1852 
THE CULTIVATOR 
241 
the gratification of my taste, and profitable occupation 
of leisure moments, I sold last year, chickens enough to 
clear thirty dollars on each of all the hens I kept. 
I have sometimes exhibited poultry at the fairs, and 
never failed of taking the first premiums. I make this 
statement not for the gratification of personal vanity, but 
for the encouragement of others, and to recommend poul¬ 
try culture to the poor as well as the rich, as an amuse¬ 
ment , innocent and pleasing—as an occupation profitable 
to the individual, and at the same time, conducive to the 
public welfare. But my object in writing, was to say to 
your readers, who feel an interest in this subject, that 
they may have the advantage of my experience, if they 
wish it, on the following subjects. The selection of breeds 
native or foreign, for ornament or utility. The fixtures 
necessary. The manner of keeping, feeding, &c., and 
how to make them most profitable to the owner. I will 
also inform them where the kind they wish may be pro¬ 
cured. Any assistance I may be able to render on these 
subjects will be entirely gratuitous, and the only person¬ 
al advantage desired or expected by myself, will be the 
pleasure of becoming acquainted with others of feelings 
and pursuits congenial to my own. John T. Andrew. 
West Cornwall , Ct., May 17, 1852. 
Letters from the Sandwich Islands—No. 2, 
The stock of the Hawaiian Islands, consists of horses, 
cattle, sheep, goats, swine, and dogs. Horses are very 
numerous, but generally are a small and poor race—lit¬ 
tle care having been taken to improve them. There are 
at present, however, some individuals who are interest¬ 
ing themselves in improvement of horses, and fine ani¬ 
mals have been imported from the coast of South Ame¬ 
rica, Oregon, and New r -South Wales. Except in a few 
instances, they are kept on fresh grass, or what they can 
find in ranging the country. Horses are chiefly used 
here for the saddle, as the roads in the country are poor, 
and do not admit of extensive travelling with carts or 
waggons. At Honolulu, however, horses are now being 
considerably used for the purposes of pleasure driving, 
and for conveying the goods of the business community. 
The best horses are valued at prices varying from $75 
to $150. Some have been sold for more than $500. 
The cattle of the Islands are a mixture of an English 
and a South American breed. The first introduced were 
by Vancouver; these multiplying, and being allowed 
to range the country unrestricted, have become wild, 
excepting such as have been herded, and kept for dairy 
purposes. The cattle now are generally owned by a few 
wealthy proprietors, and are the source of a large in¬ 
come—beef having sold in the Honolulu market during 
the last year, at 12^ cents per lb. In order that the pro¬ 
perty of respective owners maybe known, the cattle are 
all branded, and also horses—with various initials and 
devices, a register of which is kept at the office of 
the Governor of each Island. Many men are em¬ 
ployed to look after the herds—to lasso and brand 
them when necessary, and to drive them to market. 
The Hawaiians are very expert with the lasso, and are 
fine horsemen. Their chief fault is their abuse of both 
horses and cattle. Seated in a Spanish saddle, a pair of 
Spanish spurs on their heels, with rowels from three to 
five inches long, they are perfectly reckless of danger, 
and frequently ruin their beasts. In certain sections of 
the Islands, which are remote and unfrequented, the cat¬ 
tle are dangerous, and will attack horses and men; but 
as they are of more value than formerly, exertions are 
being made to tame them by herding. Oxen are much 
used for the purposes of draft; they are, however, mise¬ 
rably trained, and in many cases are kept constantly in 
the yoke. They are guided by a rope attached to their 
horns or nostrils. Being driven by the Islanders, whose 
ideas are not enlightened on the subject, the oxen are 
generally vicious. In .attaching them to a cart, the na¬ 
tive fears to enter between the oxen to raise the tongue, 
as from the treatment they receive, it is more than pro¬ 
bable that the fear of abuse, or a desire of revenge, will 
cause them to use their hoofs. The cart tongue is rais¬ 
ed by the weight of persons at the extremity of the cart, 
or else supported by a prop; the oxen are backed to their 
position, the ring adjusted, and the pin entered by a 
rope between the horns. There are some exceptions 
to their general bad training; where experienced foreign¬ 
ers are employed on farms, or plantations, there are 
some well trained pairs. In breaking steers, the na¬ 
tives, after having selected the mates, lasso and cast 
them to the ground—then drawing them together, they 
are yoked and permitted to rise; after being attached to 
a log of wood, they are allowed to run until fatigued; 
it is then easy to approach them; and if they are con¬ 
stantly obliged to draw, their training is soon completed. 
Cows are as improperly managed as the oxen. If not 
very docile, the cow is lassoed, and tied to a post—her 
hind legs are bound together, and her calf is let out from 
an adjoining pen to share with the milker, that she may 
give down her milk. So impressed are the Hawaiians 
with the idea of a calf being necessary to cause the cow 
to give down her milk, that I am not aware of any who 
pursue a different course. 
The cows are not a select milking breed, and only in 
a few instances, do they give more than eight or ten 
quarts per day. The calves are permitted to run with 
the cows during the day, and are separated at night. As 
a general thing, they are milked but once each day. A 
reform is, hovrever, being made in the management of 
cows, as dairying is one of the most profitable branches 
connected with agriculture. Butter is in great demand, 
at 50 and 62 cents per lb. Efforts are being made to in¬ 
troduce a better breed of cows, and orders have been 
sent to Oregon for a number. A great difficulty in the 
way of improving stock here, is the absence of fences 
over the country, and the scarcity of material in many 
sections wherewith to construct them. The idea of wire 
fences is now considered by planters and farmers. In 
some situations the prickly pear has been successfully 
tried as a hedge; but it requires some years to effectual¬ 
ly enclose and secure a field. 
The swine here are of many breeds, being constantly 
brought by vessels from different countries. English, 
French, American, and Chinese breeds, are here. Ex¬ 
cept in few instances, little care is taken of them—they 
run at large, and seek their own food. Some that are 
fed attain a large size, and weigh from five to six hun¬ 
dred pounds; but in general they are small, and vreigh 
