The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-10-25
FARM AND GARDEN.

| TESS my lnablllty to answer this queS-
ton, unless we call the large-horn,
knife shaped animals of Texas
the true natives. But this would not
do, for they originated in cattle import
ed by the early Spanish settlers upon
our Southern borders. Therefore none,
except the wild buffalo, seem to be really
entitled to this appellation. Instances
are on record in which this animal has
been crossed with European cows very
advantageously, imparting not only
stamina and endurance as oxen, but
really improving the COW as milker.(:)
Any persons at all conversant with
horned cattle in this country, during the
last half-century, doubtless remember a
ck-haired dun COW, with dark ears
and muzzle, broad hips, strong, muscu-
lar limbs, high chine and ewe-necked,
great feeders and mixers. This breed
crossed with the New England red COW
of Devon extraction, gave us the ''old
brindle cow" so much sought for by
Eastern dairymen, carrying large and
capacious udders, even after the milk
had been extracted.
We are informed that many of the
early settlers in this country brought
with them their domesticated animals;
hence the variety of color. The Eng
lish, for the most part, brought the Dew
on. The Dutch brought with them
from Holland the white and black strip
ed. The Scotch brought the old Scotch
black and white COW; the Irish the long
horned Brittany, of various colors; and
the French of Lower Canada their spec
linens of small black and yellow Jerseys.
After the country became more set
tied, the Leicester, or long horned Dur
ham, as they were sometimes called,
were brought in as an improved breed.
The half blood oxen of this cross had
very long horns, often measuring four
feet from tip to tip. Among the cows
were many good mixers; but the severi-
ty of our Northern winters told hard
upon this large breed of cattle; and the
improved red Devon took their place for
the most part, and served their genera
ton well, as their oxen, of uniform col
or, sprightly and active, not only with
the sled and two-wheeled cart did all
the logging and farm work, but drew
the grist to the mill and the sulplus
products to market over corduroy roads,
then so common in all low lands. The
cows gave high-colored milk, making
beautiful butter, used but sparingly up
on all tables where the wheaton biscuit
or loaf was the exception, and the rye
and Indian the rule, for the staff of life.
Then came the Short-horn, or Dur
ham, but not SO ponderous as those now
exhibited, with their rivals the Herfords;
the Dutch, with black ends and white
stripe around the body; and, later, the
Holstein, an improvement upon these,
with the back, hornless Galloway, the
red and white Ayrshire, the yellow and
mouse -colored Guernsey and Jersey.
All this blood has been commingled and
thrown together to make the native COW
of the United States and Canada of the
present day National Liue Stock Jour-
nal.
PETROLEUM FOR FARM IMPLEMENTS.
After considerable experience in the
use of petroleum for painting imple-
ments, wagons, machines, etc., am sat
isfed that it is good thing. But it
is necessary to use 1t freely. The
great point is to saturate the wood. All
the pores should be filled with petro-
leum. painted a new pine wagon box,
some time since, with petroleum. l
went over it half dozen times in as
many days, being especially careful to
apply the oil at the ends of the boards,
and to hold the brush against them as
long as they would absorb oil. You
will understand what mean if you have
ever used petroleum in this way. 1t is
astonishing how quickly the oil pene-
trates the pores. By going over the
wagon box repeatedly succeeding in
getting it to absorb two gallons of oil.
l am not afraid to have that box expos
ed rain, sun and wind. Merely going
over the wood once with the petroleum
does comparatively little good, unless
you propose to paint afterwards with
ordinary paint. l would mix nothing
with the petroleum. Saturate the wood
with it and that is all that is needed.
Now is a good time to do it, while the
wood is dry. The petroleum will take
the place of the american Agri-
cultuwist
TENDER-FooTED HoRsEs.-An old
man, who has had much experience in
handling and dealing in horses for more
than half a century, said to me recently,
that he had never known horse to get
''tender footed that was kept loose in
a shed and yard, or in box stall.
That turning round and treading with
their forward feet in the manure kept
them constantly moist and soft. His
theory appears perfectly reasonable to
me. l have no box stalls, but use
shavings for bedding, and every morn
ing with large shovel move the wet
shavings under the horse forward, in
front of and under his forward feet, and
then the last thing at night cover these
with dry shavings for him to lie on.
He also remarked that he had never
known, a fat-footed horse but what was
a great worker.-Jownal Of the Farm.
NESTS FOR SETTING HENs.-A most
excellent nest for hens is made by plac-
ing at the bottom of the basket or box