266

Breeding Horses.

THE CULTIVATOR.

An article has lately been published in the Veterinarian, translated from a French journal, on "Racing considered as a Means of improving the Breeds of Horses for general use and for Military Service." The subject is treated in an able manner, showing that the writer is not only thoroughly acquainted with the principles of physiology, but with practical breeding and the results which have attended the crossing of different stocks. His first position is:

If racing has shown itself to be the best means of improving our breeds of light or speedy horses, experience has also shown that, as practiced in England, it has operated to a greater extent than might be imagined in destroying the breeds of saddle horses, in times past so much in request for commercial and military purposes. In reference to this point, the writer discusses at some length the subject of racing,-its ultimate object and the means of attaining it. He notices the fact that the English races were formerly of twice or thrice the length and that the weights carried were twice they now are, as great. But at the present time, the object of racing is "gambling" in the most expeditious manner. He

says:

To the English it matters little what the length of the race is, or the weight to be carried! With them gambling is the object, the bets they make amounting to enormous sums, enriching one and ruining another. This is the kind of spectacle suited to British national taste; and, were it desired, they would speedily invent others of the kind, with other animals, and another order of contests; for they still have their pugilistic encounters, their cock-fights, and their contests between bull-dogs, whose jaws they have singularly brought to a perfection of strength for this express purpose.

He remarks in regard to the common error, that the various breeds of English horses owe their perfection to racing, or to blood derived from racing stock, that each breed has its " peculiar type, which is, or ought to be carefully preserved, so as not to be destroyed by injudicious crossing." He thinks this is the plan generally pursued in England. Upon this the editor of the Veterinarian remarks—

There can be no doubt but that the English breeder has a principle or object in view when he sends his mares to particular horses. But, save in the case of the racehorse, which the stud-books preserve genuine, and the cart-horse, whose peculiar character preserves him, a great admixture of breeds is known to take place, which has proved, every horseman admits, of great injury as regards some of our most valued and serviceable descriptions of horses, to wit, weight-carrying hunters, and hackneys, and cavalry horses. The good old sort of those breeds is hardly to he found; while their places are filled either by over-bred horses deficient in power, or by mongrels deficient in blood.

In considering the inquiry whether the English tho

rough-bred horse is calculated to improve the stocks used
what
for business purposes, and especially such as are requir.
ed for cavalry, the French writer describes, first,
ought to be the nature and characteristics of the tho-
rough-bred, the manner he is reared, &c.

paratus should be such, in its mechanical relations, as
suits best the race he is intended to run, even though
this be at the expense of the strength or the resistance
required for the speed that is demanded.
Convinced of this, the English, so skilled in the art of
of the apparatus; qualities which are not, in point of fact,
modifying the nature and conformation of animals ac-
cording to the purposes for which they are designated,
offering the material the best adapted for the model they
made choice in the first instance, of Oriental blood, as
were desirous of forming. Upon this admirable canvass
such as it was, taking advantage of every condition con-
they subsequently spread their pure indigenous blood,
But to change the nature of Oriental blood, to in-
ducive to the production of the animal they had in view.
stil into it those generous qualities which distinguish the
what study, what perseverance, must have been employ.
ed in those artificial proceedings which ought to take the
pure English thorough-bred, what acute observation,
lead in operations so delicate! It not only became re-
quisite to preserve certain qualities of the pure primi
tive blood, in a climate little favorable to it, but at the
to render it, in certain respects, superior to its original
same time it was necessary to alter its nature, in order
condition. To accomplish this, recourse was had to
crossing and paring, always with relation to speed, to
The produce called for situations of suitable tempera
which every other quality became sacrificed.
every part of the body. Their stables are kept at a tem-
ture, assisted by woolen clothing, soft flannel, cut to fit
perature of from 60° to 70° Fahr.; are provided with
well-distributed apertures; are well combined, with con-
venient appendages; in fact, provided with every appur
tenance required for the accommodation and comfort of
horses of every age. Add to this, aliment of the choic
est quality, a regimen well seasoned and regulated, ex-
ercise under the direction of men kept for superinten
dence, diligent cleaning and hard rubbing; in fact, a
thousand acts of care, dictated by observation practiced
the creation and conservation of the English thorough-
every hour in the day, have all equally contributed to
bred horse.

