pose. Let this most suitable direction be given (and in proper manner,) to these now wasted means, and poor-houses might perhaps cease to be nuisances-expensive, not only of public money, but of the labor and morals of the most des-ture proper is about to be commenced in very titute class of society." the full exposition of views given at page 60 of this volume, that every day's information since that publication, has served to show that silk-cul All these strong expressions preceded public opinion or feeling in Virginia, and therefore were neither profited by, nor perhaps scarcely noticed, by our readers. But they certainly will suffice to show that our recommendations of silk-culture many parts of the country, and to such extent that we now have no doubt but that trials sufficiently numerous will be fairly made in this and in the other states, to establish the business, and to insure the increase of it to great extent by the next year. This is all that is wanting to establish also the certainty of the profits of rearing multicaulis plants this year. The recent granting of very liberal bounties by the legislature of Georgia, for all silk made in that state, for the next ten years, will greatly forward this end, even if no similar measure should be adopted in any of the other southern or slave-holding states. A similar law has just passed the lower house of the Ohio legislature. Seven other, at least, of the middle and northern states had offered bounties previously. In making the foregoing quotations and references, in evidence of early and earnest support of the suitableness of silk-culture for Virginia, we have not gone beyond the pages of the Farmers' Register, because we have no right to suppose the opinions of its editor to be known elsewhere. But we will add here, that a much more full and elaborate argument, in support of this very object, has recently been addressed to this community from the same source, through a different form of publication. The material part of that argument will be presented in the next number of the Farmers' Register; and if it does not serve to convince the public of its soundness, it will, at least, leave no doubt of the earnestness of the writer in the were neither wanting nor "equivocal." Since the recent mulberry mania has been raging, and there has thence sprung up, (most fortunately, though by most illegitimate deduction,) a more general and a very strong disposition to enter upon silk-culture, our own previous favorable opinions have been more and more strengthened by the acquisition of new facts; and these opinions have been stated repeatedly, and at length, in sundry articles in the sixth volume, and in the preceding pages of the current volume. It is true that our zeal, and estimates of profits, are still much in the rear of the most sanguine-that we have insisted that the dealing in mulberry plants is not silkculture—and that, unless turned to silk-culture, the mulberry speculation would be but a bub ble, not only worthless, but injurious to the country. We have also presented, fairly, selected articles on both sides, as to the recent appreciation of the morus multicaulis; and moreover, we have been backward in expressing our own increasing estimation of the market value of these plants, (as founded on the manifest growing movements to wards silk-culture,) because we were fearful of being subjected to a charge directly the reverse maintenance of his proposition, that Virginia is of that of our friend-that is of aiding to increase not only well suited to profit by silk-culture, but the excitement for buying mulberry plants, because better suited than any part of Europe. our own private interest would have been greatly benefited by increased demand. We know that our friend has had no such private interest to increase his fervor, or to impose a restraint upon his words of advice to the public. If he had, we are sure that he would have felt the weight of such trammels. From the Farmers' Cabinet. FOOD FOR SHEEP. CAUTION. Dear Sir, I have sometimes observed potatoes recommended as food for sheep during winter. I have no doubt they are highly nutritious, but they should be used with caution, as I have found that they are injurious to ewes before they have dropped their lambs, as they cause such a flow of milk But however restrained, we claim that our expressions in recommending silk-culture proper, have been numerous, strong, and any thing but "equivocal;" and we may claim as much in re- within a few months, that it would be superfluous to gard to the necessary branch and the foundation of quote any. We may refer generally to all the Nos. silk culture, the propagation of the morus multi-issued since last July, and particularly to the following caulis, the best mulberry tree for feeding. We editorial articles: On Mr. Hicks' experiment, page shall not quote, but merely refer to, these nume-379; on the peculiar fitness of Virginia, for silk-culture, 391, and 464, 5, intrinsic value of the morus mulrous passages, which form no inconsiderable porticaulis, 391, 464, 467, 493, 497, 500, 504 of Vol. VI, tion of the editorial articles of the last and current and of Vol. VII, the full exposition of views presented volumes.