02 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



had been reared, a larger proportion might have been brought to 

 maturity ; and the feeding or fattening of cattle, when judiciously 

 pursued, under favorable conditions, and no more attempted than 

 can be accomplished, is usually a paying operation ; while the 

 richer manure saved to the farm assists materially to enhance its 

 fertility. 



I have repeatedl}' urged increased attention to sheep husbandry. 

 In a considerable portion of the State, the culture of sheep with 

 primary reference to quantity and quality of wool, would, during a 

 series of years, be accompanied with a good profit. In a verj'^ 

 large portion, and indeed almost everywhere within tolerable near- 

 ness to a good meat market, their culture, with special reference 

 to both quantity and quality of meat, is very desirable, and would 

 prove lucrative. Mutton is all the time becoming better appre- 

 ciated as an article of diet, and this tendency will increase as it 

 becomes better known. It is within the truth to say that really 

 fine mutton is at once the best, the most healthful, the cheapest 

 grown and the dearest and scarcest tneat sold in our shambles. 



The unusual demands and exigencies of the present time, grow- 

 ing out of the tremendous struggle for national existence in which 

 we are engaged, have so enhanced the price of wool, of all grades, 

 that any other exhortations to sheep husbandry are quite needless. 

 I will only remark, therefore, that it would not be difficult to intro- 

 duce a reform in our practice which would, ere long, (whether the 

 present high prices keep up or not,) add hundreds of thousands of 

 dollars to the wealth of the farmers of Maine. It is simply this : 

 let those whose circumstances and surroundings induce them to 

 cultivate fine wool, breed their ewes only to pure bred Spanish 

 Merino bucks ; let those who aim chiefly at weight of carcass, use 

 the pure Cotswold or other well bred long wool bucks ; and let 

 those who desire a superior quality of fine flavored, juicy, delicious 

 meat, which will command the highest price wherever known, pro- 

 cure the best bred improved South Down bucks, and breed their 

 ewes only to these ; let the grade ewes of these several sorts be 

 served only by other pure bred males of the same breed, but from 

 distinct families ; let all breed steadily in their several directions, 

 and then bestow suitable care and treatment, and the work would 

 be done. We should then have i-eliable, profitable flocks, of known 

 and definite properties and qualities, instead of crosses and mix- 

 tures innumerable, a few good, some tolerable, but mostly quite 



