194 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
resemble the Devons, the race of New-England cattle.’ 5 
Do the Devons or the New-England cattle approximate 
m “ size and breadth of loin” to the Durham ? A sin¬ 
gle instance of the kind, might well be deemed an ex¬ 
traordinary one. 
I will not refer to Marshall, Lawrence, Culley, Lou¬ 
don, or the other older English writers, because it may 
be objected that the breed has changed since their day. 
It may be remarked, however, that they speak of the 
Herefords, in the same general terms with Mr. Youatt.* 
I might cite the opinion of many eminent English bree¬ 
ders, residing in this country, in corroboration of their 
opinions, but shall not do it on this occasion, as it would 
occupy much space, in an otherwise sufficiently extended 
article. 
I will now ask, if the concurrent testimony of all the 
standard English writers on cattle, ancient and recent, 
corroborated too by the statements of many eminent 
breeders, do not prove what the Herefords have been,— 
have been too, if we may rely on the authority of Mr. 
Youatt, until within six years. If it is pretended 
that any so great and radical a change has been ef¬ 
fected during that period, does it not devolve on him 
who asserts it, to show and to prove when, and where 
and how that change has been effected ? 
If a few specimens of animals, called by the name, 
are relied on alone to prove it, the question arises, 
what certainty have we that they truly represent the 
breed, or that they are pure blooded and unadulterated 
animals? A Short Horn cross, for instance, engrafted 
on the Hereford, might work wonders if the color was 
attended to ? It would offer a very convenient solution 
of the physiological enigma of converting a small, shape¬ 
less and milkless cow, into a stately, broad hipped and 
deep milking animal, all within the space of six years ? 
I do not pretend to state that such a cross has been made, 
because I know nothing about it. Mr. Sotham doubt¬ 
less ascertained the character of the men he dealt with. 
That Hereford oxen, and in some instances cows, have 
recently received many prizes from English Agricul¬ 
tural Societies, I have no disposition to deny or conceal. 
The oxen in such cases are exhibited in reference to 
their ripeness for the hands of the butcher. The Here¬ 
fords are conceded on all hands to be a breed that feed 
kindly, and that they should occasionally receive prizes 
is much less surprising than would be the fact, that 
they did not. But if a Hereford cow has triumphed 
over the Durhams, as a dairy cow, it is certainlv a new 
thing under the sun, provided the Durhams were pro¬ 
perly represented. I presume that no breeder of Here¬ 
fords in this country, will be found willing to challenge 
the breeders of Short Horns to such a contest. 
But suppose we concede the point, that a few Eng¬ 
lish breeders have approximated the Hereford to the 
Short Horn in size, shape, early maturity, &.C., the 
question immediately presents itself, cui bono ? If the 
Durham already possesses certain properties, in the 
greatest attainable degree, what is the practical bene¬ 
fit of forming a new, or remodelling an old variety, on¬ 
ly to attain the same properties ? Is it not better to avail 
ourselves of the skill and industry of those who have 
gone before us, commencing where they left off, than it 
is to spend our whole lives in trying to overtake them 
by a road of our own ? What should we say of that 
student of mathematics, who, disdaining to avail him¬ 
self of the labors and discoveries of a Newton and La 
Place, should begin de novo with the nine digits, and 
attempt to build up a mathematical system of his own! 
But is it contended, that the Hereford, if made to 
equal the Durham in its peculiar points of value, will 
superadd to them that hardihood and muscular power 
peculiar to the old Herefords? This cannot be. It is 
contrary to physiological laws, which every man’s ob¬ 
servation has recognized. The wild boar of the desert, 
or the pencil immortalized “Land-pike” of Mr. Allen, 
is a better traveller and possesses more muscular 
power than the quiet and fat-secreting Chinese hog. 
The untamed Argali, that subsists among the rocks and 
glaciers of the Alps, is an animal of greater endurance 
and muscular energy than its descendant, the New-Lei- 
cester sheep. That course of breeding which modelled 
the Chinese hog, the New-Leicester sheep, or the Dur¬ 
ham ox, has, and inevitably must, deprive the animal 
from which they descended, of that fleetness, strength, 
and endurance of the rigors of climate, which was ne¬ 
cessary for their protection, before they were subjected 
to the dominion of man. 
