Facts for farmers; also for the family circle. A compost of rich materials for all land-owners, about domestic animals and domestic economy; farm buildings; gardens, orchids, and vineyards; and all farm crops, tools, fences, fertilization, draining, and irrigation

Front matter

S4v/

R6 v.l

1 i

Preface

THE AUTHOR TO HIS READERS.

"Facts for Farmers?" "What facts?" "What new theories have we here in a jionderous volume ? Is it iilled with dry dissertations about what farmers should or should not do?" "What does this author know about farming ?"

The author answers — the last question first. Nothing. Who does? He does not advance new theories. He only collects old ones. He has made a ponderous volume, not of dry dissertations, but of short, ci-isp facts. The book is full of little things ; gleanings from many fields ; from all the agricultural papers ; from conversations of farmers ; from talks at farmers' clubs ; from books a little ; from personal experience much ; — from the memory of a longlife devoted to the practice and study of agriculture, this volume is born. It is the fruit of years of labor in a great and good field. It certainly contains much that will be useful to all classes who till the earth, or live in farmers' houses. It should be in every rural home, as a work of reference. It is arranged in the most convenient form for this purpose. Each chapter comprises one general subject. Each section embraces a separate branch. Each numbered paragraph is complete in itself, and conveys an item of information. Each subject is completely indexed. As a whole, though containing much, it is not an encylopedia of agriculture. It does not pretend to teach all that a farmer should know. That must be learned by daily perusal of agricultural papers and books.

PREFACE.

Tliougli not perfect, farmers will find this book a useful one. If not invaluable, I hope it is one that they can not afford to do without. In its compilation, the author has enjoyed many facilities and much experience : he has also labored under many difficulties, while daily engaged as an agricultui'al editor of a great daily and weekly paper. You will find here stored up for future use many of the valuable little items that you have read approvingly in the Tribune, and many from other sources, useful to every farmer's family, and worthy of preservation.

Usefulness instead of elegance has been aimed at. I have given more facts than theories. I have often given the opinions of several upon the same subject, and, as some of these vaiy, I leave the reader to adjust differences.

In trying to avoid diffuseness, I have left much for inference, and purposely treated subjects iu such a manner as to induce readers to make further research. A word of explanation. At thq end of the volume you will find a list of agricultural papers, which the author had read for years previous to the commencement of this compilation. Also a list of individuals, some of whom are eminent authority in agricultural knowledge. From all these he has drawn matter, sometimes with, and sometimes without, credit to individuals, when facts have been condensed from their articles. Conciseness has been a study ; else, how could twelve hundred subjects be crowded into a thousand pages ? Those whose articles I have used, must not complain that I have pruned too closely, or failed to give credit in all cases where credit is due. I freely acknowledge my obligations to all.

This book is one that may be opened at any page, profitably, to occupy five minutes' leisure. It is printed in such large, clear type that it can be easily read. The author and publisher hope that it will be. Then it is illustrated as no agricultural book published iu America ever has been. Look at the many large, handsome.

PREFACE.

steel engravings ! These alone are worth the cost of the whole volume.

Farmers ! you ai'o earnestly invited to read, if nothing more, the titles and contents of chapters, and their subdivisions of sections. If you do that, and find nothing that promises instruction, lay the volume aside. If so far it is promising, turn over its pages, glancing at the black-letter titles of paragraphs. Of one thing be assured ; lengthy as the volume appears, it is not made so by extreme dilution ; the last chapter is better than any that precedes it. Throughout, no subject is lengthily treated ; no subject is treated that does not contain something useful to some one ; something that you can not always remember, but which you should always have at hand, convenient for frequent consultation.

To those who know the name of the author — and the number is large — I hope this book will be a welcome bequest. I hope it will be the means througli which that name may live in love and honor with your children and children's children around many an American hearthstone.

Of the author's portrait, a word. It is the publisher, and not the author, who inserts it. It represents him correctly, as he is at the age of nearly sixty.

