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improvements in the breeds of English cattle, which had, for a half century been going on in Great Britain, had not attracted the notice of our countrymen, owing chiefly to the depressed state of agriculture among us.

Should it be asked, what was the general character of the neat cattle introduced by our ancestors into America, we reply, in the language of the Editors of the Massachusetts Agricultural Journal: "It is well known, that the agriculture of England, was then in a low state, compared with its present condition. Successions of crops were nearly unknown; root crops for winter fodder were, we believe, entirely so. The prices of cattle were small, no great encouragement had been given to improve the breed. It is probable, therefore, that the cattle imported were not of a very improved race.'

"On the other hand," continues the above Journal, "there can be no doubt, that our climate and pastures are well adapted to the preservation of cattle, in as good a state as when imported, and rather to improve them. This we infer from the fact, that they are so fine, rather than from any general reasoning derived from our climate and soil; and still less from our treatment of them. If we regarded those only, we should say, that the heat of our summers, and the length and severity of our winters, were unfavorable to an animal, impatient of great heat and severe cold, and thriving much better on green succulent food than. on dry meadow hay.

"It may perhaps, be matter of surprise, that our horned cattle have been preserved as perfect as they are, considering the little attention, which for more than a century, was paid to them. That the cattle of England, at the present time, are far superior to our own, as a body, can scarcely be questioned. Great attention has been paid, in that country, to the improvement of horned cattle; and strange, indeed, would it be, if the efforts of more than half a century had been without effect."

Within a few years, an interesting controversy was carried on, between two gentlemen of great distinction, as enlightened and patriotic agriculturalists-Col. Pickering, and Col. Powell, to whom we have already referred.

Under a conviction of the superiority of the English breeds of cattle, especially the improved short horns, the latter gentleman had, at much trouble and expense, introduced several of that species into the country. Others, also, with similar views, had taken a similar course; and several importations had, from time to time, been made of different foreign breeds, under the impression that our native breeds of cattle might be more speedily raised in their qualities, by crossing with the above, than to select only the best of our native breeds and improve upon them.

The views of Col. Pickering were different. In a communication to the Editor of the New England Farmer, on the subject of improving our native breed cattle, Mr. Pickering remarks: "Were but two or three farmers, in every township in the state, to turn a zealous attention to it, the object would in a few years be accomplished-whereas, half a century or more might elapse, before a general improvement, by foreign crosses would be effected. It remains, too, to be ascertained, whether any other breeds really deserve the preference, in New-England, to our

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native race, improved as may be, and in so much less time, than will be possible, by means of a small number of imported cattle."

The controversy between these two gentlemen, growing out of their difference of opinion, was conducted with great ability, and numerous facts were collected, which had an important relation to the different positions, which the respective gentlemen had taken. It is not the design of the editor of this work to estimate the merits of either view of the subject, with reference to a settlement of the question involved. The reader will find the papers, relating to this controversy, in the third and fourth volumes of the New England Farmer, and an able review of the controversy by the enlightened Editor of that paper, in the latter volume, uncommonly interesting and instructive.

It was our design to introduce to our readers, notices of several of the most celebrated animals, which have been imported into this country, within a few years, with reference to an improvement of our breed of neat cattle. But, not being able to obtain portraits of them, we must content ourselves, in this edition, with a brief notice of only the two following:

COKE DEVON BULL, HOLKHAM.

This is a correct drawing of the celebrated bull, whose name we have given above. He was purchased in the fall of 1819, by Samuel Hurlbut, & Co. when seven months old, of William Patterson, Esq. of Baltimore. He was sired by Torrence, and out of a cow, both of which were imported by Messrs. Patterson and Caton, in June 1817. They were a present from the celebrated English Agriculturalist, the Hon. Mr. Coke, Member of Parliament, from Norfolk. Much of the fine Devon stock, in this country, has been derived from the above bull,

The above is a portrait of the thorough bred Improved Durham short horned bull, Wye Comet, from an original painting, by Fisher, in the possession of Henry Watson, of Windsor, Con., to whom the Editor is indebted for a full pedigree of the animal, but which want of room must exclude.

Wye Comet was begotten in England, but was calved in the United States, in November, 1822. His sire was Blaize, dam, White Rose, by Warrior (bred by Charles Champion Esq.) g-d by Mr. Mason's Charles; gr. g-d. by Prince; gr. gr. g-d by Neswick.

White Rose, the dam of Wye Comet, was imported by John S. Skinner of Baltimore, in the spring of 1822, by whom she was sold to the Hon. Edward Lloyd, of Maryland. Wye Comet was sold in 1823, by the latter gentleman, to John Hare Powell, Esq. of Philadelphia; and in 1826, was purchased for the sum of $500, by Messrs. Ward Woodbridge and Henry Watson, Esqrs. of Connecticut, to whose patriotic exertions, and pecuniary sacrifices, the county of Hartford is indebted for much of its fine stock of various descriptions, for which it is becoming justly celebrated.

In stocking a farm, the first object should be to consider the amount of stock which the farm will keep, and keep in good condition; as it is not only highly disreputable to a farmer, but injurious to his interests, to keep a stock of meagre, half starved cattle.

This point being settled, regard should next be had to the kind of stock which is desirable; and this will be determined by considering, whether you wish to rear cattle for the fair, or for supplying the market.

