134 



kept an account of the product — and after deducting what was used In the 

 family, they have averaged sixteen dollars per head ; we make butter and cheese. 



There is a large profit in raisiirg horses. I bought a yearling mare colt, for 

 twenty five dollars, ten years ago last spring. I' sold her at six years old for sixty 

 dollars ; have since sold two colts, at two years old, for ninety-five dollars, and 

 have eight on hand of her stock, valued at a low estimate at 470 dollars. 



There is also a fair profit in keeping sheep. A friend of mine, in Walworth 

 county, told me last Vinter that he sheared one hundred and thirty sheep the 

 season before ; got one hundred and thirty dollars for the wool at his door, and 

 raised seventy lambs — the lambs would more than pay the expenses. 



There is also a profit on hogs, properly managed. There is no profit in keep- 

 ing a poor breed of hogs, nor in half-feeding a good breed ; no more hogs 

 should be kept, than can be kept well — they should be fatted early while the 

 weather is warm ; in order to do so, our farmers should have old corn to com- 

 mence feeding in August, and raise barley, which by the way is a very good 

 substitute for corn ; it should be ground and soured while the weather is warm. 

 Pumpkins, potatoes, and other roots, boiled and fed with barley, are very good. 



It appears therefore to be bad economy for the farmer to devote his whole time 

 and attention to raising wheat and other grains, or to raise stock exclusively ; but 

 when he can blend the two branches together he will reap golden harvests. 



Our market heretofore has been at IMilwaukee. Grain this year, however, will 

 not bear transportation. Our best market at present is the Pinery ; we are anti- 

 cipating one at Fort Winnebago and other ports on Fox River, when the 

 northern improvement is completed — the extreme south eastern corner of the 

 county is about thirty miles from Fort Winnebago. 



About one-half of om* county is rather sandy for grasses, though well adapted 

 to grain ; the balance seems to be well adapted to both. I have seen several 

 pieces of timothy and clover that appeared fine on the prairie. There is a great 

 deal of laud in the older settled parts of the county that should be seeded down 

 now, in order to rest the land and make a good fallow for wheat. 



We fonned a County Agricultural Society some time in November last, and 

 elected Hon. Jesse Van Ness, of Westpoint, P. 0. Lodi, President ; and Hon. 

 John A. Byrne, of Otsego, Secretary. 



The science of Agriculture is steadily progressing, and the day is not far dis- 

 tant when it will not be thought disreputable to till the soil. 



In conclusion, permit me to say, you have my best wishes for the success of 



the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society. 



Veiy respectfully, your obedient servant, 



JOSEPH KERR. 

 To Albkrt C. Ingham, Esq. 



Sec. of the Wis. State Jgr. Society. 