The production of the cavalry horse must differ con-
siderably from that of the race horse, in being more easy,
must be of a nervous temperament, highly irritable and
more simple, and especially more economical. A racer
vigorous, and should be able to call forth all his power
The race is his only
and impetuosity in the short space of time in which he
nothing after the trial is over.
is engaged in the race, supposing even that he is fit for
sphere; he is not required to serve any other purpose.
so long as he wins his race he is highly prized, but no
No matter how useless or helpless he is in other respects,
longer.

The writer then adduces the results of crossing with
thorough-bred horses in many instances, and for many
years, in France, in support of the principles he has laid
down, and submits the conclusions at which he has ar
rived. He considers it a settled point that the French
of English blood.
cavalry horses have not been improved by the infusion

Mr. PERCIVALL, editor of the Veterinarian, appends
some remarks on the article above noticed, which are
eminently worthy of attention by all breeders of horses.
In relation to the first position of the French author,

Mr. P. observes

This is a remark applicable out of the country in which it was made. We are afraid our own land has rendered longer see in

Physiology, like experience, demonstrates, in a gene-
ral sense, that, for the purpose of making the greatest it, or at least nothing like in the same ratio, horses of
exertions of which he is capable in the shortest possible that useful character for general purposes, which it one
time, a horse must unite in his own body two indispen- could abundantly boast of.

become a turf horse.

On the turf, our King's

sible requisites, without which it is impossible for him to plate horses, have given place to high-flyers. The hunt-
He must, in the first place, pos- ing field is beset with the same stamp of horse, in lieu
sess a nervous, irritable, and highly ardent temperament; of the old, weight-carrying, enduring hunter; our beavy
and in the second, the construction of his locomotive ap. I dragoons are under-mounted; our artillery weakly hors

ed to what they were wont to be; and all because we, in our eagerness to gain possession of blood horses, have lost sight of the really useful and seviceable breed.

Such being, beyond contradiction, the condition of our breeds of horses of the present day, it becomes a duty imperative on us, as it has seemed to be on the French writer, to inquire into the causes of these sad fallings-off in our equine stock; for fallings-off,' and grevious ones, they most unquestionably are. In the translated article, from which we have been quoting, it is stated, that the introduction of English blood for the purpose of regenerating' their old stock' has worked unfavorable changes among the horses in France.

6

That racing has, up at least to a certain point, been productive of the happiest effects in improving most of the breeds of horses in our own country, is too manifest to admit of a question. To racing, in fact, for our blood stock we owe everything. Our racers are unrivalled. Arabia herself, although their acknowledged parent, can no longer send competitors that can run run with them for the prize of speed and bottom. But, in our fondness for, and eagerness to excel in, so beautiful a breed of horses as the English racer is all over the world acknow. ledged to be, it becomes a question whether we have not outrun our object, or, in other words, carried what we have all along viewed as perfections' rather too far? sought it at the cost of utility and serviceability? Have we not at the present time more blood-horses in the country than we have ever been known to possess at any former period? And are not the really serviceable hackney, hunter, troop-horse, and harness-horse, in proportion on the decrease? These are vital questions -questions to which we would fain give other answers than such as observation and experiment and truth dic. tate to us. As we have already hinted, we believe the

main cause of this decrease in our more useful classes

of horses to be owing to an over-fondness on the part of our breeders for blood, to the sacrifice or exclusion of that property which is so necessary to be combined with it, viz. bone.

To the preceding observation, we add the following from a late number of the North British Agriculturist, in reference to the difference in the points of the Arabian and the English race-horse:

The Borticultural Department.

CONDUCTED BY J. J. THOMAS, MACEDON, N. Y.

The Best Cherries.

The eight standard cherries recommended by the American Congress of Fruit Growers, were Mayduke, Black Tartarian, Black Eagle, Graffion (or Bigarreau,) Knight's Early Black, Downer's Late, Elton and Downton. Successive years of trial must of course vary or modify this list. There are some new sorts which promise great excellence, and among them, none more than Dr. Kirtland's new seedling, known as No. 10. From two years fruiting, we are inclined to place it at the head of the list of cherries for mild delicious flavor. while its early maturity, and large size, and the fine growth of the tree, are great additions to its value. The Early Purple Guigne, after many years trial, stands entirely alone as the best very early variety, ripening with the May Bigarreau, to which it is much superior in size and greatly in flavor. The Doctor, another of Kirtland's seedlings, is its best successor. This is rather earlier than the Early White Heart, is usually somewhat larger, and decidedly better in quality..

