields, one- fifth of the heads of wheat were 
eaten off; and the Mediterranean was more injure* thsa 
