THE CULTIVATOR. 
Ill 
The writer of this article has the pleasure of a partial acquaintance 
With Co], Powell, as well as some knowledge of his herd of short-horns, 
having seen them several times within two or three years past; and 
thinks he can safely say, that there is no person, not even excepting 
your correspondent himself, that more highly appreciates Col. Powell’s 
praiseworthy exertions, or that would set a higher value on his herd 
of short-horns, than he does; but he must be permitted to think, (until 
better informed,) that your correspondent has, in his remarks, travelled 
somewhat out of his way, in making an effort to raise the reputation 
of Col. Powell’s herd, at the expense of those imported by the Ohio 
Company, when he says—“Those imported by the Ohio Company, 
and passed through this city last summer, would not compare with 
these in symmetry of form or blood-like appearance, although they 
■were obtained at high prices.” As your “ correspondent,” does not say 
what city he has reference to, when he says “ this city,” he may have 
fallen into an error in his comparison ; if he means Philadelphia, where 
the sale of Col. Powell’s stock took place, the Ohio Company had no 
cattle to pass through that city last Summer; if he means Albany, 
where the Cultivate! - is published, the Company had not more than 
three that passed through that city last summer, and they were then 
mixed with some ten or twelve others, some of which were, and some 
were not imported, and some of them of inferior quality. But if your 
correspondent means to say that the Company’s three cattle which 
passed through Albany last summer will not compare with the cattle 
sold at Col. Powell’s sale, “in symmetry of form or blood-like ap¬ 
pearance,” including every other essential good quality, pedigree, 
hair, handling, &c. then we differ with him in opinion, and in order to 
test our judgments, would be willing to meet him at the most conve¬ 
nient half-way place, be it east, west, north or south, and let good and 
impartial judges decide between us, for any premium he may think 
proper to name ; provided, it be amply sufficient to defray all expenses 
in attending such meeting, paying judges, &c. &c. We will not only 
meet him on equal terms, but will give him the advantage: he may 
name twelve of the worst of the twenty in the catalogue; the three 
next worst would of course be better than an average of the whole; 
against these three, we will exhibit three of the cattle that passed 
through Albany last summer, and if the premium be awarded to us, 
he may bring forward the next three travelling upwards, for the same 
amount; and in like manner the next three. There will then be the 
best one of the twenty-two left; against this one, if your “correspon¬ 
dent” wishes, we will select one imported by the Ohio Company or 
stockholders, and exbibit for the same premium. 
Your correspondent might possibly have had reference to the Ohio 
Company’s importation, that passed through Philadelphia the summer 
before last; if so, he will be met if he wishes, on any fair terms, with 
a part or the whole of that stock. 
The Ohio Company never has, and we believe never intended making 
any effort to raise the reputation of their importation at the expense 
of any other, but wish to let every importation, as well as their own, 
stand on its own merits; but at the same time they are not willing to 
stand mute, and let others pursue a different course at their expense, 
without a fair trial. 
If your “correspondent” has fallen into any error as above suggested, 
he will be good enough to say so; if not, any communication lie may 
think proper to make through the Cultivator, or any other channel, will 
be attended, by his friend and obedient servant. OHIO. 
MEADOW vs. TILLAGE. 
J. Buel— Dear Sir — In the August number of the Cultivator a writer 
has placed the grass crop produced by top dressing, in competition with 
the alternation of crops, with a view, if I understand him, of assuming 
a more profitable course of agriculture. 
To persuade men to change their mode of agriculture, correct and 
fair statements should be made, and these from actual experience and 
facts. I do not think it expedient to discourage the cultivation of the 
grass crops. An increase is desirable, for without them, there is an 
end to agricultural improvement. They are, in fact, the main support, 
whether considered for grazing or fodder. 
The writer referred to has not made a fair statement. I consider it 
unfair, because he has taken only one year of the grass crop, and al¬ 
lowed nothing for an increase of the crop, after applying the top dress¬ 
ing. The quantity of hay is too small, and the labor charged 100 per 
cent too high, and the labor for tilling the corn and oats as much too 
little. 
I will venture a few remarks from my own knowledge, and let the 
result speak for itself. 
An acre of good grass land, suitable for top dressing, and worth $100 
the acre, will produce 4 tons of hay annually, for at least 100 years. 