In conclusion, I earnestly hope these Facts will be an acceptable offering to a very large number of those whose prosperity I would promote, for I am one of the Buotheriiood of American Farmers. To them it is commended, with the love and respect of their old friend,

SOLON ROBINSON.

New York, May 1, 1863.

Contents

PAGE 13

31 51

203 218

Section I.— INTRODUCTION TO FACTS ABOUT STOCK

Sec. II.— swine

Tliis section embraces facts about the best breeds, and best mode of feeding, gross and net weight, etc.

Sec. III. — COWS : What is a good cow, and how to choose one; food necessary; health;

Sec. IV. —BEEVES : Eeeord of the largest known, and their weights

Sec. v.— STATISTICS OF THE NEW YORK CATTLE MARKET, and Improvements in

Sec. VI.— FEEDING CATTLE AND CARE OF FARM STOCK : Selecting calves ; shelter ;

training ; kindness ; value of kinds of feed ; use of salt ; watering ; diseases of cattle. . . .

Sec. VII.— sheep HUSBANDRY : Breeds of sheep ; care and management ; weight of hay

Sec. VIII.— HORSES AND MULES : History of the horse ; varieties ; how to use ; proper tize ; color ; diseases ; treatment of colts ; how to shoe horses ; breeding horses and

Sec. IX. — POULTRY ; Full description of all kinds of poultry, and proper treatment

CHAPTER H.

SMALL ANIMALS AND INSECTS.

Sec. X. — BEES : Their history, use, and value, management, and reasons for keeping

Sec. XL— BIRDS : Reasons for preserving ; their food ; and laws for protecting

Sec. XII. — ENTOMOLOGICAL : Wliat are insect.^, and what kinds mfest and injure various crops, and how to detect friends from foes, and various remedies

Sec. Xin.— wild AND TAME ANIMALS OF THE FARM : Dogs, cats, rats, mice, moles, rabbits, squirrels, gophers, skunks, toads, goats, camels, and breeding fish for family use .

CHAPTER HI.

TUE FAEMERY.

TUE BUILDINGS, TAEDS, WELLS, CISTEENS, AQUEDDOTS, AND STIJUCTUEES NECESSAET TC CAEET ON THE BUSINESS OF THE FARM, BEIKFLY DESCEIBED.

Sec. XIV.— farm-houses : They should be convenient, roomy, light, ventilated ; their in-

.

viii CONTENTS.

Sec. XV.— cellars, CHIMNEYS, AND ICE-HOUSES ; How to Imihl them, and their

Sec. XVI.— the BAKN AND ITS Al'PURTENANCES : Location, size, and use of barns ;

Sec. XVII.— WA'IT.R FOR THE KAKMERY : Cisterns, size, cost, and how to build ; ,ique-

ducts and wells, how to construct ; hydraulic rams 308

Sec. XVIII. -STACKING AND STORING GRAIN ; CORN CRIRS, PIGGERIES, AND

PIG FEEDING ; SMOKE-HOUSE, AND CURING BACON ; FRUIT-DRYING HOUSE. 318

Sej. XIX.- ECONOMICU. FARM RUILDINGS : Balloon frames, concrete walls, and other

cheap styles of building ; how to make balloon frames, and their cost 32-5

Sec. XX.— ROOFS AND ROOFING : Paints and whitew.i.«h for farm buildings ; nails ; mor-

tar ; farm gates ; sawed shingles, their value, and hciw to preserve shingles 332

Stc. XXI. -LIGHTNING CONDUCTORS: Protection of farm buildings from fire ; windroills

and their use "... 842

CHAPTER IV.

DOMESTIC ECONOMY.

