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The Southern would, September is, i882,
da grass, and should rather have prefixed
anti before his noto de plume judging by the
tone of bis remarks. There is such a thing
as being out of place with reference to grass
as well as to other things. A bull in a china
shop is a familiar llustratlon; the devil in
the pulpit is another—both appear to bad
advantage. A flower yard is not the place
where Bermuda grass exhibits its good qual
ities to advantage. We can hardly conceive
of a worse place to test the claims of this,
valuable grass as a pasture grass than in a
garden of choice roses and other delicate
flowers. We had not heard that it had been
recommended for such a place. Yet we had
a neighbor who set the borders of his front
yard with Bermuda and cultivated and kept
it within bounds for years without any dif
ficulty. Probably the trouble with our cor
respondent is that the grass ‘‘had posses
sion" before the flower garden was laid out
and planted, orobtained full possession before
he made a determined and persistent effort
to eradicate it—while at the same time he
endeavored to preserve his flowers too. This
would appear a very unsatisfactory job.
R.
DOUBA CORN.
Editor Southrbn World.—Please inform
me through your paper, if tbe African
Doura, like the Chinese and other canes will
produce syrup and if it is of good quality ?
I planted on the 10th of June about H pint
of seed in five feet rows, by two feet in drill
and about four to six seed in a hill, and
as I planted entirely for the seed would
not cut it for forage. It is now about eight
to ten feet high and bunching for tassel or
seed and has five large stalks (planted in
branch bottom land). I propose to save the
fodder and seed as soon as ripe, and thought
(as I have a cane mill) would see if it was
fit for syrup, but would rather hear the pro
cess of making, if any one has ever tried it.
I would also like to know something of the
bread that is made from it and how the seed
are prepared for the mill. We have been
blessed with a bountiful season and our
crops of all descriptions are fine. . The rust
is spreading very fast in cotton. M. B. Ev*.
Appling, Oa.
Answer : There is considerable confusion
on the nomenclature of the several varieties
of sorghum, but we believe that the name
Doura is never applied to those varieties that
are cultivated for, or are capable of produc
ing, sugar or syrup, but is confined to the
bread producing sorts. But our correspond
ent can easily make a practical test of the
variety he has in cultivation. When the
seed have been well developed and are get
ting hard, if the juice of the stalks is fit
for syrup, it will be quite sweet to the
taste. But as our correspondent has a cane-
mill the test may be made still more conclu
sive bv running a quantity through the mill
and evaporating the juice. We are of the
opinion that the kind he has will not make
syrup. The grain of the Doura’s, generally,
when ground into flour or meal will make a
bread that is intermediate in quality or
character between that of wheaten flour
and Indian corn meal. The “Egyptian
wheat" and “Millo Maize"—varieties of the
same genus—produce a flour very closely
resembling that of our ordinary wheat, both
in sensible properties and in chemical analy
sis.
The heads are clipped off with a knife and
when thoroughly dry the seed are threshed
off with flails—a very tedious process—and
after separating the chaff by means of an
ordinary fan mill, they are ready for the
mill. R.
national Cotton Planter’s Association.
Editor Southrrn World—As a matter of
Interest to the farmers of Georgia and of the
cotton States generally, please announce
that the National Cotton Planter’s Associa
tion will hold its annual Convention at
Little Rock, Arkansas, in conjunction with
the Arkansas State Fair, commencing Oct.
16th, and closing Oct. 21st. This is an organ
ization of great importance to Southern
planters and should receive their active co
operation. All agricultural organizations,
both State and local, are invited to send del
egates to this Convention. Efforts will be
made to secure reduced rates from Atlanta
to Little Rock and return to cover the Fair
and Convention.
As soon as appointed, delegates from Geor
gia Societies or Clubs, should report to me
at Atlanta to facilitate arrangements for
transportation. By making these announce
ments you will oblige the planters and
farmers of Georgia and
Yours Bepectfully, J. & Newman,
Beefy N. 0. P. Ass., for Go.
gjepartmmt.
LIVE STOCK VABIETIES.
An essay read before the State Agricultural
Society of South Carolina, at its August ses
sion, By Hon. T. J. Moore.