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These two particulars being settled, the farmer should consider the following things:

I. Beauty, or symmetry of shape; in which the form is so compact, that every part of the animal bears an exact consistency, while the carcass should be deep and broad, and the less valuable parts (such as the head, bones, &c.) ought to be as small as possible. The carcass should be large, the bosom broad, and chest deep; the ribs standing out from the spine, both to give strength of frame and constitution, and likewise to admit of the intestines being lodged within the ribs; but yet not so much as to be what is called high ribbed, as the butchers consider it an indication of deficiency in weight of meat. Further, the shoulders ought not only to be light of bone, and rounded off at the lower point, but also broad, to impart strength, and well covered with flesh. The back also ought to be wide and level throughout; the quarters long, the thighs tapering and narrow at the round bone, but well covered with flesh in the twist; and the flank full and large. The legs ought to be straight below the knee and hock, and of a moderate length; light boned; clean from fleshiness, yet having joints and sinews of a moderate size, for the united purposes of strength and activity. In these points all intelligent breeders concur; but, as beauty of shape too often depends on the caprice of fashion, it is more requisite to regard,

II. Utility of form, or that nice proportion of the parts which has already been noticed.

III. The flesh, or texture of the muscular parts; a quality which was formerly noticed only by butchers, but the knowledge of which is justly deemed essential by the enlightened breeders of the present day; and although this quality necessarily varies according to the age and size of cattle, yet it may be greatly regulated by attention to the food employed for fattening them. As a knowledge of this requisite can only be acquired by practice, it is sufficient to state, that the best sign of good flesh is that of being marbled, or having the fat and lean finely veined, or intermixed, when the animals are killed; and, while alive, by a firm and mellow feel.

IV. In rearing live stock of any description, it should be an invariable rule to breed from small-boned, straight-backed, healthy, clean, kindlyskinned, round-bodied, and barrel-shaped animals, with clean necks and throats, and little or no dewlap; carefully rejecting all those which may have heavy legs and roach backs, together with much appearance of offal. And, as some breeds have a tendency to generate great quantities of fat on certain parts of the body, while in others it is more mixed with the flesh of every part of the animal, this circumstance will claim the attention of the breeder as he advances in business.

V. In the purchasing of cattle, whether in a lean or fat state, the farmer should on no account buy beasts out of richer or better grounds than those into which he intends to turn them; for, in this case, he must inevitably sustain a very material loss, by the cattle not thriving, particularly if they be old. It will, therefore, be advisable to select them, either from stock

*As this word may probably often appear in the course of the subsequent pages, it may not be altogether irrelevant to state, that it implies a skin which feels mellow, i. e. soft, yet firm to the touch, and which is equally distant from the hard, dry skin, peculiar to some cattle, as it is from the loose and flabby feel of others.

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feeding in the neighborhood, or from such breeds as are best adapted to the nature and situation of the soil.

VI. Docility of disposition, without being deficient in spirit, is of equal moment; for, independently of the damage committed by cattle of wild tempers on fences, fields, &c., which inconvenience will thus be obviated, it is an indisputable fact, that tame beasts require less food to rear, support, and fatten them; consequently every attention ought to be paid, early to accustom them to be docile and familiar.

VII. Hardiness of constitution, particularly in bleak and exposed districts, is indeed a most important requisite; and in every case it is highly essential to a farmers interest to have a breed that is liable neither to disease nor to any hereditary distemper. A dark color, and in cattle which are kept out all the winter a rough and curled pile or coat of hair, are, in the popular estimation, certain indications of hardiness: but it must be obvious to every thinking person, that this quality, though in some respects inherent in particular breeds, depends, in a great measure, upon the method in which cattle are treated.

There is, indeed, a rather prevalent opinion, that white is a mark of degeneracy, and that animals of the most vivid hues possess the greatest portion of health and strength; in proof of which it has been instanced that among mankind, a healthy habit is visible in the floridness of the complexion; as sickness is perceptible in the paleness of the looks, and the decripitude of age in the whiteness of the hair. It has also been remarked that gray horses are commonly of a tender constitution, until crossed with darker breeds; and that among the feathered tribe, the common poultry, with high colored plumage, are in all respects superior to the white. But it has been justly observed in reply, that the powerful Polar bears, and many of the strongest birds, as the goose and swan, are white nor will it escape observation, as more immediately touching the present subject, that the wild cattle are invariably of that color; and that the highest bred Herefords are distinguished by white faces.*

VIII. Connected with hardiness of constitution is early maturity, which however, can only be attained by feeding cattle in such a manner as to keep them constantly in a growing state. By an observance of this principle, it has been found that beasts and sheep, thus managed, thrive more in three years, than they usually do in five when they have not sufficient food during the winter, by which, in the common mode of rearing, their growth is checked.

IX. A kindly disposition to take fat on the most valuable parts of the carcass, at an early age, and with little food, when compared with the quantity and quality consumed by similar animals. On this account

*It is stated, in the Agricultural Survey of Leicestershire, England, as the remark of a scientific observer of the cattle usually bred in that county," that those of a deep red, dark liver color, or black, with tanned sides, are the hardiest, and have the best constitutions; will endure the severest weather, perform the most work, live to the greatest age, and fatten on such food as would starve those of weaker colors." But in opposition to this we have, in the Annals of Agriculture, the assurance of Mr. Campbell, a practical and extensive breeder, that, upon repeated comparative trials, "he has had bulls, oxen, and cows, of a white breed, as healthy and hardy as any others."