Sec. XXII.— the FOOD QUESTION: Quantity, quality, variety, adaptation, adulteration.

changes produced hy cooking, water for cooking, and effect on health 3-')l

Pec. XXIII -^THE BRE,\.D QUESTION : Varieties ; quality ; how to make bread and yeast,

Sec. XXIV.— SUBSTITUTES FOR BREAD, in green corn, dried corn, pop-corn, hominy, and

Sec. XXV.-EXCERPTA OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE FOR HOUSEWIVES : Economy of

lights; use of tea, coffee, and sugar; preserving fruits, pork, hams, and beef; remedies

Sec XXVI.- DOME?!TIC WINES, CIDER, AND PRESERVES : Rules of wine-making

from various fruits, and cider and vinegar making 419

Sec. XXVII.— HYGIENIC : Prep.aratiiin of food for the sick ; remedies for poisons, bites,

Sec. XXVIII.— ITIE DAIRY : Butter and cheese making ; how much milk for a pound of

CHAPTER V.

THE gaehen and its fkuits.

Skc. XXIX. -pleasure and PROFIT OF GARDENING : Origin and history of veg-

Sec. XXX.— GARDEN CULINARY VEGETABLES: Protection from insects; value of va-

rious things for food ; chiccory culture ; what should be grown in the garden ; number of

Skc. XXXI. —THE IXOWEK GARDEN: Varieties and cultivation of flowers ; suitable soil

and pi eparatifin ; lists of choice flowers ; flowers grown as a crop ^>00

_

CONTESTTS. ix

PAQK

Sec. XXXII. — LAWNS : How to make and how to keep them ; trees and plant.s suitable for

Sec. XXXni.— HOT-BEDS : Cold frames plant protectors ; how to make and use hot-beds . 62i Sec. XXXIV.— small FRUITS OF THE GARDEN : Currants, varieties and cultivation ; strawberries, variety and growth ; raspberries ; blackberries ; quinces 030

CnAPTER YI.

THE OKCHARD.

Sec. XXXV.— propagation, PLANTING, AND CULTIVATION OF TREES : Time to

Sec. XXXVI.— the AET OF PRUNING, GRAFTING, AND BUDDING : How and when

to prune ; how and when to bud and graft ; how to make wax 570

Sec. XXXVII.— APPLE AND PEACH TREES: Their general management; select list of

apples, and descriptions ; peach-trees, how to grow ; how to treat an old orchard 579

Sec. XXXVIII. — CHERRIES : Best varieties ; soil, situation, and cultivation ; history, use.

Sec XXXIX.— PEARS : Soil, situation, cultivation, and varieties ; select list of sorts; when

to gather and how to ripen ; is the cultivation profitable 601

Sec XL.— plums, NECTARINES, APRICOTS, MULBERRIES, AND OTHER FRUIT :

How to transplant fruit ; choice selection of plums 012

Sec. XLI.— MISCELLANEOUS M.ATTERS ABOUT FRUIT CULTURE : Cranberries as a crop ; how to grow them ; best varieties ; cider-making 021

CHAPTER VII.

THE VINEYARD.

Sec XLH.— HOW TO PLANT AND CULTIVATE VINES : What sorts to plant ; history of

varieties ; profits of culture ; grape-growing in California 030

Sec. XLIII. - CULTURE OF GRAPES FOR WINE : Rules for wine-making ; wine from various kinds of grapes ; rules of a French wine-maker ; rules of American wine-makers 657

CHAPTER VIII.

C E R E A I, I A .

Sec. XLIV.— wheat, RYE, OATS, BARLEY, MILLET, BUCKWHEAT : Preparation of soil and fertilization ; quantity of aeed ; harvesting, stacking, and storing ; thrashing and cleaning ; profits of wheat culture ; oats, how and when to sow ; cultivation of barley ; buckwheat ; millet 067

Sec. XLV. — INDIAN CORN: Its history; product; profit as a crop; when to plant, and how to cultivate ; great yield per acre. North and South ; how to store corn, and how to

_

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER IX.

THE GKASSES, THEIR CULTIVATION AND USE.

p Seo. XLVI.— mowing and pasture lands : Seeding land ; varieties of grass ; what is grass ; what kinds arc rgcommcuded for culUvation ; clover, its cultivation ; harvc-st-

ing seed

Sec. XLVIL— haying AND HAYING JLVCHINES : Hay caps ; stacking ; how much hay land should produce, and how much it is necessary to provide ; how to measure hay in bulk

CHAPTER X.

