of 1849, passed at H. Blanchard's depot, Kinderhook, New York, 980 pounds superfine, 438 prime, all in two grades. In conclusion, try to have your sheep with as many of the good marks as possible, and very few of the bad ones. Annually select, fatten and sell faulty sheep to the butcher. By so doing you will have the profit and pleasure of having a fine and beautiful flock. We ought to improve our flocks, raise our fine wool; manufacture our own cloth; for if we pay $20 for foreign cloth, it has to be in specie, and away it goes, and some bank has to call in $60 of her circulation. The difference is, had we bought American cloth our farmers and mechanics would have had the $20; and that same money kept among the industrious part of the community might have paid a $1,000 of debts in a year, and still have the same money to go on with." An intelligent farmer of Woodstock, in this county, has a flock of native sheep on which he based the following calculations. As to cost and profit does it correspond with your calculations? 100 sheep, valued at $1.50 per head, Interest on same one year, Hay consumed, 15 tons at $8 per ton, $150 00 9.00 120 00 25 00 250 600 $312 50 The manure is considered an equivalent for feeding and tending. At the end and during the year he will have or will have had as follows: 75 lambs, (ought to be as many as there are sheep,) average value $1.25 per head, 93 75 300 pounds of wool, or 3 pounds per head, at 28 cts. per pound, 84 00 Total value at the end of the year, $327 75 Difference between cost and value-profit, $15.25. On this calculation, the profit is equal to 10 cents 4 mills per annum, or $15.25. If the lambs were 100 instead of 75, and the wool 33 cents per pound (the current price this year 1850) instead of 28 cents, the profits would be $61.50; or 41 per cent. per annum. On this calculation 1 ton of hay would yield 20 pounds of wool. The breeds of sheep are-1. Native; 2. Merino; 3. Saxon; 4. Dishley; 5. South Downs; 6. Cotswold; 7. Leicester. The breeds of swine are numerous-too numerous to mention. There are-1. The native; 2. Bedford; 3. Newbury White; 4. White Chester; 5. Berkshire; 6. Improved Berkshire, &c. A person entering a swine for premium, should state what breed, manner of feeding, weight, cost, and all the facts in relation to ease of fattening, habits, &c. A good breed will be noted for its large size, rapid growth, early maturity, and propensity to fatten. Hogs are not only valuable for the great amount of aliment they yield for all classes, but they are highly useful in furnishing manures of the best kind. It is said that a hog will pay for himself in the manure he will work over and make, if properly situated. A few farmers pay great attention to this matter, and are rewarded accordingly. But the great majority do not give this subject the attention its importance demands. Their manure is rich in phosphate of lime, a property greatly needed in agriculture, and sparingly found in other manures. Every care should, therefore, be taken to give swine an opportunity to earn their living, by giving them a locality and other circumstances conducive to this end. ON HORSES. In 1844, the Committee on Horses awarded as follows: To America Farrar, for best stud, A. C. Denison, a gratuity for French stud, $4.00 2.00 2.00 1 00 1.00 2.00 Alden Blossom, for a 4 years old colt, weight 1,240, weight 1,025,. Philo Clark, a gratuity for his Morgan horse, In 1845, "your committee, having examined the horses entered for premium, award to Messrs. Denison & Co. the premium of $4 on a French stud 9 years old. "Also a premium of $2 to Mr. Ayers Mason, on a mare 7 years old." In 1846, the committee on horses awarded to America Farrar of Buckfield, for best horse kept for mares, Alexander S. Thayer, Paris, best breeding mare, Peter Wheeler, for second best Thompson II. Richardson, Hiram, for a 3 years old colt In 1847, the committee on horses, awarded: $4.00 2.00 1.00 2.00 To Joel W. Chadbourn, of Waterford, for best stud horse, 4 00 C. C. Whitman, Woodstock, for second best do 2.00 Peter Wheeler, Bethel, for hest breeding mare, 2.00 In 1848, the committee on horses have to regret the want of interest manifested in stock horses. All are ready to admit that improvement of our breed of horses, in size, beauty or figure, color and docility is as much called for, not to say more, than that of any of our domestic animals. Great credit is due to America Farrar, of Buckfield, for his constant endeavors to supply the county with good stock horses. The only one entered was the French Tiger, by Mr. Farrar. He has been owned in the county the last 2 years, is 8 years old, and a generous public are well paying the owner for his interest in procuring a good breed, by a liberal patronage. Your committee. awarded Mr. Farrar the first premium of $3. Mr. Farrar also presented a 3 years old colt, sired by the Independence, which has stood the last three seasons in the northern part of the county. The colt spoke well for his sire, well pointed, large limbs and joints, and promises well for future and maturer years. Your committee award the second premium to Mr. Farrar, of $2. The interest in the breeding mares was very commendable. Four were presented for the contest; 1 by Thelismer Bearce, of Hebron; 1 by Benjamin Dearborn, of Hartford; 1 by Larned Swallow, of Buckfield, and 1 by Silas Maxim, of Paris, all good mares, and spoke well for their several owners. The mare presented by Mr. Bearce, brought along with her 4 of her colts as witnesses of her character, which we considered as unimpeachable, and so awarded to him the first premium of $2, and were confirmed in our opinion of the French Tiger on being told that her youngest colt was sired by him. Your committee did not see the stock of the other mares, which was necessarily absent, but had no hesitation in awarding the second premium of $1 to Mr. Dearborn. In 1849, the committee awarded: To Sylvanus Porter, for best horse kept for mares, $3.00 America Farrar, Buckfield, for second best horse kept for mares, 2.00 2.00 1.00 John Needham, Bethel, for best breeding mare, Moses Parsons, for second best breeding mare, Your committee would respectfully represent that there were many other horses presented for premium, and that they were worthy of notice, especially one presented by Ira L. Delano, of Canton, which in our opinion was decidedly the best horse, but your committee did not feel authorized to award a premium in consequence of his not standing in the county during the past season. The above engraving represents the English cart Horse, to 10. Breast or bosom. 11. Arm. 12. Elbow. 13. Girth. 14. Flank. 16. Stifles. 30. Large pastern. 32. Coronet. 33. Hoof. 34. Knee. 35. Common. 37. Heel. 38. Large pastern. 17. Withers. 18. Back. 19. Loins. 20. Hip. 40. Hoof. 39. Small pastern. |