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GENTLEMAN, whose pen, we believe, has frequently enriched our own pages, says:—

During the thirty years which have elapsed since the writer first called attention to the suggestion thrown out by Liebig for the reduction of phosphate of lime to the form in which it is most readily available for the nourishment of plants, the purchase and application of phosphoric acid in a soluble condition (or "superphosphate," as in accordance with the chemical nomenclature of the period, we ventured to call the product in question), have undoubtedly proved of immense advantage to the agriculturists of this country, more especially to that portion of them who occupy land specially suited for the growth of turnips. There are two main reasons which account for the fact that the employment of this chemical process for the reduction of the natural phosphates to a soluble condition has proved of so much service to the farmer; first, because a supply of ready-acting phosphoric acid is not only of great value for promoting the growth and development of crops of all kinds, but is of essential importance to the turnip plant in the earlier stages of its growth; and, second, because by the process referred to, phosphoric acid from all sources, animal or mineral-from which it can be obtained-bones, coprolites, apatite, fossilized guano, &c., is equally available for the purposes of the farmer. But though the farmer has certainly found his advantage in purchasing and using this invaluable element of manure in its most serviceable condition, his actual profit by the transaction has often been greatly reduced, if not in some cases annihilated by the immense profits which other parties have realized at his expense. In plain terms, he has often-too often it is to be feared-been robbed. But, as he saw his advantage, evident and palpable, in his thriving turnips, and did not see the robbery,

VOL VII.

The

he was quite content. He submitted to be fleeced-for his good-with as much meekness and resignation as his own sheep submit to the same process on a midsummer day, and with, perhaps, about as much care or consciousness as to the profit that others were realizing at his expense. We ventured a considerable number of years ago, to indicate, in terms as plain as we deemed it advisable to employ, that such was the case. warning passed at that time in a great measure unheeded. Nevertheless, it was more needed at that time than it is now. Stuff was palmed off upon unsuspecting farmers under the name of manure ("superphosphate," dissolved bones," &c.), which, from the quantities of lime, sand, and other worthless matter which had manifestly been added to it, was often not worth half the money charged for it. The profits realized must have been enormous. Of late years, this wholesale system of adulteration has not been ventured upon; or at least, it certainly has not been carried to the same extent. We say adulteration; but it may be that the parties by whom the practice of adding these useless materials was pursued, regarded it as a necessary

as it certainly was a most profitablepart of their business. In preparing "superphosphate" from coprolites, &c., by the action of sulphuric acid and water, it is necessary, after the materials have been for a time subjected to the action. of the acid, to add some substance to the mass for the purpose of drying up the excess of moisture. Parties equally ignorant and unscrupulous did not hesitate to add, for this purpose, lime, well sifted sand, &c.; and how much of these "dryers" was to be added was not, perhaps, always a matter of principle, but of expediency. When it was found that farmers could be so easily persuaded to buy almost anything under the name of manure, compounds were forthwith manufactured, under such names as "corn manure," "pota

X

to manure," 'grass manure," and so forth, sold at such prices as the seller thought fit to put upon them. As the compounder of such "manures" gave them forth for nothing definite (excepting so far as such names as the above might be held to indicate any definite composition), he probably deemed that he had a perfect right to make up his mixture of such ingredients, and in such relative proportions as, in the exercise of his generally profound chemical and agricultural knowledge, he reckoned best for his own interest or that of his customers; and with this "flattering unction" laid to his conscience, he would, doubtless, feel at full liberty to exercise a sound discretion as to which of these should be first or mainly considered. The all-confiding farmer bought and paid — under the assurance given him, and perhaps confirmed by numberless testimonials, that he was obtaining the most potent manure in the market It is true these compounds generally contained a certain amount of really valuable elements of manure, viz., phosphoric and nitrogen-that latter commonly in the form of a little sulphate of ammonia or nitrate of soda-with, sometimes, a little potash; but the price charged for the compound was generally very much beyond the aggregate value of the amount of really useful matter which it contained: that is, the manufacturer took care that he should be well paid for his trouble in compounding his specific. We are not aware that any of these manure merchants took out a patent for his recondite process. Some of them, regretting no doubt that the word "patent" could scarcely be made available for their purpose, had recourse to what is called a "trade-mark." Sharp men of business from all parts of the island, and even from the adjacent shores of the Green Isle, speedily found out that profit was to be made out of the Scottish farmer; and wherever the most tempting and the most easily-secured prey was found, thither the eagles were gathered together, discerning, apparently, from afar, that the spoil was too rich and too abundant to be divided among such birds of prey as the locality might afford. It seems,