Sec XLVIII.— potatoes, TURNIPS, BEETS, CARROTS, PARSNEPS, ONIONS : How to plant and cultivate, and how much thuy should produce ; Iiistory of the potato ; character of varieties ; importance of the crop ; what seed should be used, and how planted ; suhstitutL'S for the potato ; sweet potato culture ; turnip culture ; carrots as a crop, and sowing and cultivation ; onions as a crop, how grown, and profits 78j

Sec. XLIX.— CHINESE SUGAR-CANE, AND SORGO-SUGAR MAKING : Preparation and time of planting cano; soil and situation; harvesting; manufacturing, and yield and profits as a crop ^"'--

Sec. L.— MAPLE-SUG^VR M^VKING : Tapping trees ; spouts, buckets, and boilers ; process of manufactuj'c ; cost, yield, aud profit of maple-sugar 8C5

CHAPTER XL

FORESTS AND FENCES.

Sec. LI.— trees AND TREE PLANTING ; WOOD OR COAL FOR FUEL : What trees to phrnt, and how and where ; descriptive list of trees; value of various trees ; how to make timber durable ; how to season fuel 845

Sec. LII. — FENCES : Their cost ; kinds most economical ; laws regulating ; how to make hedges, stone walls, wire fence, and farm gates ; how to kyauize fence posts ; waste of land aiound fences ; portable fence, its use 801

CHAPTER XH.

FERTILIZATION.

Sec. LIII.— THE ART, USE, AND ECONOMY OF MAKING, SAVING, AND APPLYING MANURES AND FERTILIZING FARM CROPS : Color, fineness, and moisture of manure affects its value ; nitrates, muriates, sulphates, lime, plaster, and bones, how to apply ; guano, its history and use ; muck, its value ; sea-weed and other matters ; value of salt ; special manures for various crops ; soiling to save manure ; manuring with clover ; water, its value as a fertilizer 877

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER Xm.

IRRIGATION. DRAINING. PLOWING. FARMING TOOLS.

PAQR

Sec. LIV.— irrigation AND TILE DRAINING : Value of irrigation ; its practice in Italy and otlier countries ; what lands are most benefited ; tile draining, its importance, cost, practice, and pi-ofit ; how and what land should be drained ; the mole-draining plow. . . . 904

Sec. LV.— plows AND PLOWING : History of cast-iron plows ; subsoil plows, and their use and value ; steel plows and steam plows ; other farming tools ; labor saved by using farm machinery , 917

CHAPTEE XIY.

SOUTHERN STAPLE CROPS COTTON, CANE, RICE, TOBACCO.

Sec. LVI.— mSTORY, GROWTH, AND MANUFACTURE OF COTTON : History of the cotton gin ; upland cotton ; sea island cotton ; how cotton is grown, picked, and prepared for market ; profit of the culture ; flax cotton 928

Sec LVn.— sugar cane CULTIVATION: Statistics of its culture in Louisiana ; yield of sugar per acre ; cost of making, and how it is made 943

Sec. LVllI. — RICE : Its cultivation, production, and preparation for market ; yield per acre ; value and profit ; statistics of rice plantations ; upland rice 948

Sec LIX. — ^TOBACCO : Its history, cultivation, production, and profits ; exports and consumption of tobacco ; eifect of cultivation upon the soil ; its culture in New York and Connecticut ; rules for cultivation, curing, and packing 953

Sec. LX.— CULTIVATION OF HEMP, FLAX, AND OTHER FIBROUS PLANT'S : Hemp ; soil and climate ; how it is sown, harvested, and yield per acre ; cost and profit ; effect upon the soil ; flax cultivation ; how to prepare the soil, sow the seed, and quantity per acre 965

CHAPTER XY.

GLEANINGS OF THE FIELD.