Knight's Early Black, which is larger than Black Eagle and equally good, often proves a scant bearer. The Graffion, (known often as "Yellow Spanish,") is also rendered less valuable by its deficient productiveness in many localities. Like the Mayduke, it appears to be peculiarly liable to the attacks of the curculio. During unfavorable seasons, it appears to be unusually subject to decay on the tree. The Elton, although not first in delicacy of flavor, still stands eminent for its fine quality, fine appearance, and great productiveness. In the last named quality it exceeds the Downton, but falls below it in quality. Downer's Late still maintains its high stand for hardiness or unusual freedom from most of the disasters to which cherries are incident, its excellent flavor and prolific bearing. Its only defect is its

moderate size.

The English race horse differs in some points from his Arabian ancestors-his size has increased from 14 hands 2 inches to 15 hands 3 inches or 16 hands in height, while in his conformation he has become rather narrow. er over the loins, and longer in the forehand, but he has partially lost the fully developed joints with the sinewy tendons which is one of the characteristics of the pure Arab-he has also lost to a degree the fine intelligent eye and playful docility of the Arab. Many causes have After all, it will be hard to find any new cherries subeen in operation to produce this change. The altera-perior to those old established sorts, the Black Tartarition of form has been probably effected, with the view of securing greater speed though such a form is less perfect for general purposes. The form of the Arab horse shows a perfection in its proportions which has been hitherto overlooked by physiologists. In numerous measurements which we have made, the superiority of the Arab over the English form was to our mind quite conclusive.

BUYING AND SELLING.-A cotemporary gives the following fine advice on this subject: "If you expect to prosper, never try to be sharp for a trade.' Always sell at a fair price, when offered, if you wish to sell at all never wait for a high one. Sell for cash or sure payand not at a high price on credit, at the risk of losing a debt. Always pay a fair price for what you really need -no farmer will prosper in making it an object to purchase below it." To which we may add, that we knew two neighbors, one of whom went for fair prices, the other for shaving. The honest man dealt freely with whom he chose; the shaver was avoided by all;-the one could always hire the best and most trusty hands; the other only the poorest, who could find no other places; the one had many open hearted friends; the other more secret enemies. Which, do you think, passed the most comfortable life?

an and Mayduke;-the former for its size, bearing qua lities, and agreeable flavor to most persons; and the lat ter for the unequalled richness of its juice when fully ripened.

For a succession of reliable, productive, and valuable sorts, we do not know that we could at present give a better list than the following:-Early Purple Guigne, Doctor, Kirtland's No. 10, Rockport Bigarreau, Black Tartarian, Elton, Downer's Late, Belle Magnifique. But as some of these may fail in unpropitious seasons, none being wholly secure from accident or disease, a larger selection should be planted where admissible.

268

THE CULTIVATOR.

even the later autumn apples, may be kept during win-
But on the approach of warm wea-
ter in cool cellars.
ther, those that escape decay, soon have their flavor and
A vacancy of many
freshness dissipated in the air.
weeks then occurs before the ripening of early fruits,
which can be supplied only by long-keepers.

A fruit must possess two distinct qualities for this pur-
pose,—namely, endurance from decay, and retention of
flavor. For this purpose we shall probably not soon find
any equal to the Newtown Pippin-and next to this are
The Northern Spy
the English and Roxbury Russets.
is a fine keeper, and when preserved in a cool cellar re-
tains well its freshness, even into the first of summer;
but later in the season, it loses its flavor while yet re-
taining its juicy flesh and showy appearance. The Kings-
ley Apple, a new variety, introduced by Dr. Long of
Rochester, a small fruit of unusual delicacy of texture,
will keep a long time, but it does not usually retain its
best flavor long after the approach of warm weather.

For conveyance to distant markets, the Northern Spy does not seem so well fitted as some others, being more liable to injury. This fine apple, in truth, not only needs more care in cultivation than most others, but when gathered, packed and shipped, should be handled with the same care that is given to a fine piece of crockery or a looking-glass.

One of the best long-keeping sweet apples is the Ladies' Sweet. We know of no sort which presents so beautiful an appearance by its brilliant coloring late in spring-although in richness of flavor it does not reach the highest point. A drawback is the slow growth of the tree. It is a profuse bearer.

Fruit Drying Apparatus.

The best means of preserving the surplus of the vast
fruit crops which will in a few years be raised in all parts
of the country, cannot fail to become a matter of gene-
ral interest. We copy from the last number of the
Michigan Farmer, the following description of a fruit- ||
drying house, which appears to be a good one, but we
would suggest the use of fine netting made of hard-
twisted twine, instead of lath screens; and a good ven-
tilator at the top of the building for the free egress of
the heated air as it becomes continually loaded with the
moisture of the fruit. The free circulation of the air,
so essential to rapid drying, would doubtless be facilita-
ted by allowing a space between the screens and the

outer wall.

