66 



first settlers of our county, in the way I have mentioned, is 

 incalculable. 



5. Dairy. — The average yearly produce of butter and 

 cheese per cow in our county, I cannot answer; I don't think 

 there is a regular planned dairy in the county, and yet the 

 manufacture of butter for home consumption amounts to 

 upwards of one hundred and eighty-eight thousand pounds ; 

 of cheese to little upwards of eleven thousand pounds. 

 There is none made of either article for exportation. The 

 price of butter in our villages is from six to ten cents during 

 the summer and fall; in the winter it brings trifle more. 

 The prospects, with our railroad facilities, and the increase 

 of grass lands, are, that butter making and packing will soon 

 assume a prominent place in the business of farming. The 

 price of cheese is about eight cents per pound ; the most of 

 it is imported. 



6. Neat Cattle. — The cost of raising cattle until they are 

 three years old, is from eight to ten dollars. They sell from 

 twelve to fifteen dollars; cows, fresh milk, sell from ten to 

 fourteen dollars. The number of cows in the county, is 

 about four thousand ; other cattle, six thousand. 



7. Sheep and Wool.— There seemed to be great competition 

 in the purchase of wool among us last season. Prices ranged 

 from thirty to forty-five cents from native breeds. The con- 

 sequence was that the price of sheep went up from seventy- 

 five cents to one dollar and one dollar and a quarter a head. 

 As will be seen from the premiums awarded on sheep at our 

 feir, some blooded Merinoes have lately been imported into 

 Qur county by a few enterprising farmers on or about Elkhart 

 prairie. The Merino, crossed with native breeds, are consid- 

 ered the most profitable for wool and mutton together. 

 Number of sheep is put down at seventeen thousand ; wool 

 at forty thousand pounds. 



8. Hogs. — Hog raising in our county is but a small busi- 

 ness compared to other portions of the State. We export 

 but very little pork in consequence, the prices having of late 



