$76 SHEPHERD DOGS.-FREE MARTINS BREEDERS. making the grass palatable for his stock, corroborates the above, and that the cattle eat all the feed equally, and he thinks the expense of the plaster abundantly paid by fixing the ammonia in the manure, and preventing its evaporation. A mechanic had a piece of land which he purchased at a low price. It was covered with shrub oaks so thick, that one of your alligators or landpikes would have found a hard tustle to have worked his way through them. He hired an Irishman (the best of all laborers for such work) to grub them out-planted it with potatoes, and the next year after he had a large crop. He then sowed it down to timothy and clover, seeding heavily. It has produced for the last five years from 2 to 2 tons of hay per acre, at one cutting. He has plastered this land every year, and fed off the rowen. The past season he planted it with potatoes, had a large crop, and next year he hopes to get 100 bushels of corn per acre from it. A TRAVELLER. SHEPHERD DOGS. SPEAKING of dogs, I think the shepherd's dog the most valuable of his species, certainly for the farmer. Our dog Jack, a thorough-bred Scotch collie, has been worth $100 a year in managing our small flock of sheep, usually about 700 in number. He has saved us more than that in time in running after them. After sheep have been once broken in by, and become used to the dog, it is but little trouble to manage them; one man and the dog will do more than five men in driving, yarding, &c. Let any man once possess a good dog, he will never do without one again. The sagacity of the shepherd's dog is wonderful; and if I had not seen so much myself, I could hardly credit all we read about them. It is but a few days since I was reading in a Scotch paper a wonderful performance of one of these collie dogs. It seems the master of the bitch purchased at a fair some 80 sheep, and having occasion to stay a day longer, sent them forward and directed his faithful collie to drive them home, a distance of about 17 miles. The poor bitch when a few miles on the road dropped two whelps; but faithful to her charge, she drove the sheep on a mile or two farther-then allowing them to stop, she returned for her pups, which she carried some two miles in advance of the sheep, and thus she continued to do, alternately carrying her own young ones, and taking charge of the flock, till she reached home. The manner of her acting on this occasion was gathered by the shepherd from various persons who had observed her on the road. On reaching home and delivering her charge, it was found that the two pups were dead. In this extremity the instinct of the poor brute was yet more remarkable; for, going immediately to a rabbit brae in the vicinity, she dug out of the earth two young rabbits, which she deposited on some straw in a barn, and continued to suckle them for some time, until they were unluckily killed by one of the farm tenants. It should be mentioned that the next day she set off to the place where she left her master, whom she met returning when about 13 miles from home. The anecdotes of their sagacity are innumerable, and truly wonderful. I purchased a bitch of the tailless species, known as the English drover dog, in Smithfield market some two years ago. That species is much used upon the Downs, and are a larger and fleeter dog than the collie. We raised two litters from her, got by Jack, and I think the cross will make a very valuable dog for all the purposes of the farmer. They learn easily, are very active, and so far they fully answer our expectations. A neighbor to whom we gave a bitch of the first litter would tell her to go into such a lot and see if there were any stray cattle there; and she would go over the field, and if there were any there, detect them and drive them down to the house. He kept his cattle in the lot, and it was full 80 rods from the house. The dog was not then a year old. We had one of the same litter which we learned to go after cows so well, that we had only to tell him it was time to bring the cows, and he would set off for them from any part of the farm, and bring them into the yard as well as a boy. I think they would be invaluable to a farmer on the prairies. After raising two litters, we sent the bitch to Illinois. I hope farmers will take more pains in getting the shepherd dog. There is no difficulty in training. Our old one we obtained when a pup, and trained him without any trouble, and without the help of another dog. Any man who has patience, and any dog knowledge at all, can train one of this breed to do all that he can desire of a dog. Darien, January, 1844. T. C. PETERS. We hope that Mr. Peters will now send us the price of his dogs if he has any for sale, for we shall have a dozen inquiries within a fortnight after the issuing of this No. Well-trained shepherd or cattle dogs in this vicinity are worth from $25 to $35, and scarce at that. Puppies 3 months old, from $8 to $10. FREE MARTINS BREEDERS. BELIEVING that many persons are not aware that a female will breed that is twin to a male, I am willing through the Agriculturist to certify, that two instances of the kind have occurred within two years, both within my immediate neighborhood. In the first instance, I had no difficulty in ascertaining that the female was the larger of the two when first calved; the last I did not see for some time after they were calved, and the owner did not seem to