(Continued from our last issue.)
THE OUERNSETS
are larger and coarser boned than the others,
and on account of size give more milk, but
not richer. They are red in color with white
markings.
THE JERSEYS
are smaller with a more beautiful deer-like
appearance. They have soft, black eyes,
rivaling the “ sweet gazelle," and are of all
shades of color, mostly fawns, blacks and
reds being scarcely known.
THE ALDEBNEYS
and the Jerseys are practically the same
thing with this exception, viz.: the Jersey is
bred absolutely pure, whilst the Alderney is
a mixture of the cattle of the two islands.
The Alderneys are of finer bone and more
delicate constitution. Very strict laws ex
ist on Guernsey and Jersey against the im
portation of cattle, and consequently the
cattle of these islands are absolutely pure.
The Jerseys have been more extensively im
ported to this country than the others, and
are now getting to be quite common. The
three breeds are bred for butter and butter
alone.
In contradistinction to the Ayrshire, tbe
Jersey, representing the three races, may be
said to be tbe rich man’s cow; being more
suited to grace his lawn with its deer-like
aspect, and his table with gilt-edge butter,
than to supplying the wants of the average
farmer. One distinguished writer says that
the milk of the Jersey is poison to the poor
man, because it is too small in quantity, and
too rich in quality. Three or four gallons of
milk per day for this breed is heavy milking,
though thoy have commenced now to run
up to five or six. But whut it lacks in quan
tity it makes up in richness. The butter,
0, how golden ! it is fit to grace the table of
kings. Yields of 14 to 20 pounds per week
are getting quite common, and an occasional
one of from 22 to 25 or over. So much richer
is the milk of this breed that it is said the
milk of one cow will color that of a half
dozen ordinary ones. I know by experience
it is much richer and could always tell in
the color of the milk and butter when the
Jersey milk was withheld. The cows are very
docile—the bulls on the contrary are apt to
get vicious at an early age.
There is a rage for them in South Carolina
at the present time, and I am satisfied
whether the rich man's cow or not, they are
to be the fancy for some years to come, and
for the sake of those who like to know what
constitutes a perfect animal, I give the scale
of points established by the American Jersey
Cattle Club, in judging them, and I do this
the more willingly when I remember it may
be of use this fall at our State Fair.
SCALE or POINTS IN JERSEY CATTLE.
Points. • Counts.
1. Head small, lean and rmtberloni 2
2. Face dished, broad between the eyes and nar
row between tbe horns j
I. Mussle dark and encircled by a light color 1
4. Eyes full and placid
5. Horns small, crumpled and amber colored s
S. Ears small and thin i
7. Neck straight, thin and rather long and not
heavy at sboulders 4
8. Shoulders sloping and lean, withers thin breast
neither deficient nor hee/y..........„„ „... g
». Back level to tbe setting on of tall and broad
across tbe loins.... 4
10. Barrel booped, broad and deep at flank s
II. Hips wide apart and fine In the bone, rump
long and broad.... 4
11 Thighs long and wide apart w|tb legs standing
square and not to cross In walking. 4
1*. Legs, abort, small below tbe knees, with small
boots...................... g
14. Tall fine, reaching tbe bock, with good switch 3
18. Hide thin and yellow, with fine soft balr4
16. Color of hide where balr 1s white on udder and
Inside of ears, yellow.™™.™.™™ 5
17. Fore udder full In form and running well for
ward.™™ g
1*. Hind odder full In form and well upbeblnd 6
10. Udder free from longhair and not fleshy s
20. Teats rather large, wide apart and squarely
H. Milk veins prominent... .." 5
22. Escutcheon high and broad and full on thighs 8
23. Disposition quiet and good natured... 1
24. General appearance rather lean than fleshy... 6
Perfection — ....mo
In Judging heifers omit 17,18,19, 20 and 21. The
same scale of points shall be used In Judging bulls,
omitting numbers 17,18,19 a td 21, and making mod
erate aUowance for masculinity. It Is recommended
that Judges at Fairs do not sward prises to animals
falling below the following medium standard, vis:
Cows, 70 counts; Heifers, U counts; Bulls, so counts.
