370 
THE CULTIVATOR 
given with advantage. Especially are they beneficial 
when the ewes are heavy in lamb, or after lambing, if 
grass is not ready. It is not. however, desirable to have 
the breeding ewes too fat; but we are sorry to say this 
is a caution too little needed—more flocks being injured 
by scant and non-nutritious food, than by over feeding. 
— Gen. Farmer , 
Worcester Agricultural Society. 
A large pamphlet of 78 pages, embracing the Transac¬ 
tions of the Worcester (Mass.) Agricultural Society, for 
1851, exhibits the energy and enterprize of this local body, 
which contrasts strongly with the condition of some other 
county societies, whose whole annual proceedings consist 
of two and a half columns in the village newspaper, one 
week after the fair. 
The following interesting facts, drawn from the pages 
before ns, cannot fail to be acceptable to our readers: 
Among the animals exhibited, was the bull Sampson, 
only 19| months old, but possessing the remarkable 
weight of 1,400 lbs. It was raised at North Providence, 
R. I., and is owned by II. B. Lyman — u perfectly symme¬ 
trical in shape, and seems to possess, in a rare degree, 
the qualities of a good breeder.” We are not informed 
of his breed. 
A cow belonging to Joseph A. Reed, five years old, one 
half native, one-fourtli Ayrshire, and one-fourth Holder- 
ness, yielded in nine days, early in summer, 15 lbs. 15 oz. 
of butter; and during 9 days early in autumn, lOlbs. 14 
oz. of butter. Another cow, of native breed, yielded 
during the same periods, 12 lbs. 15 oz. and 11 lbs. 4 oz. 
respectively. W. S. Lincoln exhibited two cows, mostly 
native, which yielded as follows:— 
1st cow Ayrshire) yielded in 9 days in June, 266 lbs. 
milk, yielding 12 lbs. 9 oz. butter. 
2d cow yielded in 9 days in June. 299 lbs. milk, yielding 
18 lbs. 14 oz. butter. 
1st cow yielded in 9 days in September, 233 lbs. milk, 
yielding 11 lbs. butter. 
2d cow yielded in 9 days in September, 236 lbs. milk, 
yielding 9 lbs. 15 oz. butter. 
They had no feed but pasture, with cornstalks added 
in autumn. The preceding year, the first cow gave more 
than 6 lbs. of butter during the same periods over the 
present year. How much better would a herd of such 
animals as these be on a farm, taking their manure as 
well as milk into consideration, than entire dependence 
on grain crops. Experiments like these, accurately 
recorded after weighing or measuring, would soon give 
any farmer a great deal of valuable information. 
On the subject of plows, we have the following remi¬ 
niscence from the report of Levi Lincoln, chairman of the 
committee, who, after speaking of the high improvements 
made by Ruggles & Co., and others, remarks: u Within 
the period of the present generation, John Wesson, of 
Grafton Gore, had a reputation little less marked, within 
the limited extent of his capacity to supply, than is now 
enjoyed, far more deservedly and widely indeed, by our 
own Ruggles & Mason, yet how immeasurably different 
in power and completeness the implements of their re¬ 
spective production ! Wesson’s plow was of wood, with 
an iron coulter and share only. The mould-board, if se¬ 
cured at all from accident and sudden force, or rapid de¬ 
Nor, 
struction by wear, was left to be protected, in the judg¬ 
ment or convenience of the purchaser, by a plating of 
rusty iron hoops, or worn and inverted horse-shoes, or 
such like appliances, quite as effectual in their nse, to the 
resistance of the power of draft, as to the endurance of 
the instrument.” 
The committee on poultry furnish the following items 
of statistics;—The amount of sales of ponltry at the 
Quincy Hall Market, Boston, in the year 1848, was 
$674,423. The amount of sales for the whole city of 
Boston, the same year, was not less than one million dol¬ 
lars. The amount of eggs sold during the same year at 
Quincy Hall Market, was 1,129,785 dozen. During the 
same year, the whole value of eggs, consumed and ex¬ 
ported in France, is estimated at 57 millions dollars; the 
amount invested in poultry in the United States, $12,- 
176,170; in Great Britain, $50,000,000. 
An estimate is presented, showing the relative cost and 
value of oats and carrots, which makes the cost of one 
acre of carrots of 500 bushels at $25 more than for an 
acre of oats of 40 bushels. Calling the oats w r orth 35 
cents per bushel, and the carrots half that or 17^ cents, 
we have $68 worth of carrots per acre against $14 worth 
of oats-. Every seedsman, we would suggest, should get 
the substance of this statement which we have here given, 
printed in large letters on his boxes of carrot seeds, 
that u he may run who reads’’—that is, run his carrot- 
drill in putting in extensive erops- 
On the Rearing of Mules for Market. 
It is not probably generally known, that the rearing of 
mules is one of the most profitable occupations, engaged 
in by American farmers; and that the supply does not 
keep pace with the demand. The principal markets are 
those of the cotton and sugar growing states; and for the 
California and Oregon emigrants, who take the overland 
route. At the present time a three year old mule, stand¬ 
ing thirteen hands high, and of good action, will readily 
bring $100, and those standing fourteen hands high, and 
well broken to harness, and possessing good points, com¬ 
mand from $120 to $130 each. The great endurance of 
the mule; their adaptedness for hot climates; the great 
age to which they attain; the ease and cheapness with 
which they are raised, and their hardy constitution, to¬ 
gether with the high price obtained for them, and the in¬ 
creasing demand, all tend to make it a business worthy 
the attention of those engaged in pastoral life. But very 
little science appears to be employed in the propagation 
of this species of animal hybrid; and the best course to 
effect a change, would he for agricultural societies to 
award liberal premiums for the best formed, and largest, 
and most active specimens; and to encourage the impor¬ 
tation of the largest sized and best made jacks from the 
south of Europe. To secure large and well made mules, 
the first consideration is to obtain the services of a large, 
active, and neatly made jack; and the next point ©f im¬ 
portance is to select the largest and most sprightly mares, 
and the progeny from such a description of stock would 
afford a race of mules that would command the highest 
prices, and for all kinds of labor in a hot dry climate, 
would be incomparably superior to horses for all kinds of 
severe drudgery, and especially for farm labor and road- 