I will take a four year’s crop, (the term taken for the alternate crop of 
corn, oats and grass.) 
One acre, 4 years, crop 4 tons annually, 16 tons, at $15,.... $240 00 
Expenses —16 cords manure,.$32 00 
Carting and spreading same,. 4 00 
Interest on land, 7 per cent,.. $28 00 
Cutting and curing hay,............... 32 00 
96 00 
Leaving,...... $144 00 
Which gives an annual profit of $36 per acre annually, nearly, three 
times the profit on C’s alternate system. The price of labor I have 
charged at $1 a day, for securing the hay and putting on manure, and 
allowed one per cent more interest on the price assumed for the land. 
This price for labor would not till the corn and oats. I also make 
the price of hay $7 a ton less than C. and three dollars a ton less than 
he charges in the alternate crops. The “fall feed” I estimate at no¬ 
thing, as no feeding should be suffered. 
The quantity of manure I know, is sufficient to produce the annual 
crop named, eight cords to be spread every second year. There may 
exist a great error in top dressing grass lands, and this error should be 
corrected, (which I shall not at present attempt to do.) I think, how¬ 
ever, it ought not to be discouraged. There may be a want of judg¬ 
ment or experience in the cultivator in selecting lands suitable to this 
mode of culture. I do not know of a more profitable crop that can be 
pursued permanently, than grass, allowing the price of hay to be $15 
the ton. Indeed at $12 the ton, I believe it one of the best crops in 
New-England, that can be pursued for a long succession of years. I 
would not be understood, that I wish to discourage the system of alter¬ 
nation of crops. I consider it of the first importance; but this must be 
done on lands wholly unfit to be kept in grass by top dressing, any 
length of time. 
I have no doubt there are many, very many, practical farmers, who 
have long experience and much skill in top dressing grass lands, who 
could if they would, give some very valuable and correct information 
on the subject. 
In fact, in some parts of New-England, I know it is the principal crop 
of the farm| and considered altogether the most valuable, and no land 
under any system of cultivation that I have known, will or can produce 
so valuable a crop of hay as good natural mowing, kept under a top 
dressing of manure and loam. YINDEX. 
Brookline, C t. August 24, 1836. 
EXTRACTS. 
CLINE ON THE FORMATION OF ANIMALS. 
The form of domestic animals has been greatly improved, by select¬ 
ing with much care the best formed for breeding ; but the theory of im¬ 
provement has not been so well understood, that rules could be laid 
down for directing the practice. There is one point particularly, re¬ 
specting which, the opinions of breeders have much varied, which is, 
whether crossing the breed be essential to improvement. 
It is the intention of this communication to acertain in what instan¬ 
ces crossing is proper, and in what prejudical; and the principles on 
which the propriety of it depends. 
It has generally been supposed that the breed of animals is improved 
by the largest males. This opinion has done considerable mischief, 
and would have done more injury if it had not been counteracted by 
the desire of selecting animals of the best form and proportion, which 
are rarely to be met with in those of the largest size. 
Experience has proved, that crossing has only succeeded in an emi¬ 
nent degree, in those instances in which the females were larger than 
in the usual proportion of females to males ; and that it has usually 
failed, when the males were disproportionably large. 
The internal form of domestic animals has been much studied, and 
the proportions are well ascertained. But the external form is an indi¬ 
cation only of internal structure. The principles of improving it, must, 
therefore, be founded on a knowledge of the structure and use of in¬ 
ternal parts. 
The lungs are of the first importance. It is on their size and sound¬ 
ness, that the health and strength of an animal principally depends : 
their power of converting food into nourishment, is in proportion to 
their size. An animal with large lungs, is capable of converting a giv¬ 
en quanity of food into more nourishment than one with smaller lungs : 
and, therefore, has a greater aptitude to fatten. 
THE CHEST. 
The external indications of the size of the lungs, are the size and 
form of the chest, the form of which should approach to the figure of a 
cone, leaving its apex situated between the shoulders, and its base to¬ 
wards the loins. 
The capacity of the chest depends on its form more than on the ex¬ 
tent of its circumference, for where the girth is equal in two animals, 
one may have much larger lungs than the other. A circle contains 
more than an ellipsis of equal circumference, and in proportion as the 
ellipsis deviates from the circle, it contains less. A deep chest, there- 
"fore, is not capacious, unless it is proportionately broad. 