recollect that there was any difference in the size of them. I am strongly inclined to believe that in both instances the males were somewhat inferior to the females in size when first brought forth. I have known quite a number of instances in which the females would not breed; but whether they, or the males to which they were twins, were the largest, I know not. Should it be a fact that when the female is the larger of the two, they are just as likely to breed TOPPING COTTON. as single calves, I think it would be worth knowing. One of my neighbors quite lately informed me that he had a pair, but supposing the female would not breed she was slaughtered, when it was found that she was in calf. JOSEPH COPE. Kirkleavington, Pa., 20th of 1st mo., 1844. TOPPING COTTON. THE December No. of your ever-welcome paper came to hand this day, and among its useful articles, my attention is drawn to that from C. McD., of South Carolina. I must first thank him for the kind manner in which he has alluded to my articles on the culture of cotton, as published in your work, and acknowledge to all whom it may concern, that I do indeed feel happy in having done some good; of having somewhat returned benefits for the very many I have received from farmers and farming papers. The amount of knowledge I have gained by personal experience is too limited to benefit any one; I am therefore indebted to books, papers, and men, for all I am able to retail second hand. Mr. McD. refers to the topping of cotton, and says he does not recollect that I touched on the subject. I did not; not that I thought its advantage at all questionable, but partly oversight, and partly because it was so seldom resorted to, that I feared to be considered as recommending anything questionable, thereby injuring the utility I hoped to accomplish in the articles written for your paper. In the summer of 1832, I think, Mr. Johu Thomas, of South Carolina, visited me, and among other practical lessons, he urged on me the utility of topping cotton-declaring that it would well repay for the time, whether it were cotton that would yield only 500 lbs. of seed cotton, or of that which yielded 2,000 lbs. To make his declaration as strong to others as to myself, I here state, that this gentleman at the date mentioned had some 200 hands, was a cotton-grower, and had cultivated it for some 20 to 30 years; on the rich lands of the Congaree, as well as higher up the country on Broad river; he was an intelligent man, and truly a warm-hearted southerner-he is now no more. In consequence of his urging me to try it on a small scale, as this country was new to both of us, I did so, and have had cause to follow it up ever since sometimes neglecting at the proper time, from pressing occupations, or the season. I kept no memorandum of the difference, though I commenced farming, by keeping notes; but I am confident if followed up, that it will be beneficial two out of three years; and on most lands, will not injure the third year. I give my reason why it may not benefit every year. If the season is wet after the time of topping, say from the 25th of July to the 5th or 10th of August, there will shoot up water sprouts, which will shade the under bowls so as to prevent them opening well; it will make a heavy top crop of bowls, which will cause the stalk to bend down, and if any wind comes with the rain, the stalk can not regain its upright position. If the season has been very dry, the cotton will pretty much cease growing by the time 77 of topping, and will not then be advantageous, unless done earlier-which, if I ever have another chance, I will try. Topping is advantageous for the following reasons: the forms or squares, and small bowls, will not be cast off so readily, the upper bowls will mature sooner, make less leaf to be falling on the cotton, and the top bowls, principally, will be larger than otherwise. Last year I topped cotton on the first day of August-this year I did not top at ali, owing to the wet season. I would not top cotton during a wet year, till I had more knowl edge on the subject, for fear of the water shoots, but would not hesitate if a dry one. BENEFIT OF MANURE FOR COTTON.-I have not seen marl used, but I can satisfy any one who doubts the effect of manures for cotton, and of cotton-seed especially-that no man ought ever to think of leaving a level farm, the house and friends of his childhood to seek rich lands. This year has been more favorable for thin lands, than usual; but whether for stiff clays is rather doubtful; and whether my manured land did better on this account, I know not-but here is the result. My orchard lot contains 24 acres, in which are an acre in grass, in a flower garden, and near in roads and gin-house; I therefore say there are 23 acres in cotton, 9 of which were manured with cotton-seed, and about one with barnyard manure. From the 23 acres I have gathered an average of 1,138 lbs. per acre. The poorest land on the place, and the poorest portion was manured; a part of the unmanured, say 4 or 5 acres, could not have averaged over 700 lbs. per acre. This field has been in continued cultivation since 1828; has on it some 270 peach-trees, 3 years old; 50 small pear, apple, and cherry, with some 30 large peachtrees; besides, two rows of morus multicaulus, forming an avenue to the house. If the trees were deducted, there would not be over 21 acres, which would give me 1,150 lbs. on an average; with enough more, if gathered, to make 1,300 lbs. Another field that is high and dry, gently undulating, cleared in 1833 or '34, and is much richer land, will not give me that average, and was at no period of its growth as good, as was the manured portion. PLEASURES AND ADVANTAGES OF REMAINING AT HOME.