SWINE.
The varieties of swine are so numerous
that time would fail me to tell you much
about them and their characteristics. The
foundation of all Improvement was laid in
Great Britain, not a great many years ago,
say a century or so back. From time im
memorial, they had been kept there in a
rude state.
The improvement has been more marked
in them than in any breed of domestic
animals, from the fact that breeders had
less to commence upon. All the known
breeds are resolvable into two great classes—
one the common wild boar, the other the
Sus Indica or Clflnese Pig. Until the in
troduction of the latter, no great advance
had been made. By the cross of tjie large
unsightly English sow with the more highly
refined Chinese boar, a rapid abvance was
made and in selecting from the offspring
such animals as possessed in the greatest de
gree, the forms and qualities desired, and by
continued selection, and weeding out, so to
speak, the different breeds have been estab
lished, and their characteristics pretty well
fixed.
Writers of twenty years ago enumerated
a dozen or more breeds in England, and as
many in Scotland and Ireland, most of
which have been imported into America,
though but few, however, have been kept
pure. Our pigs are made up of these old
breeds. In England at present, they have of
the white breeds, the Yorkshire, embracing
the large, medium and small classes, and
Leicester; and of the black breeds, the Es
sex and Berkshire. These embrace about all
that are of special value to breeders. We
have all tiiese in America, together with
some others whose characteristics are not so
well fixed and which can hardly be denomi
nated breeds, as they do not transmit their
characteristics with absolute certainty to
their progeny. Among these we enumer
ate the Chester white, the Cheshire or Jef
ferson county pig, the Magio or Ohio pig,
Poland Ciiina, Jersey Reds, and such like.
The Chester* whites some years since were
pretty well disseminated at the South, but
seem not to have maintained themselves. In
fact, from their color they are not adapted
to our latitude being predisposed to mange
and otherskin diseases. The Ohio pig has
been lately brought to us, but whether
adapted to our wants remains to be seen.
The large course frames of both these last as
well as others of like characters, fit them
rather for a corn, than a cotton country.
The black breeds—the Essex and Berkshire
—are better known among us, and are held
in very high regards, embracing as they do,
many desirable qualities. They belong to the
class of small breeds and are especially adapt
ed to the production of pork and ham of
the finest quality for fashionable markets,
and for crossing upon the common stock of
a coarser and hardier kind, to give quality
and maturity. Each have their admirers.
The Essex is probably more highly bred, but
has a certain delicacy arising from their
Southern descent, producing excessive ten
dency to fatten, which, unless carefully
counteracted by exercise and diet, often di
minishes the fertility of sows, and causing
difficulty in rearing the young. Upon the
whole the Berkshire is more adapted to our
wants than any breed with which I am ac
quainted.
SHEEP.
The varieties of sheep are also quite nu
merous, coining to us from almost all the
quarters of the old world. Europe, Asia
and Africa, each furnishing her quota, not a
great many of which are of special value to
us. Those most valued by us are the Meri
nos, Leicesters or Bakewclls, Cotswolds,
Southdowns, African Broad Tail and the
Improved Kentuckys. They are bred both
for rnntton and wool. These varieties named
furnish the finest types of animals, excel-
ing in these products.
TIIE MERINO
stands at the bead of the fine wool variety.
They were ^brought to this country about
seventy-five years ago from 8pain and France.
From these places they were also carried to
Saxony and Silesia, where they were very
much improved in,the fineness of fleece, pro
ducing what is known as Electoral wools.
They are called Saxon and Silesian Merinos.
They are but little bred in this country. The
American Merino, improved principally in
Vermont, is the variety in best repute. They
are of good size and hardy, and especially
suited in performance to any other breeds
to being kept in large flocks. They yield very
large quantities of very fine oily wool, the
males averaging from ten to fifteen or more
pounds of washed wool; the females from
five to ten. They are not so profitable for
mutton on account of size and inferiority of
flesh, though some breeders claim that they
are fine for this also. It does not stand to
reason, however, that being a wool sheep
they can be a good mutton sheep, because
these desirable qualities can scarcely be
found combined in the same animal in their
greatest perfection.