Sec LXL— MISCELLANEOUS TTEMS OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE TO FARMERS : This last chapter embraces many things not classed under other titles, such as temperature for seeds to germinate and grow ; nutriment in food substances ; weights and measure of grain ; measuring land ; proverbs and maxims for young and old farmers, farmers' wives and children ; maxims of health ; things to be thought about ; how to dress skins, fix pumps, mend pipes, and prognosticate the weather ; farmers' clubs ; farm laborers ; farm accounts ; farm economy, and finis 971-1010

Index To Illustrations

Plait. I. — Likeness of the Author - Frontispiece.

Platk II.— Frontispiece of Chap. I. , illustratrating the subject of Domestic Animals Page Vi

Plate in. — Frontispiece of Sec. III. This Plate Is intended to answer the question, " What

is a ETOod Cow ?" It also exhibits different breeds of Cattle 31

Platk IV. — Different Breeds of Cattle — Durham, Devon, Hereford, .\yrs!iire, Dutcli, and AI-

demey Bulls and Cows H

Plate V. — The Milk Jlirror, showing how to select a good Cow, and form of Teetli at different Ages 48

Plate VI. — Breeds of Sheep and Swine 81 and 10

1'i.ATi; VII. — Frontispiece of Sec. VIII. — Portraits of celebrated Horses, and Illustrations of

different Breeds 07

Pirates VIII. and IX. — Illustrations of the Teeth of Horses at all Ages, showing how to

judge the Age from One to Eighteen Years lOG

Plate X. — Frontispiece to Poultry, Sec. IX 123

Plate XI. — Turlteys, Ducks, Oeese, Swans, and Pea Fowls 140

Plate XII. The Bee-Keeper at his Work 15"

Plate XIII. — ^Tlic Farmery of Fanner Snug and Farmer Slack— Frontispiece of Chap. III. . 275

Platk XIV.^Frontispiece of the Garden and its Fruits, Chap. V 461

Plate XV. — Frontispiece to the Flower Garden, Sec. XXXI 500

Plate X.V1. — Frontispiece to the Orcliard, Cluap. VL — A Dessert fit for a Fiirmer — .V Rural

Scene and rich collection of Fruit 555

Pl.\te XVII. — Frontispiece to Chap. VIII.— Ccrealia, representing Insects injurious to Wheat ;

also Grapevine Pests 007

Plate XVIII. — Frontispiece to Sec. XLV. — Illustrations of Insects wliicli are injurious to

Farmers, and others which are l>cncficial 709

Plate XIX. — Frontispiece to Chap. IX. — The Grasses 748

Plate XX. — Frontispiece to Chup. XIV. — The Cotton Plant and Cotton Field- Gathering

the Crop 928

Plate XXI.— Insects injurious to Cotton and Corn 912

Plate XXII. — Frontispiece of Sec. LIX. — Tobacco in all stages of Growth .and Curing for

Market 953

PLATE II.

Every American farmer will look upon this picture with pride. It is a fitting illusti'ation of a chapter upon Domestic Animals. It contains representatives of a well-stocked farm, assembled in the farm-yard on the south side of one of the farmery buildings in one of the sunny days of spring, which are so well calculated to make such a collection of well-fed animals feel, as these look, full of gladness. There is no danger that such liogs as these will destroy young lambs and poultry. Here we sec the sheep and lambs, goats and kids — goats that yield valuable fleeces, which are described in this chapter — the work-horses and brood-mare and colt — the mules and their progenitor, who is in an attitude of war Avith a well-fed heifer that is absorbed in admiration of the peacocks on the roof of the poultry-house. How surlily the bull looks upon the whitefaced cow, which is deeply interested in contemplating the two hens that the cock has just called to enjoy a few grains of corn ! By tlie earnest looking of one cow and two horses, we judge that they see their good friend and master approaching. Geese, ducks, turkeys, rabbits, and pigeons, and a boat on the water, enhven the scene, which, altogether, is one of tranquil beauty. It is a scene to contemplate and admire. It teaches a lesson. ' It will stimulate many a young man to a determination to become the owner of such a' one, or something equally worthy of the artist who desires to represent American farm life. It will stimulate all, we hope, who look upon this pictorial index of this chapter to read it carefully.