--Let any man "cypher" up the cost of moving-the cost of land--the cost of building→ the cost of clearing-to say nothing of the depri vations in a country where farms are to openthe loss of dear associates-our school-mates-and the time required to prepare for making money, and I venture on it, no sane man will move. I want to see many from those old countries here: not that, Indian-like, I wish them to suffer because I have, but that I want a thicker-settled country, and more demand for land. Yet with all this I would recommend them to improve at home where they now are; husband their resources; study the economy of manures, improved agricultural implements, stock, seeds, and the best rotation and management of crops. Would that man merit aught but opprobrium, who would urge his fellows to sever every tender tie that binds him to "Home, sweet home;" to even the "old oaken bucket" to the soil; to his associates and relatives, for the purpose of getting richer land, which, when cleared, and cultivated as is now done, will cause the young flock to wander again and in reality, only serve to support one generation? I say nay, and therefore urge it on our brother farmer C. McD., as on all others in that good old state, to make it a part of their regular business to save, gather, and make manure; they will find that three years of labor, with the cost and loss of moving, will give them such lands, that they will cling to the "old south state," even if they live in the "Peedee country-God bless you." LEIBIG'S LETTERS.-I have just finished reading Leibig's Familiar Letters, and a capital fine thing it is. I wish it had been published prior to his other works, as I think it would have been more generally beneficial; whereas, many who purchased the first works of his, have not read them through, and will suppose this to be a similar work. But the form of letters makes it indeed "familiar," and it treats on "familiar" subjects. M. W. PHILIPS. Log Hall, Miss., December 21st, 1843. In reply to inquiries, Dr. Philips' address is Edwards' Depot. If equally agreeable to our correspondents, we would recommend in communications made us, always dating from their Post Offices, when not that of their residence. They can then be written to by any one who wishes without further inquiry, and with a certainty of the letter reaching its place of destination. JOTTINGS IN ENGLAND. We here give the first of a series of articles that are promised us by a friend now travelling in England, and although written with all the ease of a familiar letter, our readers will find them to abound in valuable observations on the agriculture of Great Britain, the writer being one of our own most eminent agriculturist. We expect his tour will be extended to the Continent, and if so, we shall hope for a continuation of his observations there. ropean continental agriculture is almost unknown to Americans, and yet many valuable things are to be found there, well worthy the attention of our countrymen. Eu London, January 3d, 1844. ENGLISH HORSES.-Among other things, I have been looking round me with some reference to the relative excellence of the English and American horse, as alluded to in an editorial article which I remember to have seen in the American Agriculturist; and though I then doubted the correctness of your opinion, yet I now think, on the whole, that a certain class of horses here, answering to our horse of all work, is an inferior animal. I must, however, think that the strong English hunter, the great weight carrier, the noble animal that is master of sixteen stone, [224 lbs.,] across a heavy country, is of all others the very horse for our purpose; for in him are united size, power, activity, and courage, with all the clean and valuable points of a well-bred horse. At the cover-side. you may see gathered together, for the day's sport, some fifty or sixty such; but in my own country, some few occasionally cross my path, but nowhere, and on no occasion, is it the general character of our horses. When I consider the small difference in expense between raising good and bad animals, and the vast difference in their value when fit for market, I am only astonished at the short-sightedness of our farmers, and their "penny-wise and poundfoolish" principles of using a cheap stallion, by which they often save Ten Dollars, and as often lose Fifty. Good breeding must be based on good blood. The carriage-horses now in "town" are very ordinary, and are by no means as closely matched as they are required to be in the city of New York. But I am told that "Loudon is empty," and consequently the best horses are in the country; and I doubt not that in "the season," London contains more fine horses than any city in the world-nous verrons- -(we shall see.) UNSOUND FEET.—Of one thing I am well convinced, that there is very much more unsoundness of fect here than with us in America, which I am inclined to attribute to a large portion of our feet cool and moist, and saves them from the conwinter's work being on snow, which keeps the stant jar of a hard, unyielding road; while our comparatively cold open stables render them much less liable to inflammatory disease, affections of the eyes, and a thousand other ills attendant on thick clothing, and close, warm stables in a climate where the thermometer has not as yet ranged below 29 degrees. CLIPPING HORSES.