* And we are now enabled to add to at page 60; and several others in the previous pages of There are so many of such passages, and entire this number, which were printed before the message articles of great length, which have been published of reproof was received. ཝཱ that the udder becomes so hard and the milk caked For the Farmers' Register. are nearly fifty per cent. higher than in February last, but manufactured articles have not advanced in proportion with the raw material. The last accounts from England disappointed the expectations of holders of grain and flour. Prices had declined a little, but the averages (78 or 79 shillings per quarter) were considerably above the rate which admits these articles at the minimum rate of duty. Great exertions are making in England to abolish the corn laws, and there is considerable popular excitement there on other subjects. The exportation of grain from the Atlantic ports of France, and from Sicily, has been prohibited. A regular business has been done in most arti- It is stated that on the 20th December, one cles during the month. Tobacco maintains the hundred and twenty-four vessels were taking in high prices quoted in our last-say $9 to 20. The cargoes of wheat and barley at Odessa, and so at all quantity brought in for inspection has increased, the other ports of the Black Sea. The Emperor of but the quality does not improve much; the Russia had loaned three-fourths of the grain in principal receipts consisting of green unmerchant- the government reserves, to be divided among able lugs and leaf, unfit for export. The export such merchants as had foreign orders; to be paid in six months without any interest. of the month is under 300 hhds-old. Cotton has advanced, not in consequence of the The exportation of flour from this country to improvement in foreign markets, but from the di-England has been checked by the recent advices, minished supplies in our own; which strengthens and the stocks in our markets will be greatly inthe impression that the crop will prove considera- creased at the opening of spring. bly short of the last, and furnish a supply not fully adequate to the demand, on as extensive a scale of consumption as existed last year. The receipts are, 730,000 against 910,000 bales, the exports about 300,000 against 550,000. Prices The price of flour in our markets is $8 to 94 and of wheat 160 to 170 cents; corn 90 cents. Bacon has declined to 10 to 11 cents. Exchange on England 9 per cent premium. Feb. 25th. Table of Contents of Farmers' Register, No. 2, Vol. VII. X. strongly and unequivocally recommended by 67 Monthly commercial report, 78 SELECTIONS. 78 Account of the progress of the making of sugar 79 Discovery of earth in large quantity, formed of 80 On the peculiar fitness of the U. States for silk culture, 80 Product of silk, ascertained by careful experi- 87 Estimate of the value of morus multicaulis, for 91 Advantages of the general adoption of the Pied- 70 76 78 83 85 85 86 Propagating pear trees ftom roots, 95 105 102 Memorial of the Internal Improvement Conven- 97 107 Views of the demand, supply, and prices, of the 109 Soap from myrtle wax, 111 108 Emasculation of the vine, 112 108 New method of applying sulphur to plants, 112 110 Root culture. 116 110 Experment in planting corn. Alternation of crops. 117 111 Essay on the breeding of live-stock, and the 112 Food for sheep--caution, ERRATUM.-In editorial introduction on page 112, for "1833," read "1834." 118 127 VOL. VII. MARCH 31, 1839. EDMUND RUFFIN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. ON THE BREEDING OF LIVE-STOCK, AND ON THE COMPARATIVE INFLUENCE OF THE MALE AND FEMALE PARENTS IN IM PRESSING THE OFFSPRING. (Concluded from page 123.) No. 3. of. I only know it is believed by the Spaniards. Nothing can be more striking than the power of the male in birds. It is well known that bird fanciers, as they are called, put a cock goldfinch to a hen canary, and that way get a strong, beautiful male-bird, having the greater part in plumage, song, and total appearance of the goldfinch, and I have thus produced facts of the influence of showing, to the most trivial observer, that the the male on the progeny in the horse, the cow, the male had the greatest influence in the progeny. sheep, and the sow, and in all I have endeavored Every one knows that the hen of any bird will to show to the society, that, whether that parent lay eggs although