FACTS FOR FARMERS.

CHAPTER I.

DOMESTIC ANIMALS.

SECTION. I— INTllODUCTION TO FiVCTS ABOUT STOCK.

HE very foundation of all farm improvement is the

domestic animals which consume the coarse products

of the farm, such as are not fit for human food, or

grown ill greater abundance than is needed for

that purpose, which, being so fed, are converted

into milk, butter, cheese, beef, pork, mutton, wool,

leather, and the many other valuable animal products.

But above all are animals valuable to the farmer, because

they convert the coarse products of the farm into manure,

without which the owner can not produce food for his own

sustenance.

Viewing, then, as I do, successful farming as based upon stock, it seems to me very fitting that I should make the treatise of it the leading chapter of the volume. And as swine are more univereally kept by all classes of Americans, and the flesh more universally used every week in the year, it will be very proper to make this branch of farm-stock the leading subject.

I am not going to give learned dissertations upon stock-breeding, nor, in fact, long essays upon this or any other subject, but such little fugitive facts as come to hand, in short paragraphs, consecutively numbered for reference, with black-letter titles to each subject, to attract attention, and so arranged that facts may be gathered at a glance, and valuable information obtained during leisure moments which might otherwise be lost.

Many of the statements given are not only for the purpose of giving interesting information — such, for instance, as the weights of the largest animals ever slaughtered — but as an incentive to others to try to produce the like. It is not to be expected that a man who never saw a bullock of over 12 cwt. should attempt to make one of 36 cwt. ; nor will lie be likely to make the attempt before he learns the important fact, that the particular breed which he has kept all his life never attain tliat weight.

It is for the purpose of inciting improvement that I give some statistics

Li brary ^N' estate College

14 DOMESTIC ANIMALS. [Coap. I.

of the New York livestock market, which I have been familiar with for many years. Farmers slioiild knuw that there is a certain market for all the meat-giving animals they can produce, and what they realize, as well as what varieties sell best.

I have purposely adopted a dcsnltory method, because I tliiuk it will be more satisfactory to my readers, whom I do not expect to read the work in consecutive order, and because I find it more convenient to pick up the fugitive facts and jot them down in a sort of mosaic-work, something as nature does its autumn tints, which are now glowing before my window in the full eifulgence of an October sun.

And here, too, as I look abroad upon my neighbors' fields, and at their cattle gnawing the short pasture, and running after every chance apple dropping from the trees, and then stretcliing up their necks, looking for more, and browsing off the lower limbs of tlic trees, I am forcibly reminded that this is not a profitable method of keeping larm-stock. Day by day the milch cows fail to give the supply that good pasture will always give in this good butter-making month of October ; and day by day the flesh of all the animals is wasting, so that, by-and-by, when the cold and storms of November force their owner to bring them into winter quarters, they are not in such a condition that he may carry thcui economically through. There is a great error in farming, that the scene before me forcibly reminds me of — it is the error of keeping any kind of iarm-stoek upon short pasture, and most jjarticularly in autumn, so that they come to winter quarters falling off in flesh, rather than gaining, which is tlio condition tliat all animals should be in when brought from the pasture to the stable or feeding lot.

Some of the farmers of the Eastern States of the kind just alluded to, who keep their stock upon the shortest possible pasture, and consequently generally have scrubby animals, and always meet with great difficulty in wintering those, would learn a useful lesson if they would visit the blue-grass pastures of Kentucky, and see in what luxuriant feed the sleek Durhams of that region are kept. They would there learn one of the secrets of value of that breed, and why they attain at three years old a size and weight of beef never equaled at six years old by tlie scrub breed common in Virginia and in the liilly regions of Oliio and Indiana, which are sometimes designated in the New York market as " pony cattle," or " old stjdc," and averaging, when fat, about six hundred pounds in the beef. A similar scrub breed is known in Kentucky as " mountain cattle,'' and the same style is very common in North Carolina, Georgia, and other Southern States, wlicrc I liave often seen full grown steers, and fat, killed ibr beef at four years old, that would not average four liundred pounds of beef. These cattle were treated, too, all their lives, just like too many of the same class in all the New England and Middle States — like those now before me, eking out their existence upon the scanty herbage of autumn, in a closely-cropped summer pasture, and never fed with forage prepared for winter, until the owner is driven to it by an early winter storm.

