DEPARTMENT

OF

AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE.

REPORT

Of the special committee of the American Institute upon the farming animals offered for premiums at the Nineteenth Annual Fair.

The committee would premise, that by the direction of the Board of Agriculture, it was found to be expedient and necessary, to draw up instructions for the guidance of the various committees in the awarding of premiums, inasmuch, as hitherto it has been found that animals of inferior value, as regards blood or pedigree, had often had medals and plate bestowed upon their owners contrary to propriety; it was therefore decided, that rules hereafter should be prescribed, and the following directions were submitted to the gentlemen appointed as judges in conformity to the above intent, viz:

Instructions to judges of stock at the Annual Fairs of the American Institute. Adopted September 29, 1846.

The Board of Agriculture would respectfully address the committees appointed for the awarding of premiums upon the various breeds of animals which may be submitted for inspection, upon the necessity of adopting certain fixed principles and rules in deciding upon the merits of each description of Stock.

Hitherto, premiums have been awarded in many cases, when the animals were below mediocrity, and without due attention to the purity of blood or of origin; an error which, for the future, the Institute proposes to correct. It is therefore decided, that in all cases where an animal may not be of the first grade as a breeder, as regards form, size, blood, &c., no standing medal or plate shall be

awarded: but, where a case should arise of great merit in a part blood animal, a diploma setting forth facts may not be withheld, and should be granted.

As regards fixed principles and rules, the board of Agriculture lay down the following, viz:

First. All experience shows that "like begets like."

Second. That from a "mixed blood animal" no reliance can be placed in procreating a distinctive breed.

These principles the board of agriculture request of the committee to carry out in all cases.

Relative to the horse, of all animals, these rules must be applied; as, from experience, the blood horse, or the horse of Arab origin, is that cast of horse from which all others have descended, and, to continue the race in perfection, the blood must remain pure.

From the full blood horse is derived beauty, speed, wind, strength and endurance, and to preserve these qualities, it is necessary to be careful as regards pedigree, and not to pass one about which there is any doubt, as is practiced in Arabia from all time to the present day.

A full blood horse, crossed upon a half breed mare, produces the famous chargers and hunters of England. A half blood is useful for the gears and all quick work; but the heavy, large, bulky, slow, dray horse of Flanders and England are found to be unprofitable in this country for every purpose. Our famous trotters are generally three parts thorough bred, and they distance in speed and stoutness all horses of any country.

The attention of the committee is called to another breed of horses, of a unique description, and unknown out of this country-the Canadian horse. This horse has, by chance, become almost a distinctive race, and remarkable in having two gaits-the trot and the pace, united often in the same animal, and of great swiftness. His blood has been derived from the crossing of Norman and English blood horses upon Narraganset mares; consequently you see commingled in the Canadian, the coat, hoof, speed and wind of the blood horse, and of the Narraganset; the broad chest, short back, large bone, and full, plump muscles of the Norman.

From the Narraganset he takes oftentimes, his high spirit, and the Narraganset was derived from the Andalusian horse, (of Moorish origin,) transported by Spain to America.

Thus the committee have the rule above laid down exemplified in the Canadian horse, and the utmost care should be observed in authenticating his pedigree, and medals or plate should be awarded him.

Relative to cattle, it is thought to be advisable to grant premiums to races of pure bloods, viz:.

First. To the English short horned Bakewell breed.

Second. To the Devonshire pure blood.

These are races of animals, proved to be excellent for various purposes in this country, either kept pure in blood, or in crossing with native cattle.

Third. To native cattle of well authenticated breeds, as excelling for the yoke, the dairy, or for beef.

In all cases, proof of pedigree and statements of breeding should be required before granting premiums.

Fourth. For Herefordshire, Ayrshire, and all other cattle, a premium will be left discretionary with the committee.

Of Sheep.-The varieties are many, and should be carefully attended to as regards pedigree, form, size, and fineness of wool. The latter now becoming a staple commodity of our country, should in an especial manner be attended to. Samples should be taken by the committee and carefully ticketed and reported on, to be lodged at the Institute for general information. A detail of the names of the exhibitors, and their proofs of breeding, should be placed in the hands of the committee to entitle to a premium.

Swine.-Hogs are so valuable for their flesh, fat and oil, not only for domestic use, but as staple commodities, that the Institute think the committee should be very particular in inquiring relative to the most prolific and valuable breeds.

It has been usual for persons at agricultural meetings, to make themselves witty and merry on making up their reports on swine, most ridiculous in conception and abortive in declamation. That an

animal so valuable, and so necessary in producing staple commodities for a country, should be subject to ridicule, seems to have arisen from a false taste.

In this country, swine have been well reared, and for a long series of years fattened to a greater weight than known in other countries; and the flesh too, as pork, better than any other, from the fact of being fattened with Indian corn, the best food known for feeding the animal. The proof is in our late commerce with England, showing that prejudice has fled, and that American pork and hams are really to be tolerated, inasmuch as they have been found to be more firm, and as the English call it, "better fed," than their own Irish or English pork.

It is left for the committee to investigate and make known what breeds are found to be best, whether from Yankee land, the Middle, Western or Southern States, for the profit of the farmer, as there is no longer need to call on Europe or any other country for amelioration of our breeds of swine.

These instructions were not acted on by the committees to the extent intended by the agricultural board, as returns only of premiums were sent in, without giving reasons for granting the various awards, or on whom conferred, as was the intent and wish of the agricultural board; it therefore becomes necessary on the part of the special committee, to give descriptions of the animals, as well as to whom they belonged, not only in justice to them, but to the community at large. We commence with the useful and fanciful animal, the

Horse.

There were many varieties of the horse on the ground which gave high interest to the scene. The first premium of the silver cup was awarded to Mr. Robert L. Stevens, of Hoboken, N. J., for his horse Tornado, by American Eclipse, dam, Polly Hopkins, by Sir Archy; a thorough bred stallion of great beauty, possessing most of the requisites sought for, and required in the blood horse; thus much is said as a passing notice of this horse, but something more is due to Mr. Stevens, the owner of him, inasmuch as that gentleman to carry out an object of improvement, sent the dam, Polly Hopkins, to England, (where Tornado was foaled,) in order to meet the best stallion in that country, and she returned per packet, with her foal by her side. This fact is worthy of record, and shows that we have men in our community, who without regard to expense,