The Hereford, if converted into a Durham, will 
cease to be a Hereford. Marshall, in giving his 
eulogistic description of the capabilities of the Here¬ 
ford ox for labor, did not write of a quiet, sleep loving 
animal, which would become a lump of fat at two years 
old. Mr. Clay, in referring to the same point, said 
nothing of animals possessing the size and broad loin 
of the Durham, and one year’s earlier maturity.! He 
spoke of a race “ resembling the New-England cattle.” 
But after all, I am not quite convinced that the Here- 
fords have been converted into Durhams. If Messrs. 
Walker, Hewer, and other breeders in Gloucestershire, 
had possessed such animals six years since, it is astonish¬ 
ing that they should have escaped the notice of Mr. 
Youatt—if they have been created (so to speak) since, 
it is little short of miraculous. On the bleak highlands 
of Gloucester, no breed has been cultivated, with any 
very marked success. In the vale of Berkley, (a name 
* Without the trouble of making a reference, it it is my im¬ 
pression, that Cully speaks of them much less favorably. 
t As asserted by Mr. Sotham 1 
so cherished by all,the lovers of good cheese !) the pre¬ 
vailing breed is a compound of nearly every thing, the 
old Gloucester, Hereford, Devon, Durham, Leicester, 
Suffolk Dun, North Wilts, &c. Mr. Youatt says ex¬ 
pressly, “ there are (in the vale of Berkley) no Here¬ 
fords for the pail, a few Devons, some Suifolks, some 
North Wilts, and the rest Gloucesters, with various 
crosses.” And not a word does he say, of a race of 
Herefords in this county, equaling the Durhams in size 
and form, “ filling the pail as high as most of them,” 
of one year’s earlier maturity, &c. &c. 
Now who shall decide when doctors disagree? Mr. 
Youatt has certainly given as much attention to a com¬ 
parison of the English breeds as any other individual— 
is thought in England, to be about as well qualified to 
arrive at a correct decision as any other individual, 
and above all, had no personal interest in the result. 
This last consideration is one of no little import. “It 
is according to our gifts,” as the Pathfinder would say, 
that every man’s goose should have a most swanlike as- 
spect to himself. I do not doubt the propriety of Mi. 
Sotham’s motives, or the sincerity of his convictions. He 
doubtless believes as he would have us believe. He 
deserves high credit for his enterprise in introducing so 
valuable a stock of cattle. But when he calls upon us 
to give up opinions supported by all the best English au¬ 
thorities—opinions until now unquestioned, he must be 
sensible that we have a right to demand something be¬ 
sides the authority of an interested witness. 
Yours truly, HENRY S. RANDALL. 
Cortland Village, Nov. 16, 1840. 
MR. SEARLE’S APIARY. 
Messrs. Editors —Having received a polite invita¬ 
tion from Mr. John Searle, of Franklin, Merrimack 
co., N. H., who is now on a visit to our village, to call 
and examine an Apiary of his construction, and its ap¬ 
pendages, built on the plan patented by him in 1838, I 
called Sept. 10, when he showed me the Apiary, and po¬ 
litely explained its construction and pointed out to my no¬ 
tice the several improvements on which his patent was 
obtained. It can hardly be necessary to say that I felt a 
sensation of extreme delight when I saw a large swarm 
of bees, that were found in the woods and taken up the 
day before I visited him—the bees all saved alive, 
brought some miles to his Apiary and united with an 
old stock of bees in a hive that contained a sufficient 
quantity of honey to keep them all through the winter; 
and readily uniting their efforts with the old stock to pro¬ 
vide and lay up more. To see these little laborers (that 
during the season have showed themselves patterns of 
of industry and provident care,) made thus to contri¬ 
bute to man their nectar sweets, and still remain pre¬ 
served unharmed for future labors and future rich divi¬ 
dends of most delicious sweets is grateful to the humane 
heart. 