no male be permitted to come be the high bred one or not-whether to improve near her; and that those eggs are only wanting in or to deteriorate-it is the male which has by far the vital principle which the impregnation of the the greatest influence over the offspring. I would male conveys to them. Here, then, we see the still quote one fact more, which has come under female able to make an egg, with yolk and white, my own eye; it is in the common fowl. In the shell and every part, just as it ought to be, so that year 1810, I procured a breed of the Malay or we might, at the first glance, suppose that here, Chittagong fowls, and those I crossed once or twice at all events, the female has the greatest influence. with cocks of the same breed, got from different But see the change which the male produces. quarters. In spring, 1824, they had been bred Put a bantam cock to a large-sized hen, and she from cocks reared at home for three or four years, will instantly lay a small egg; the chick will be and were then all dark colored, without a white short in the leg, have feathers to the foot, and put feather, having either black or yellow legs. Most on the appearance of the cock; so that it is a freof them resembled a partridge. At this time Iquent complaint where bantams are kept, that learned there was in a farmer's possession a breed they make the hens lay small eggs and spoil the of fine Malays, which his brother (a surgeon on board an Indiaman,) had brought home. I sent and purchased one. He was what cock-fighters termed "pied," or in other words, had numerous white feathers all over his body, with white legs. From this cock were bred, in summer 1824, about seventy-eight chicks, of which number seventythree were either pied or had a great deal of white on them; and a great proportion of them had white legs. Nothing but the influence of the male parents could have done this, for the hens were all gallant hens, not a white feather was to be found amongst them; nor could it have been owing to their ancestors, for they had all pedigree as long as Sir Watkin Williams Wynne. Thus far have I stated facts which are known to myself and friends only; I would now mention Some which are within the reach of all. Let us call to mind the offspring from the mare and the jackass. Is it not obvious to all the influence the male parent has on the mule? Color, shape of head, ears, and whole body, constitution, even temper, are all derived from the male parent. I had an opportunity of observing the very same effects in the colt from a quagga and a mare, in the possession of the Earl of Morton, at Dalmahoy. And his lordship, I believe, observed that the same mare, afterwards covered by a horse, retained in the progeny a resemblance to the quagga,* a fact of the most extraordinary nature. I have been frequently told that a mule got by a horse, with the female ass, is a far superior animal, and retains the mane, with the ears much less, &c.; but this is a fact I never could get to the bottom breed. Reverse the case; put a large dung-hill cock to bantam hens, and instantly they will lay larger eggs, and the chicks will be good sized birds, and the bantam will have nearly disappeared. Here, then, are a number of facts known to every one, or at least open to be known by every one, clearly proving the influence of the male in some animals; and as I hold it to be an axiom that nature never acts by contraries-never outrages the law clearly fixed in one species, by adopting the opposite course in another-therefore, as in the case of an equilateral triangle, on the length of one side being given, we can, with certainty, demonstrate that of the remaining; so, having, found these laws to exist in one race of animals, we are entitled to assume that every species is subjected to the self-same rules-the whole bearing, in fact, the same relation to each other as the radii of a circle. Now, then, to the point of expediency. Let us suppose that I have formed an erroneous opinion, and that other essayists bring forward counterproof, to show the power of the female. What difficulties arise in changing the whole females on an extensive farm, while, with what ease a new male is procured! Sir John Sebright says, "Many females throw progeny unlike themselves, and it would be wise to try them with a male whose stock is known previous to breeding from them." How should we manage if we found it necessary from this cause, to put away a set of females, which we had procured from a great distance, for the very purpose of improving our breed? If proof were required in a thing so plain to common sense, the enormous prices given for males in com If a mule be remarked in Spain as particularly neat and handsome, the muleteer will always say, "Si, signor, caballo estavo, padre" Yes, sir, a horse was his father. |