It shall no more be so.

Our friends of the Buchan district have set the example in this matter, by instituting what they have called an "Analytical Association." The title may be somewhat ambitious, or, in the absence of any qualifying epithet as to what is to be analyzed, rather indefinite; but we presume the word "protection" is deemed to be in such bad odour that its use, in any sense, or for any purpose, however legitimate, had to be eschewed. Be that as it may, we congratulate the members of the Association on their very proper resolution to protect their own interests, and cordially wish them success. We have before now had evidence of the well-directed skill and intelligence with which the farmers of Buchan conduct their business, in the interesting and instructive reports on the cultivation of turnips which have appeared under the auspices of the Buchan Agricultural Society.

There are various ways in which farmers might combine, or rather, to speak more precisely, in which such combination might be rendered efficient for the purpose of prac tically carrying out the object which the Association has in view. We presume that the Association, in this case, is in no degree partaker of the nature of a trading company. Its proceedings, however, will require to be managed with some prudence and discretion. They should not, on the one hand, be brought before the general public in such a way as unnecessarily to injure the business or character of individuals or trading companies; and, on the other hand, they should not be allowed to become the means of advertising the business of any private indi

vidual or trading firm. The Association may rest assured that any opportunity for effecting this latter object will be eagerly seized upon. There are already symptoms that such will be the case.

We have, on former occasions, entered more or less into the subject of the valuation of manures from analysis. We cannot recur to it at present. But that the value of a manure may be ascertained (with sufficient accuracy for the purposes of the agriculturist) from the data furnished by a properly executed chemical analysis, there can be no

doubt.

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The Highland and Agricultural Society's chemist, as well as some others, seemed inclined a few years ago to depreciate this method of valuation. The writer of this endeavoured to shew that the objections raised against it were not necessarily valid; and the practice has maintained its ground, and continues to be used by all (including some of those who had objected to its use, except by what they called a qualified chemist) who have such a very moderate knowledge of the subject as to enable them to apply it with judgment.-Aberdeen Journal.

T

HE breeding and feeding of first-class stock having of late years attracted much attention, and being a pursuit on which I have been myself engaged for the greater part of my life, I felt that the result of my experience might be of use to others, and therefore I acceded to your request to read a paper on the subject. I have endeavoured to make my remarks as practical as possible, as I have not come across any article on the subject which can be said to be of any practical use. Breeding, as the more important of the two subjects under consideration, should first claim our attention. Shorthorns, on account of their early maturity, having become more popular in this country than any other breed of cattle, I shall confine my remarks to them; the same observations will, of course, apply with equal force to any other variety. To give some idea of the increase in the number of shorthorn breeders within the last twenty years, I may mention that in the year 1850 there were 316 subscribers to Coates's Herd Book, and the pedigrees of 1127 bulls entered; to

* Paper read before the Nottingham Chamber of Agriculture.

the last volume we find 655 subscribers, with the pedigrees of 2366 bulls. I would ask, whether, in the opinion of this meeting, the number of really first-class animals has increased in proportion?

BREEDING FROM FASHIONABLE STOCK.

My own opinion is that the animals bred at the present day are inferior in size and quality to those bred twenty or thirty years ago.