The taking of the honey from this Apiary, without 
the least harm to either the bees or the remaining honey 
or comb in the hive, is a great improvement by which 
we can “ live and let live,” and rejoice while we partake 
of the “spoils,” that the despoiled were not cruelly sub¬ 
jected to torture by fire and brimstone, but may still 
live on the fruits of their own industry and rear their 
tender young, for the honey taken from them is made in 
boxes or specie jars, which are fitted to the top of the hive, 
and the egg or larvae of the bee is always deposited in 
the cells of the comb in the hive, and so of the bee- 
bread. 
By the peculiar construction of the Apiary and its ap¬ 
pendages, and their ingenious arrangement, the bees are 
completely protected from the depredations of their nu¬ 
merous enemies, the bee-moth, mice, &c. and made com¬ 
fortable through every change of season, and being pro¬ 
tected also from robbers of their own species. They are 
well pleased with their own home, and of course when 
they swarm they do not seek another. 
The samples of honey shown me, made by the swarms 
in specie jars, were exceedingly beautiful. They had 
almost the whiteness of snow; and its purity from 
specks or stains ; from the peculiar construction ot the 
Apiary and the arrangement of the hives, the owner 
can visit and inspect their industrious inmates at all 
times, free from danger of the sting, as the bees 
have no access to the room in which the hives stand, but 
are seen through panes of glass, set in the side of the 
hive and covered by a nicely fitted sliding blind so as to 
exclude every ray of light from the hive. 
This invention is warmly recommended by Governor 
Hill, and many other names that rank high in office, in 
science and in arts in New Hampshire, and approved by 
experienced apiarians wherever it has been exhibited ; 
and after a close examination of its several parts and 
conveniences I would cheerfully say in the words of 
Governor Hill: “ It is believed Mr. Searle’s invention 
is an improvement on all others, for the convenient pro¬ 
tection and keeping of that highly useful little animal, 
which might be advantageously multiplied in all our 
towns.” 
This Apiary was 12 feet long and 10 feet wide—cost 
$25. The hives made in a workmanlike manner, cost 
25 cents each. In short the edifice and its appendages 
were economical and ornamental in every acceptation 
of both the terms; for on this plan of managing bees 
the small and late swarms are united in the fall season 
with an old hive or a large swarm that has a store of 
honey for winter, enough for both. 
Description. —Construct an Apiary of any required 
dimensions :—Elevate it 2 feet from the ground on posts 
of wood or stone—frame your sills and plates ; if you 
plank the body with 1£ inch plank you will need no 
posts ; make a tight roof with shingles—lath and plaster 
the body outside and inside with a good lime and sand 
cement, to exclude insects and and keep the temperature 
regular ; lay a double floor, with the same cement spread 
between—on this floor raise an elevation on three sides 
2a feet wide, adjoining the walls, say 4 inches; and 
spread a coat of cement on the same for the hive to 
stand on. On the other side is the door, well fitted, 
with a lock and key. Four feet above this floor is a 
gallery running around the same three sides for a second 
tier of hives; the floor prepared in the same manner 
as the lower elevation. Once in 10 feet on every side 
is an opening or ventilator, covered with a tin plate per¬ 
forated like a grater, or a wire screen, to exclude the 
moths. The spouts for the bees to enter, are made of 
1| inch plank, 6 inches wide and ten inches long, having 
two passage ways grooved in the top, 2 inches wide and 
|ths of an inch deep—leaving in the middle a strip to 
support the cover. This spout passes through the wall 
and floor at an angle of 22 degrees entering the room 3 
inches from the wall, is made tight with cement and 
white-washed inside and out with a mixture of quick 
lime, ley and salt; a lighting stool is placed at the low¬ 
er end of the spout, having the same angle; one foot 
above this is placed a board 12 inches wide and sloping 
so as to shelter the bees and the spouts ; the ventilators 
must have blinds to close them at pleasure. 