-And now let me notice for the consideration of such of your readers as are interested in horses, the practice here called "clipping," which is in England attended with the best horses that have long, thick coats, and are with results in every point of view, especially with difficulty dried off after their work. The opera tion consists in clipping over the whole of the horse's coat from his head to his heel, with curved and other shaped scissors made for the purpose, raising at every clip the hair with a very flexible and rather fine-toothed comb, in order to its close cutting without notch or rib. The expense of nine dollars and a half, and is generally performed clipping a full-sized horse is two guineas, or about by three men, who commence at six o'clock in the morning of one day, working all that day through the night, and finishing about noon of the next day; their object in thus uninterceptedly continuing the work, is that they may take advantage of the animal's drowsiness to clip the more troublesome parts about the belly and flank, which in a ticklish horse might otherwise be difficult. One would naturally suppose that such an operation could not but be dangerous to the health of the animal, and that colds, coughs, &c., must ensue, but I was surprised to find that this was by no means the case, and that an extra blanket for a CULTURE OF CRANBERRIES.—SCARCITY OF SWINE AND SHEEP. 79 week or ten days, with a little more care while ture of them, and success up to this date? In the standing in harness, was all that was requisite to spring of 1840, I planted half an acre with roots, ensure the safety of the horse. After that he is put out in drills 18 inches apart, and 2 inches from even less liable to cold than before the clipping, each other in the drills. The following autumn, from the fact of his seldom sweating, and when 1841, I gathered 12 quarts of fine cranberries. he does do so, that he dries quickly, instead of The next autumn I gathered 28 boxes, measuring standing for hours in a long wet coat of hair. It one half bushel each box, of which 6 boxes were also in many cases makes a perceptible improve-sent to the American Institute, and were awarded ment in the cheerfulness, and consequently in the a diploma. The fall of 1842, I gathered 81 boxes action and work of the horse-gives him a most from the half acre, and again was awarded a dibeautiful, velvet-like, close coat-and much facili-ploma by the American Institute for such as I tates the groom's work of cleaning, &c., &c. ; in-showed. The past two years have been very bad deed, so generally is the advantage of clipping ac- seasons for the cranberry, the crop having fell knowledged, that even the mail and stage-horses short of its usual yield greatly; but not so much have this expense bestowed upon them; and not so as the common wild cranberry. I have set out unfrequently a cab-horse is seen half clipped, that plants every year since 1840, taking the most he may be the easier cleaned from the filth of thriving which I could find, and have always had London mud. Shaving has been resorted to for a good yield when the season was reasonably fathe same purpose, but is not so wel! liked. Sin-vorable. ging has been practised, and a very clever little instrument was invented for applying the flame; but of all the modes, clipping has the preference, though you find the singer in almost every stable for the ordinary purpose of trimming horses, and is, I presume, now to be purchased in New York; if not, I would recommend attention to it. INDIA-RUBBER BOOT.-Being now fairly in the stable, let me mention the patent India-rubber boot, as the very best and neatest protection I ever saw for an interfering horse. It remains in its place, fits close and snug to the ankle rounding in with the fetlock joint to the pasture. As far as my experience goes, after two or three years' use of them, it causes as little, or less chafe, than any others; and when worn on a black leg, draws very little attention to the infirmity of your horse which, by-the-by, is a very hateful one. What is more absurd than a horse going on three legs, and carrying the fourth, because he can not keep it out of his way? CULTURE OF CRANBERRIES. HAVING been frequently addressed by gentlemen in your state upon the subject of cultivating the cranberry, I beg leave through your paper to an swer them, by replying to the following queries of one of my correspondents just received. 1. Are the plants obtained from the berry? It is my opinion they are not, as I have repeatedly tried the experiment of endeavoring to grow them from the seed, and have known others do the same, but without success. 