Sec. 1.] CATTLE OX A MISSISSIPPI STEAMBOAT. 15

Such is not the right way to keep stock ; but so long as men will keep it thus, it is not of much advantage to try to improve the breed.

Tliere is a great want of information, not only upon the subject of improvements in the kinds of stock, but in the modes of keej^ing it. It is not my intention, in this chapter upon domestic animals, to attempt to give all this information, but only a few brief hints, which may lead to reflection and improvement.

Above all things that will tend to improvement, are annual visits to great cattle-shows, where the varieties in the bi'eeds of cattle may be studied, and judged as to which -would be the most profitable, or whether either would be more so than the old-style breed at home.

It would be of great importance, too, to all farmers to travel more. How strange it would seem, at first sight, to a Yankee farmer, who had occupied a forty-acre farm all his life, to see a thousand hogs, and half as many bullocks, all turned into a grand-prairie corn-field, of a size large enough to cover his entire farm and that of twenty or thirty of his ueighboi-s! His first exclamation would probably be, " Oh, what a waste !"• His subsequent opinion would be about like this : " "Well, after all, I begin to believe that is not so bad a way of harvesting corn as I thought it was."

And this is not the only curious thing that he might see in relation to farm-stock in traveling through the West. He would see the same bad management as at home, about bringing the stock into winter quarters, for they are too often allowed to run in a corn-field, after the grain has all been harvested, living upon the dry stalks until after tlie first snows of winter. He might also see some very amusing, as well as instructive things, in connection with cattle.

Shipping cattle o?i a Mississippi stcamhoat, as I once witnessed, afibrded infinite amusement; and I am disposed to giv^e a photograph of it, before I take up the more practical details of farm-stock.

Engagements for boats to stop and take cattle on board at various landings are frequently made before leaving port, and it often happens that the boat reaches these points in the night ; and tlien a scene occurs which might employ a more graphic pen than mine to describe, or which would have been a fit subject for Hogarth to paint.

I will try to give my readers some idea of such a scene, although one so common on the Mississippi it rarely meets a passing notice ; yet it is full of interest.

The steamer left St. Louis about sundown of a dark day, during the latter part of which the rain came down in torrents, corresponding to tlie size of the great river they were destined to fill. Of course mud was a component part of all the little tributary streams ; but it did not discolor the great river — that is always muddy.

At ten o'clock we saw a light on the right bank, and run in for it. Tliougli the rain had ceased, the night was dark — one which gave tlie pilot but little chance to see any but the most prominent landmarks.

16 DOMESTIC AKIMALS. [Chap. I.

"Whose place is this?" sung out tlie captain, wlien he had approached as near the light as lie thought safe — for in time of "a fresh," the master of a boat always approaches shore with great care.

" Why, dis is my massa's place ; what boat dat ? If you is de Heniy Clay, den dis nigger mighty glad, 'cause, gorra, cap'en, hab been watching all dis two free nights for de old Clay."

" Have you got your cattle there ?"

"All in do lot— gorra brcss you, den you is de Henry Clay, sure — right here by do light."

" Is the water good in shore ?"

" Why, spec him is good for the steamboat, but not very good to drink."

" IIow deep is it near the bank ?"

" Oil, Lord, massa, dat mor'n dis nigger knows for sartin, 'cause him mighty deep."

"That will do. Forward there. Get your lines ready. Light them torches — let's see where we are. Call all hands ; hero is a hundred head of cattle to be got aboard."