The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-17 00:00:00

UST.

4d.
STAMPED W.

productive of evil. The first necessity is to con-
vince the people that they are wrong, and that they
can improve their implements by adopting those in
use elsewhere. A Hindoo scouts the idea that his
wooden plough, used by his ancestors from time im-
memorial, is not a better instrument than the costly
production of an English. manufactory. So from
generation to generation he trudges to his field with
his stick over his shoulder, driving his wretched
half-starved bullock before him. He himself, and
his bullock also, will remain half starved on his rich
agricultural land, and so will generations to come.
And why ? Because he will not adopt and appro-
priate to himself the improvements introduced by
the intellect and years of toil of wiser men. The
benefactors of the farmer have been stubbornly
resisted, and denounced even by the far-
mers of England, and we cannot therefore wonder
that the "gentle Hindoo" remains immovable. It
would be well, then, for the American agriculturists
to recognise the fact that England is in the position
of teacher. Thousands of their agriculturists will
soon spread themselves over these islands on their
way to the Paris Exhibition, and they should dis-
abuse their minds of prejudice and judge for them-
selves whether they cannot pick up some useful hints
for the improvement of their agricultural machinery.
Mr. Howard mentioned this circumstance. He
found the prairie farmers desirous of seating the
men on the implements, as they considered that
more work could thus be obtained. He naturally
suggested that the labour of the men could only
in this way be saved by throwing extra labour on the
horses. The land is generally, much lighter than
English soil, and the depth of ploughing he con-
siders very much too shallow, a fault not at all un-
common on this side of the Atlantic. "Steam
ploughs have not yet been introduced ; several at-
tempts have been made, but as all the schemes have
been with engines to travel over the surface after
Romaine's plan, no wonder they have not suc-
ceeded. On the prairies there would be no difficulty
in constructing machinery capable of breaking
up 20 or even 25 acres of such land per
day, and this with only three men. Where labour
is so scarce, and time such an object, the advantage
of the steam plough would be immense." This has
been proved on the plains of Canterbury, in New
Zealand, where the land is not unlike that of the
prairies of America. The introduction of this machi-
nery has been of the highest benefit to the Canter-
bury farmers, and the importers have derived large
profits from the venture. "In lowa I saw a very
simple and efficient apparatus, called a horse-
pitch-fork,' for raising crops on to the stock---:a
horse simply drawing the load over a pulley. I also
saw a hay-loader attached to the rear of a waggon,
which gathered up and elevated the crop on to the
vehicle, thereby saving much manual labour."
The next subject treated is The Live Stock of
the United States." "The cows and other horned
cattle, according to the census of 1860, amounted
to about 17 millions, about double the estimated
number of the United Kingdom. Two and a
quarter millions of the cattle were returned
as working oxen. The sheep, on the other
hand, fell short of the estimated English number
by 2/ millions ; whilst the pigs exceeded by
10 times our number, reaching the fabulous
total of 33 millions, or about as many pigs as people.
The bulk of the cattle I saw were of the short-
horned type. Alderneys and Ayrshires are much in
repute for dairy purposes, but, as in England, the
short-horn is the prevailing breed. The sheep of
America are of a very nondescript character ; gene-
rally miserably bred and ill-looking things, about
half the size of the English Flocks of Leicesters,
South Downs, and Merinos are to be found." Mr,
Howard's estimate of the quality of the meat is not.
high, and he is at a loss whether to attribute
it to the climate, the food, or the cooking, or
the three combined. The subject is a most impor-
tant one, and deserving the most careful considera-
tion of the American farmer. We have little doubt
that means will be discovered of conveying butchers'
meat across the Atlantic, for the consumption of
European cities. Several companies have been
formed in London, for the purpose of transporting
beef, mutton, and pork, in a state of preser-
vation, to any required distance. The neces-
sity is recognised, and the minds of intel-
ligent men bent on ascertaining the process
by which it can be accomplished. There are
few rational things impossible when the case stands
so, and we cannot suppose that this will be one of
them. The American farmer should be in a posi-
tion to avail himself of the means when those means
are open to him, and those who are prepared are
likely then to reap a rich harvest. The importance
of paying more attention to sheep is urged on the
American farmers by the press, more from the ne-
cessity of raising wool than of raising meat. Five
millions sterling were paid to England for woollen
goods in 1865. " The draught horses used in
America are much smaller, very different from our
English type. They are well-bred, clean-legged,
and active. The Kentucky thorough-bred, as it is
called, is the favourite breed. I could have picked
out of Mr. Cobb's team a good many weight car-
riers which would fetch fancy prices at Tattersall's.
I did not see on the whole of my travels what I call
a good, stout draught horse, such as I win the prizes
with in my own county.* At the railway stations
at Philadelphia, and elsewhere, are to be seen
horses of the cart breed, raised, as I was informed,
in Ohio and Pennsylvania. When the Americans
grow bigger crops, as I am sure they might
do, they will want bigger horses in their
reaping machines ; and when they stir their land
deeper, which I am sure they ought to do, they will,
if they do not adopt steam, require horses of greater
weight. In some districts I visited horses are shod
with malleable cast-iron shoes, which are fastened
without the use of nails. They
simply clip the
hoof and secure the shoes by rivets. I have a speci-
men on the table which I intend to try."
Our space is drawing to a close, and for the pre-
sent we will drop this interesting paper. It is one
that should be extensively circulated through the
States, as the information it contains is of a very
valuable character. We -have had enough of lite-
rary notices of America with their sarcastic com-
ments, for which a fit of momentary national spleen
secures a wide circulation, benefiting the author at
feeling which should exist
nkaintidolnys. Mr. James Howard's
btheetweexepnentsheeoft
wthoe
remarks are conceived in the broadest and kindest
spirit, with the one object of giving all the benefit
of his experience. Where the Americans excel he
explains to the English ; and where the English
excel he points out to the Americans. His subse-
quent remarks, although of almost equal interest,
are general, including agricultural meetings,
schools, moreools,and a concluding summary, which we feel
should not be passed over without a further notice
from us.—Anglo-American Times..

* Bedfordshire.

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