The hive is made of inch stuff, thoroughly seasoned, 
clear from knots and shakes or seams—16 inches square 
—well planed and halved together at the corners—the 
joints hollowed inwards and filled with the above mix¬ 
ture—across the top are two parallel bars 1 inch square, 
to support the cover, which is ith inch thick. These 
hives are 12 inches deep or 6 inches as the proprietor 
may choose, and being all equal of size may be set one 
upon another as they become filled. These have a glass 
light with a sliding blind to each. Beside the hives 
there are boxes say 14 inches long and 4i inches wide, 
adjusted to a false top or cover, with passage ways 
for the bees to each box. These boxes are covered af¬ 
ter being adjusted to the top of the hive with a box the 
size of the hive, which effectually screens the three box¬ 
es on the hive from the light, the bee-moth and air. Be¬ 
sides these there are specie jars, adapted with their 
mouths downward to openings in a false cover, and cover¬ 
ed in like manner as the boxes to exclude the light. 
For a description of these adapters, the dividers, the 
feeders and all the et ceteras used by the ingenious pa¬ 
tentee, the inquirer is referred to a small and cheap 
book entitled, “A new and improved mode of construct- 
ing Bee Houses and Bee Hives, and the management of 
the same, by John Searle.” 
N. B. To be found at Breck & Go’s. Agricultural Ware 
House, No. 52 North Market-street, Boston. 
The boxes will hold about 9 lbs. and the jars 3 lbs. 
each, and I can state from actual observation that a 
swarm of bees in this Apairy hived about the middle of 
June last, had on the 10th of September filled one hive 
16 inches square and 12 inches deep—one hive 16 inches 
square and 6 inches deep, nine specie jars, 3 lbs. each j 
and were then engaged in filling a third hive 16 inches 
square and 6 deep, this last being half filled. 
R. T. COMSTOCK. 
Sherburne, N. Y. Sept. 1840. 
THE TREE CORN AND ROIIANS. 
Messrs. Gaylord &, Tucker —From the extent of 
the correspondence to which my article on the beet root 
and Tree corn has introduced me, published in your pa¬ 
per a while since, I am disposed to believe that a know- 
ledge of the result of my experience with these articles 
will be acceptable to some of your readers. I have there¬ 
fore forwarded it, to be disposed of as you please. 
In the spring, I prepared an excellent piece of ground, 
of uniform quality, and planted it in three equal propor¬ 
tions with Tree corn, Red Blaze, and Dutton. The 
season has been a long one, and very favorable to the 
growth of corn. The whole came forward and appa¬ 
rently prospered well. I have now completed my har¬ 
vest, and here follows the result. The Dutton gave me 
seventy bushels of the finest corn I ever saw, per acre; 
the Red Blaze gave me fifty, and the Tree corn twenty- 
five bushels. Last year the Tree corn gave me 106 
bushels, more than 50 of it sound and good, to the acre, 
with stalks more than 10 feet high, and very thick and 
stocky, with numerous ears upon each. This year, the 
stalks are between 7 and 8 feet high, slender, with one 
ear, and sometimes a very small one besides, on each 
stalk. This result to me was very unexpected. I plant¬ 
ed from the finest corn to be selected, and calculated on 
an improvement, instead of so fatal a deterioration. 
All my neighbors suffered precisely with myself. Per¬ 
haps no corn ever planted in this latitude, if suffered to 
get ripe, will reward the husbandman so bountifully as 
the Dutton. For the last two years, I have observed it 
with much care, and find it about 12 days behind the 
red blaze, or white flint, in ripening, but vastly superior 
in product. 
In my catalogue of humbugs this year, I place the 
Rohan potato at the top. As this thing has taken so 
extensively, it is important that its true character should 
be promptly understood : and I will contribute my mite 
of experience to this object. My Tree corn dwindled 
into insignificance in a hurry, but the Rohan potato has 
beat it outright in this contest. In 1839,1 raised from 
seed had at Albany, at the rate of 800 bushels per acre ; 
the potatoes of course very large. This year, I planted 
from my last year’s product, one acre; and have now 