I am convinced that

Now, if this be the case, surely there must be something wrong in the present system of breeding. It is evident that but little common sense can have been brought to bear on the subject. the cause of this deterioration is the principle on which most herds are raised-viz., the fashion—or rather infatuation—of collecting from certain families without any regard to the qualifications necessary for producing and perpetuating good animals. To follow out this plan, in-breeding must, to a very great extent, be resorted to, and the number of families on which such an experiment can be tried with the smallest chance of success is so limited, that in the majority of cases the consequences cannot fail to be ruinous. We

all know the difficulty of raising and keeping up a good herd or flock; this can only be done by breeding from the very best males and females, but the present system seems to set this rule completely at defiance; if an animal be only of the fashionable strain, it is sure to make a fabulous price, whatever its quality. Only last year two heifers were sold by Captain Gunter to a Canadian gentleman for £2500, and their produce, two heifer calves, has since been purchased by Lord Dunmore for the same sum (£2500). Should these calves breed, what price do you think Lord Dunmore will set upon their progeny? Of course it will be a high one, totally irrespective of their quality; should a bull be reared, doubtless he will be used, no matter what he may turn out. I have, of course, put this as an extreme case; but similar ones are constantly occurring, and this servile adoration of pedigree cannot fail to end in a disappointment, and ultimately in the deterioration of shorthorns. We may have some idea of the extent of the evil if we take the number of bulls annually exhibited at our various shows, and consider how few of them are really fit to perpetuate their species, and yet the majority of them are so used, which would in some measure account for the great scarcity of good animals. With many, a long pedigree is all that is considered necessary; but unless this pedigree be composed of really good animals the produce will probably be unsatisfactory. A well-descended bull or ram may, although not itself first-rate, produce first-rate stock; numbers of such instances have come within my own knowledge. The case is far different when the sire comes of a line of light-fleshed, delicate animals (and these, I am sorry to say, are in the present day only too numerous). Surely any of us may foresee the end of such an irrational plan, and yet it is pursued, as I have already stated, by numbers of breeders.

THE MANNER OF REARING CALVES—
SELECTING SIRES.

There are two other causes which, in my opinion, must hasten the deterioration of many of our best herds, viz., I, the arti

ficial manner of rearing calves; and 2, the practice of using bulls before they arrive at maturity. I. The artificial manner of rearing calves, especially bull calves. They are confined in small stalls or loose boxes, instead of being allowed to suck upon their mothers in the open pastures, where they could take any amount of the exercise so necessary to their muscular development. I am well aware of the difficulty of carrying out this plan to any great extent, but whenever practicable it should be adopted, if really first-class animals are to be produced. 2. The practice of using bulls long before they come to maturity. It will be sufficiently evident to every one that such a practice cannot fail to be injurious, and, though instances to the contrary may be adduced, they are only the exceptions which prove the rule. I am also quite of opinion that overfeeding is another cause of deterioration; but it is not likely to be discontinued at present, as, owing to the extreme difficulty of judging animals when out of condition, there are but few who will purchase them. I am well aware of the scarcity of first-rate sires, and never in the history of shorthorns have they realized such enormous prices; but had the supply increased in proportion with the number of breeders, no such difficulty would have arisen. One advantage, however, has been gained. There is no lack of useful bulls, which may be purchased at moderate prices, and these, I think, we may fairly congratulate ourselves, have much improved the ordinary stock of the country, more especially in Ireland, as may be seen by the superior quality of the cattle brought to our fairs and markets. Here I may perhaps be allowed to make a few remarks on the selection of this description of stock. In the first place, it should always be remembered that the male has a greater influence on the quality of the stock than the female; consequently, every female put to a good male will probably produce a better animal than herself; this rule applies to all ordinary stock put to a well-bred sire. Therefore, never spare a few pounds in the purchase of a good animal, for you may reasonably expect a handsome return for the