These thus making a light, stout and durable screen. slats, near enough together to retain fruit when dry, are sufficiently large to hold from 1 to 14 bushels each, The fruit dried in which enables me to put up 30 or 35 bushels at a filling. By means of a large box stove these may be thoroughly this manner is of superior quality, being much better in dried in 36 hours, and then refilled. flavor, and presenting a cleaner and neater appearance than when dried in the ordinary way.

Horticultural Memoranda.

PROTECTING TENDER ROSES.-After trying various modes of sheltering tender roses during winter, including with boards, &c., none appears to be equal to a covering Plants but slightly the use of moss, inverted turf, straw, tan-bark covered with the branches of evergreens. tender need very little shielding in this way; while those the most susceptible of injury should be encased several ment possesses, is the entire freedom from decay in the inches thick. One eminent advantage which this treatWhere evergreen bark and stems of the shielded plants, which sometimes results from other modes. Pine, hemlock, white cedar, &c., may be used for this purpose. hedges or screens have been planted, the shearings or Bleeding of GrAPE-VINES.-When the grape is prunclippings may be employed with great convenience. ed in autumn, in winter, or very early in spring, the sap-vessels will close, and no flow from the wound will follow. But where this needful work has been omitted at the right time, those who have an aversion to prune in consequence of the prodigious flow of the sap which trouble from this cause by waiting takes place as the buds expand, may save themselves all leaves are as large as a currant leaf. If the pruning is then performed no bleeding will take place. Pruned at this season, we have found young hardy vines to do as well as at any other time. The injury resulting from the flow of sap, is however, overrated; and by some experienced cultivators it is believed to produce no injury whatever.

some days till the

REMEDY FOR PLUM KNOTS.-The old-fashioned remedy,
"to cut and keep cutting," still proves infallible. Un-
fortunately, is is very rarely applied, even by those who
think they have given it a fair trial. Perhaps the disease
has been permitted to advance for two or three months
before it has even excited attention. The knife is then
made use of and a single operation is regarded enough.
manner, should be considered inefficient. We observe
No wonder that a remedy, applied in such a burlesque
Having a large orchard, consisting of 500 apple trees that the application of copperas-water to the wounds
and 150 peach trees, which have just commenced bear- made by the excision of the knots on the larger branch
ing, I found it necessary to adopt some method to secure
THE CHERRY SLUG.-This larva, which eats the pulpy
my fruit, and drying presented itself as the safest and es, is spoken of highly by different cultivators.
most profitable way. I built an upright of 9 by 11, 8
feet in height, on a good stone foundation, placing a com- part of the leaf of the cherry, and sometimes of other
mon 12 light window in one end, and in the other, fronting fruit trees, is most effectually routed by a sprinkling of
the house, a door. In the end where the window is I
have a chimney. The walls are 8 inches in thickness, lime. Air-slacked lime, applied in the dew of the morn
arched and plastered inside. The inside work consists ing, usually accomplishes the desired purpose. Dry,
of screens, 25 in number, 2 feet 8 inches wide, 12 on water-slacked lime, taken fresh, is still better, being
more caustic.

each side and one overhead. These are supported by
2 inch square posts in each corner, in which mortices
by 14 inch are made to receive a railing to support the

screens.

PEAR BLIGHT.-The cause of this disease, like the potato rot, will probably for a long time remain in perfect obscurity; but the remedy where an attack has ac ner: 3 strips of 3 by 13 to fit the inside, (the one in the tually commenced, is plain. Nothing can restore a middle rendering it stiff.) Across these are nailed small diseased limb, the poison from which often spreads to

The rails are received at the other end in a

gane mortice, and may be taken out at pleasure.
The screens are made of wood in the following man

The first statement was dated 6th mo. 7, 1832, and describes the imperfect mode as commonly practi-I also observed, that last season a tree of Bergen's Yelced:

The foliage much resembles that of the common trum-use, when I consider the enormous waste of them which pet flower, but is of a much darker green; the flowers still occurs in almost every district of our country, I measure from three to three and a half inches across the feel that I have not said and cannot say too much about corol, and single racemes are often a foot long. This them. large size, added to their rich orange color, renders them eminently ornamental and showy. The plant continues to bloom through the latter part of summer and through