THE CULTIVATOR. 
149 
poses—to make them acquainted with each other, and with each oth¬ 
er’s skill and workmanship—they telegraph knowledge of all useful im¬ 
provements, and of the skill and genius of our citizens, and the re¬ 
sources of our country. The annual address was delivered by Caleb 
Cushing, Esq.; and previous to the delivery of the premiums, Col. 
Knapp made some remarks very pertinent to the occasion, and illus¬ 
trative of the progress of the useful arts among us. These addresses, 
with a list of the articles particularly distinguished, are published in 
the November number of the Journal of the Institute. We subjoin 
some of the sentiments given at the anniversary supper, as sound in 
principle, and happy in expression. 
“ The state of New-York—The greatest, may she ever be the bright¬ 
est, link in the chain of our confederacy. 
“The city of New-York—Great in prosperity, but greater in adver¬ 
sity—the devastations of conflagration is only a prelude to increased 
magnificence. 
“ American manufactures—The vigorous offspring of national indus¬ 
try and enterprise—they are now repaying a thousand fold the parental 
affection which guided their infancy. 
“The great science of political economy—The art of establishing, 
cherishing and perpetuating all other arts for the public weal. 
“ The compromise bill—A family reconciliation; a covenant of peace, 
which the honor and faith of the north and south are alike pledged to 
defend against all assailants. 
“Internal improvements—They will rivet the union faster than a 
thousand political tinkers.” 
From Col. Knapp’s extemporaneous remarks, we extract the follow¬ 
ing, descriptive of the spirit of the age: 
“Yesterday, as I wound among this display of these magnificent arti¬ 
cles, I happened to hear a young gentleman, of no ordinary appear¬ 
ance, make this remark -. ‘ Why is so much parade made in the exhi¬ 
bition of these articles? Have we not always been making of them?’ 
The answer I now give: No; we have not, until lately, commenced, 
the manufacture of them. Look carefully to the history of our coun¬ 
try; and the evils and vassalage we have suffered will rise in strong 
forms before us.” * * * 
“The whole of the workshops in this country, twenty years ago, 
could notf have conjointly got up a fair worth seeing, of anything out 
of the common course of heavy articles for field or ship use. In cloths, 
long after we had acquired the art of raising fine wool, and of spinning 
and weaving it well, the dyeing and dressing was not understood. Now, 
improvement is following improvement so rapidly, that that which was 
once difficult, or thought impossible, is now an easy task. Man now be¬ 
gins to understand the dominion he received from his Maker—it was not 
only over the beasts of the field, and the fowls of the air, and the fish 
of the sea, but ‘over the earth;’ intending that mind should have 
power over matter, as long as matter should exist. 
“ Mind has now commenced the labor of subduing the earth, the first 
injunction given to man. Mind is making great efforts in the mighty 
exertion to subdue the earth. Steam-boats, rail-roads and locomotive 
engines, have made inroads upon both time and space. The fears that 
once disturbed the political economist, that the surface of the earth 
would become oppressed by a full population, are all scattered to the 
winds, by new methods of subduing the earth and of sustaining man.i 
Ingenuity, science and industry have now done as much for the inde¬ 
pendence of our country, as our fathers’s spirit, and our fathers’ arms, j 
With our internal improvements, finished and going on, and with our 
factories in full operation, we may put in some claim for national in¬ 
dependence. No matter what foe may come, we can repel him, and 
live within ourselves. Knowing this, none will come.” 
A practical Treatise on Sheep — intended as a guide to the selec¬ 
tion, formation, and systematic management of the breeding, wether and 
grazing flocks, with observations upon the culture of turnips, and, the uti¬ 
lity and the advantages of the sheep-fold—by John Willsteed. The 
author, we understand, has for many years been an extensive sheep 
husbandman in Great Britain, and seems to be well versed in that bu¬ 
siness ; and the pamphlet, in the main, purports to be a detail of Bri¬ 
tish practice. Although not altogether applicable to American sheep 
husbandry, it nevertheless abounds in details that are calculated to be 
highly useful, and well worth the price demanded for it. The author 
seems not to be apprised, that turnips sown early in May, never here 
make a good crop, and that sainfoin is not suited to our climate and 
soil. - - _ 
CATTLE AND SHEEP HUSBANDRY. 
Opinions of eminent Breeders , Graziers, <§-c. collected and condensed for 
the Cultivator. 
The horns of cattle are general designations of distinction and vari¬ 
ety, and are supposed to denote particular qualities. Thus, English 
bullocks are distinguished as long, half long, short, and middle horned, 
wide or broad-horned, polled or hornless. The grand distinctions are 
however the long and the short-horned, which seem generally implicat¬ 
ed with peculiar properties of milk and hide. Thus the long-horned 
cows produce a richer milk, in course a greater proportional quantity 
of butter and cheese, and a thicker hide, than the short-horned; which 
last, however, afford larger quantities of beef, milk and tallow. The 
flesh of the long horns is generally more compact and solid, and finer 
in the grain, than that of the short; whilst in the last particular, fine¬ 
ness of grain, they are both far excelled by several middle-horned vari¬ 
eties— Lawrence—as the Devons for instance. The rule has excep¬ 
tions. The Norman and Alderney cows present a very strong one. 
