Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1845-12-04

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stead, L. l., last October, by JOHN S. SKIN
NER, ESQ.,, the former able and talented
editor of the American Farmer, who is
no doubt, through his many agricultural
writings, we'll known to most Of our read
ers Mr.. S. is now conducting an agrcul-
tural journal in New York city:
If there be any radical mistake in your
agricultural economy, transient observer
like myself, not fully initiated in all the rea-
sons that control your practice, might be led
to inquire how it is that you seem to give
almost exclusive preference to horse over
oc or mule power, for the plough, for heavy
work on the farm and for transportation on
your excellent roads exactly reversing, IN
this respect, the habits of the sagacIous far
mers of the old Bay State, whose circum-
stances so nearly resemble your own to all
appearance, and to which State, New Y DIRK
seems accustomed to GO annually for apos-
ties, if not for examples, to enlighten US IN
the agricultural art. There, Agricultural So
cieties, after full deliberaton, and with the
express sanction of such wise couDsellors as
the late John Lowell-clarUn1 venerable
nomen-have expressly refused to offer pre-
miums for horses of any notwithstanding
them the most expensive of all machines,
animate or inanimate, employed inthe bust
ness of the farmer.
As to the oT-they contend that he costs
less to raIse-is easier to break-lives on
coarser food-consumes less-for gearing,
shoeing, and grooming, cost almost nothing
and is ever ready for his work. That,
while the horse is every day lessening, the
OK is every day improving, in value-is ex-
empt from diseases-and is even more valu-
able dead than alive, being in every part and
parcel of him available, even in his hoofs
and his horns.
And, then, as to the muze-in strength
fully equal to your light landslide planter
of the south, and the farmer of the south
west will tell you that his life, on the aver
age, is more than double that of the horse;
and, therefore, the capital in that heavy item
is only to be half as often renewed think
it's in the ''Pickwick Papers'' that Sammy
Weller asks the coachman, did you ever
see a dead donkey?n mo" "Did you
ever see man that had seen dead donkey?"
"NoE' did you ever see a man that had
seen any other man that ever saw a dead
donkey" "No!''-And yet, gentlemen,
do not maintain that the life of this hybrid
is everlasting; but do know that the late
General Ridgely, of Hampton, Maryland,
who owned large iron works, employed be-
tween fifty and hundred, once told me that
if any man would make him gracious Gift
of full set Of horses, on setting out in life
as young farmer, and require him to keep
up the stock, he would reject the offer. Mr.
10. Patterson, of Baltimore, conducting the
same business on large scale, with uncom-
mon sagacity and crcumspeclon, lately told
me the same thing; and have understood
that when Mr.. John Ridgely, of Hampton,
succeeded to that magnificent estate, there
was in one Of his fathers wagons an entire
team that had worked together for twenty
four years!
am not unaware that your reasoning is,
and presume not to dispute, its force, that
you have to keep span of horses any how,
for your family to go to town occasionally,
and to church on Sunday; and you tell me
that the ladies could not be reconciled to
the use of these long-eared, hard-headed
beasts Well, this may be SO; and far be
it from me 10 refuse you credit for thus con-
sulting their taste and their wishes. Doubt
less it is but one example of universal sub
mission on Long Island to the same resist
less influence. But you must allow me to
add that hardly ever met with a house
wife who, if her "lord and master" would
only condescend to enter into minute and
frank explanation of his views and situation,
would not cheerfully make any reas enable
sacrifice of pride, or fashion, or personal in
diligence to promote their common good
How often does the wife lend her husband
her house servant, and her dairy maid, and
even her cook, to 60 out to help him on the
farm! Ay, have seen her pull Other very
apron to be used by the scotsman in sowing
his grain! And besides, after all, this anti
pathy to driving mules is but national pre-
judice-an opinion; but opinion, it is said
is the queen. of the world. For an iIlustra-
ton, look at Spain, the very home of the
superb Andalusian horse. There the royal
family and the grandees monopolize the
privilege of driving mules--a privilege al
most prohibited to the plebIans. There are
now several teams on the mail line along
the rich valley of the Shenandoah! But to
come nearer home-in sight of this town.
my friend, Mr.. Millhaud does, with a pair
of mules, all the labor and hauling for his
farm, on the margin of your extraordinary
prairie, which stretches around for SO many
miles, and which, learned with surprise, is