POETRY, ANECDOTES, ETC.

Progress of Fruit Culture.

THE progress of fruit culture during the last quarter of a century is one of the marvels of the present age. The first apples artificially cultivated in this country were grown on Governor's Island, in the harbor of Boston, from which, on the 10th of October, 1639, ten fair pippins were taken up to the little town of Boston, "there being," in the language of the old historical record, "not one apple or pear tree planted in any part of the country, but upon that island." The first nursery planted in this country for the propagation and sale of young trees was established by Governor Endicott, on his farm in Salem, now Danvers, in 1640, and it is related that he sold five hundred trees for two hundred and fifty acres of land. Orchards were planted during that and the succeeding century, but it was mainly for the purpose of cider-making. The trees were for the most part seedlings. Grafting, or the production of choice varieties, was not probably known, nor was there a very general cultivation of any kind of fruit till a comparatively recent date. At the close of the Revolution, and in fact at the end of the last century, it would have been impossible to find in the whole country the number and varieties of fine fruit which might now be found in a single town.

Again, it is to be remembered that the means of communication were so limited that even the finer varieties of seedlings, which now and then appeared, were not known over any extent of country. A seedling equal to the Baldwin would have remained unknown twenty miles around from the beginning to the end of the last century. Moreover, it was regarded as absurd for any but a young man to set out trees. The process of raising up seedlings was long and tedious, and a long life was thought to be requisite to secure the advantage of it. This state of things was not materially changed till long after the beginning of the present century. Many orchards were planted at this date, but it was still for the manufacture of cider, and nurseries where young trees could be procured were very rare. No horticultural society existed till the establishment of the Massachusetts, in 1829, and there were very few agricultural societies previous to that date, while none of them paid any special attention, or gave any encouragement, to the production of fruit.

It will be seen, therefore, that the general interest in fruit culture is wholly of recent origin. It was not regarded as of sufficient importance to be worthy of a place in the collection of the national statisties even so late as 1830, while in 1840 the fruit crop of the country, the orchard and garden products, amounted to only seven and a quarter millions of dollars; and in 1850 it had increased to only seven millions and three quarters, showing a very slow and gradual increase. Since 1850, however, the progress has been amazing. The export of apples and other fruits began to grow in importance, and in 1860 the value of orchard products had risen to over thirty millions of dollars a year, and at the present time it exceeds fifty millions a year, and is still rapidly increasing.

No doubt the agricultural and horticultural societies have done much to develop this great interest, while modern science has enabled the intelligent fruit-grower to secure more speedy returns. New varieties have been multiplied with a greater adaptation to focalities and soils, and people generally appreciate better than formerly the great value of fruit as a healthful and almost indispensable article of diet.

Management of Dairy Stock.

THE dairy cow is an artificial production. The animal in a state of nature, or the wild cow, yields but a small quantity of milk, and that only for a short time, sufficient only to nourish her young, when she goes dry for the larger portion of the year. High dairy qualities are the result of breeding and the care which has been bestowed upon the animal in her domestic condition. There is, therefore, a tendency to revert to the state of nature, and the milking qualities of our stock need to be fostered and promoted by all the means in our power. We want the cow to give milk ten months, instead of four or five. We want her to come to maturity at two years of age, instead of four or five. We want her to be heavier and better developed than she is in her primitive and natural state, especially that the lacteal system be developed to its utmost capacity. In the breeding of stock for the dairy, we prefer to have the heifer come in at an early age, at two years old rather than three, that is, before she is fully developed, while the milk-producing organs are easily influenced and enlarged by an increased supply of blood. It does a great deal towards the formation of a large and good udder. Up to this time we want her only moderately fed, that is, fed only with reference to her growth and thrift, and not to the production of fat. Calves that are over fed to force them along too rapidly, seldom make good cows. The tendency to lay on fat is developed at the expense of that to secrete milk. Let the calf be sparingly fed up to the first and timely calving, after which she may be fed more liberally. We would have her come in if possible in April, two or three weeks before going out to grass, and we would force her by succulent or moist and juicy food, after her udder has come to its normal condition, and the weakness and excitement of parturition are over, to her highest capacity of production. Feed dairy stock with great regularity, and treat it at all times with gentleness. The cow must have confidence in the kind

Great Sale of Short-Horn Cattle.