With short horns, they afford a very rich milk, equal to the best lOng- 
horned cows, with a larger proportional quantity.— lb. We have found 
the milk of a herd of cows, under the same keep, tested by the lacto¬ 
meter, vary in the proportion of cream, from nine to fifteen per cent. 
The colour of cattle seems perfectly immaterial, Jn the view of utility, 
unless we allow the common exception of white and light colours, on 
the score of tenderness. I have frequently seen black cows the largest 
milkers; and have at this time before my eyes an ancient one of Hold- 
erness, milking at the rate of nine gallons a-day.— lb. The breed first 
introduced into this state by the original Dutch settlers, is believed to 
partake largely of the Holstein. It still affords many first rate milkers. 
The appellatives, most common are ox, bull and cow—bull and heifer 
calves. A young castrated male, after the first year, is called a slot, 
stirk or steer—at five years old, an ox. A female, after the first year, 
is called an heifer, or quoy; at four years old, a cow. Coarse and 
sturdy cattle are often termed runts. Bullock is the general term for 
all full grown cattle, male or female, fat or lean.—16. The definitions 
are given as often necessary to understand British writers upon cattle. 
The criteria of a good milch-cow, are, according to Lawrence, what¬ 
ever be the breed, a capacious and thin udder, large teats, with a large 
and distinct milk-vein; accompanied with a fineness of the head and 
chops, thinness of the neck, and somewhat gaunt and meagre appear¬ 
ance of body, promising no great tendency to fatten, la coni', on, 
where great tackle is,found, that is, a fine and large udder, sufficient 
milking need not be doubted—if food to make milk is abundant. 
By improvement of the breed of animals is meant the gradual change 
of form and property, in their progeny, until they shall arrive, as near¬ 
ly as possible, to a certain standard of presumed perfection. This is 
to be effected on the principle of like producing like, by a conjunction of 
male and female, of the desired species, form and properties, some 
steps or points being gained in every procreation. The male, of course 
being able to multiply likeness to such extent, must be the prime in¬ 
strument in the business. It is therefore of the utmost consequence 
that he be thorough bred, or thorough shaped; and the female ought 
to be selected with the strictest care, since, although her qualities can¬ 
not be considered of so great consequence as those of the male, yet, it 
must not be forgotten, that perfection is not to be attained but from 
perfection on both sides.— lb. These considerations are of much mo¬ 
ment to those who endeavor to excel in their animals. Nothing, con¬ 
tinues our author, can be more groundless than the notion, “ that all 
breed goes in at the mouth,” inferring that all excellence depends on 
keep. It would be equally rational to say, that size and form depend on 
food. 
The importance of a good breed, should induce the farmer, says Law¬ 
rence, as the safest and shortest course, to part entirely with an infe¬ 
rior stock, and to replace with a species nearest to perfection, at any 
price. For, he adds, a ram, which from his perfect shape aud quality 
will improve his progeny immediately, to the amount of one-quarter 
additional value in each individual, taking into account the extent of 
the compound, progresive improvement, may be far cheaper at fifty 
than a common bred one at a single guinea. 
The Devons are the speediest working oxen in England, and will trot 
well in harness. In point of strength they stand in the fourth or fifth ' 
class. Their excellence for labor is best proved by the fact, that in 
North Devon and Somerset, where they most abound, the fashionable 
substitution of horses in farm labor has made no progress. They are 
in high repute as feeders, and for the superior excellence of their beef 
which has been acknowledged for ages. Robert Bakewell paid them 
the highest compliment they could possibly receive, by declaring to an 
inquirer, that the Devons could not be improved by any alien cross 
Being a hill cattle, they are hardy, and better winterers than their ap! 
pearance would seem to warrant.— Lawrence. Among the best herds 
of Devons in the United States, that we are apprised of, are those be¬ 
longing to Messrs. Humberts, of Winchester, Ct. and to Mr. Patterson 
near Baltimore, Md. We also saw fine animals of this breed on the 
farm of Mr. Garbutt, in Wheatland, Monroe. 
The Hereford cattle partake of Devon blood, though larger than the 
Devons in size. They are the most powerful working oxen, and are 
nearly as quick upon the foot as the Devons. They are good feeders 
profitable to fatten, but bad milkers. We do not know that any Here- 
fords have been introduced into the United States, though, as working 
oxen, their propagaton here would be of public utility. 
The Holderness, according to Lawrence, originated in the 18th cen- 