THE LEICESTER
Dlshleys or Bakewells, were originally
knowu as the Lincolns, a breed remarkable
for the quality of wool and coarse grained
flesh. They were improved very greatly by
Mr. Bakewell, of England, for whom they
were tallied, and were very popular in Eng
land and Scotland, as well as in this coun
try. They are justly esteemed here for
their mutton qualities, and for crossing on
our native stock. Of the long wool sheep
they are the most esteemed in England.
Some years back they stood high in this
country, and were thought to have combin
ed in them tbe advantages of wool and mut
ton, in greater perfection than any other
breed. Of late years, however, in this coun
try, more attention has been paid to South-
downs and Cotswi-lds, which are bred both
for wool and mutton but more especially the
latter.
THE SOUTHDOWN.
belongs to the coarse wool variety, yielding
fleeces averaging about from four and a half
pounds of fine quality, and is celebrated for
the fine flavor of their mutton. They are
one-third larger than the Merinos, and are
hardy and prolific. They are black faced
and legged, with square, compact frames.
The lambs are large and hardy and aro much
bred in the vicinity of large markets to sup
ply the demand for early lambs. To the
the race of Southdowns belong the Hamp
shire, Oxfords, Shropshires and some others
crossed with the Leicester blood to give
greater size and aptitude to fatten.
In the Southdown we have the greatestde-
velopment of hams and shoulders, with
short necks, and an abundance of horns.
They can be brought into maiket at eight
months old, when they may be made to dress
from sixty to one hundred pounds; and at
two to four years of age will dress from one
hundred and fifty to two hundred pounds:
They are neat and symmetrical in form and
cajiahle of subsisting on scanty pastures.
THE COTSWOLD.
is in demand, combining as they do large
size with readiness to lay on fat, strength of
constitution, and large fleeces of what is
known as the long combing wool, used in
making worsted and coarse cloths for wear
ing apparel. The fibre is six to eight inches
long and some times much longer—is strong
and somewhat coarse, and of good color.
The mutton, with a small proportion of fat,
is very superior. They excel in size, length
of wool, hardiness and vitality. They are
possessed of good figures. They, like the
Southdowns, are much used for crossing
upon other varieties for the purpose of ob
taining early lambs for market.
THE IMPROVED KENTUCKY,
which is now dignified with the title of a
breed, originated some few years back in
Frankfort, Kentucky, with Mr. R. W. Scott.
They are made up from other breeds, com
mencing with native ewes, crossed first with
Merino rams, which gave fineness of fibre and
thickness of fleece. The cross bred ews were
then put to a Leicester ram, to insure size,
form and length of wool. Then to insure
activity and hardihood a Southdown ram
was used. After this a three-quarters Cota-
wold and one-fourth Southdown, then two
pure Cotswolds, and lastly an Oxfordshire
ram of remarkable softness and silkiness of
Heece were used in the order named. Since
then the tendency to out-crop, it is claimed,
has been done away with, and the breed
firmly established.
THE BROAD TAIL
is an African variety of great hardihood, so
named from its characteristic tail. This
propensity to put on fat at particular places
is characteristic of African sheep; thus we
have the Fat Rumped, the Broad Tail,
and some others, putting it on behind the
ears, and at other places. They are essen
tially a mutton breed. Col. J. W. Watts,
than whom none in the 8outh knows more
about a sheep, says of this breed: “ If the
principal object should be to raise mutton for
the market, I would certainly recommend
the African Broad Tail. Were the question
one of long combing wool, I would cross the
Cotswold ewe with a Broad Tail ram."
The New York Financial Chronicle esti
mates tbe cotton crop for the year ending
September 1, 1882, at 5,435,845 bales. The
exports were 3,505,031 bales and spinners
took 1,661,200 bales, leaving a stock on hand
at the close of the year of 120,722 bales.
Beauty in nature 1b fortunately more lut
ing than the dictates of fashion. More than
three hundred years ago Bacon said: "There
is nothing more pleasant to the eye than
green grass kept finely shorn." The same iz
true to this day and will be so for all time.
Bradstreet estimates the wheat crop of
1882 at 526,400,000 bushels.