THE greatest Short-horn sale of the century took place at New York Mills, near Utica, N. Y., on the 10th of September, 1873, when one hundred and eight head brought the round sum of $380,490, or an average of $3523 a head. This was owing to the large number of animals belonging to the Duchess family, established by Thomas Bates, a distinguished English breeder, in the early part of the present century.

It may be stated for the information of those not familiar with the facts, that the herd of the celebrated Charles Colling was brought to the hammer in 1810, and that Bates, who already possessed some of the Duchess blood, purchased of Colling at private sale, here laid the foundation of the Duchess family of Short-horns. "Comet," an uncommonly fine-formed bull, brought at that sale a thousand guineas, the highest price that had ever been paid for such an animal. After breeding with great judgment and skill for many years, this celebrated herd was sold at auction by the executors of Mr. Bates in 1850. A part of that herd came to this country, and subsequently more of the same family. In 1853 the superb bull "Grand Duke" was bought in England by Jonathan Thorne, of New York, at a thousand guineas, or over $5000, and imported to New York. The highest prices were paid to obtain the best, and the best were obtained without regard to cost. The time naturally came when we had the best Short-horns in the world. It became necessary for English breeders to buy them back cost what it would, or lose their pre-eminence. This explains in part the apparently extravagant prices at which many of the animals sold.

The 1st Duchess of Oneida, a cow three years old, brought $30,600, to Lord Skelmersdale. The 10th Duchess of Geneva brought $35,000, to Lord Bective. The 8th Duchess of Oneida sold for $15,300. The 8th Duchess of Geneva sold for $40,600, to Mr. Davies, of England. The 9th Duchess of Oneida sold for $10,000, to Lord Bective, and the 3d for $15,000. The average of the six cows was $24,517, a total of $147,100. The 2d Duke of Oneida, a bull three years old, brought $12.000. The 10th Duchess of Oneida, a calf five months old, brought $27,000. The average of the twelve Duchess animals, including one bull, was $20,900, or a total of $250,800. It must be regarded as the most remarkable sale of the century.

This remarkable sale was not the result of mere fancy or excitement. It was based upon the fact, or belief, that the family of animals which sold for such prices is the highest type of scientific breeding, and the most perfect model for the economical production of human food. The Short-horn is remarkable for its early maturity and its wonderful fattening qualities. It is, in these respects, the beef breed of the world, but the Duchess family of Short-horns is considered to be the perfection of the breed.

It is a source of pride, whatever may be thought of the folly or wisdom of paying such prices for stock, that American breeders have had the foresight to select and import the finest cattle in the world, and that having imported them, they have succeeded so well in maintaining their high standard of perfection, and advancing it in competition with the most skilful breeders of England. The climate and the pastures of Kentucky, and some of the Western States, are admirably adapted to develop and improve the Short-horn, and it is claimed by the best stock breeders of that section that the breed is improving in their hands.

The success which has attended the scientific and careful breeding of the Shorthorns for the production of beef, ought to stimulate us to greater efforts for the improvement of the dairy breeds, so much better adapted to meet the wants of New England farmers. That the Ayrshires, the Jerseys, and our so called "native" cattle, are susceptible of improvement, no one can deny. That progress has already been made in this direction is equally certain, but the prosperity of our agriculture demands that still greater thought and skill be applied to the improvement of domestic animals, especially those that are essential to our wants, as are the cows kept for the dairy, which may be called the leading branch of New England agriculture.

UNITED STATES STAMP DUTIES. STAMP taxes on notes, deeds, and other documents, are now all abolished, except the stamp on bank checks, or orders, which is two cents.

DESPATCH OF BUSINESS. Sir Walter Scott, writing to a youth who had obtained a situation, and asked his advice, gave him this sound counsel. "Your motto must be hoc age (do this). Do instantly whatever is to be done, and take the hours of recreation after business, never before it. When a regiment is marching, the rear is often thrown into confusion because the front does not move steadily, and without interruption. It is the same with business. If that which is first in hand is not instantly, steadily, and regularly despatched, other things accumulate behind, till affairs begin to press all at once, and no human brain can stand the confusion.".

THE great happiness of life, I find, after all, to consist in the regular discharge of some mechanical duty.-SCHILLER.