2. Is manure necessary in the rows or hill? I should think it was not, for our greatest yield of cranberries in their wild state, is obtained from cold sour lands. Any one wishing to obtain roots will please address me, stating the number of square rods they wish planted, when I will give my prices for the | same. SULLIVAN BATES. Bellingham, Mass., Jan. 25th, 1844. SCARCITY OF SWINE AND SHEEP. SWINE of all sorts have been selling high lately, and there is great inquiry for them now. Many think as times improve, and the farmers' spirits rally a little, that Berkshires will be in active demand again at fair prices. I should like to see for making shoat pork for the city market. There your opinion on the Chinese breed for this country, is an immense quantity of that kind sent to New York from this county in the summer months, alive, and in the early autumn months, dead. It is of a superior quality, being fatted from the refuse of the dairy. The Chinese breed, if we could get them to produce fast enough, would do us good. They are small and slow of growth; but they are easily kept, and we could therefore feed more of them-the pork of this breed is most delicious. There is more inquiry for sheep since the late advance in wool. It is supposed there is not one fourth the number of fine sheep in this county that there was eight years ago, and many will soon regret having so heedlessly destroyed this invaluable animal. Orange County, Jan. 19th, 1844. S. W. Instead of thorough-bred Chinese, we would recommend our correspondent to take a cross of them upon the Berkshires, as this produce would make just the thing for his purpose. We recently saw at Mr. Woolsey's, and also at Mr. Valk's, on Long Island, some beautiful specimens of the swine kind made in this way. We need not add the re 3. What time in the spring or fall should the roots be planted? I had always followed planting in the spring till the fall of 1842. The vines planted that fall yielded a few berries the succeed-peated experiments we made on our farm several ing autumn of 1843, but not so abundantly accord-years ago in thus crossing these breeds, as they ing to their time, as those planted in the spring. must be still fresh in the memory of the readers This, however, may be owing to the cold season of the agricultural journals. It is sufficient to say we had; for the cranberry here, generally, was that they were highly satisfactory, and found favor cut short last year. with all who desired a medium-sized animal. 4. The manner in which I commenced the cul The Curculio, (Rhynchanus Cerasi, Peck,) its natural history, habits, character, and the best mode of preventing its destructive ravages; together with remarks on the cause of the disease known as the Warty Excrescence, and suggestions to prevent its appearance. In a letter to the Committee on Fruits of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. By Dr. JOEL BURNETT, Southborough, Mass. THIS insect was called by Herbst, Rhynchanus Nenuphar by Peck, Rhynchanus Cerasi-but commonly goes by the name of curculio, or plumweevil, by horticulturists. He is a little rough, dark-brown beetle, has two small bunches or protuberances on his back, a rostrum or beak on which are two antennæ. (FIG. 11.) The Curculio of the natural size. He is so shy and retiring and unobtrusive in his character, in his beetle-stage, that he is not liable to be seen unless he is searched-for purposely, and this is the reason why so little is known of him generally. When you have discovered that he is operating upon the fruit, which you may know by his pe(FIG. 12.) culiar mark upon it, by assiduously watching, you may chance to see him cutting the incision with his rostrum, (fig. 12.) If you extend your thumb and finger toward him, it must be done very cautiously and slily, or before you touch him he will drop, as imperceptibly as a small shot would, to the ground. The Curculio in the act of making the semi-lunar incision with his rostrum, or beak. It should be remarked, that we do not know that he uses the fruit for his food, but chooses it as receptacles for his eggs. He begins his work upon the plum and apricot, as soon in the season as the small cap or covering, formed by the blossom, falls off, but not so soon upon the peach. Examining the fruit occasionally or daily, you are to know when he has commenced his work by his peculiar mark or incision, which is readily seen on fruit with smooth skin, as the plum, cherry, apple, &c., but on the peach it is known by a small drop of gum oozing from its surface. It. has been stated that the furzy surface on the peach, is a barrier or obstacle in his way, but it does not prove so here, as the injury which it sustains is quite general, unless protected. I say, then, he is known to be on the fruit-tree by his peculiar mark on the fruit. This mark is the wound he makes with his rostrum, which consists in raising up the skin of the plum to a small extent, under which he deposites an egg. The shape or form of this mark is semi-lunar or crescent-shape, and in the middle of this wound is a small discolored speck, where the egg is placed, (figs. 13, 14, 15.) (FIG. 13.) In the early part of the season, or during the month of June, his mark will be found near the apex, or point of the plum (fig. 13.) But after the plum has reached a considerable size, or from the 1st to the 20th of July, his mark will be found at the base, or near where the stem is inserted, (fig. 14.) This last-mentioned place the insect prefers, it would seem, from instinct, lest the plum, by its strong connexion to the tree, should not fall soon enough to secure the welfare of the grub within it; for this vital connexion is sooner disturbed by the worm than it would be if the egg had been deposited at the apex. When the egg hatches, the larva sometimes, it is presumed, falls from the nidus or nest, and the fruit remains unharmed; but most generally, in (FIG. 15.) (FIG. 15.) Incision near the apex in |