69" 



and the application of all the manure we can gather, we not 

 ©nly check the decrease in fertility and product, but we are 

 enabled to turn our attention to more profitable business than 

 raising grain, and that is in raising of stock, or dividing our 

 attention between the two. All kinds of stock, horses, cat- 

 tle, sheep and hogs have advanced in price to a considerable 

 extent, on this ground mainly — especially young animals. 

 An ordinary suckling colt last season would sell readily for 

 twenty dollars, that two or three years back would not have 

 brought fifteen dollars. It is not unfrequently the case that 

 a man with a pretty good brood mare is offered twenty dol- 

 lars for the chance of the colt as soon as she is known to be 

 with foal. Good work horses range from sixty to one hun- 

 dred dollars. The number of horses among us is rising of 

 three thousand. With the present attention paid to this de- 

 scription of stock, this number will soon be doubled. It is 

 my opinion also that as our farmers become more able, they 

 improve in the general management of their farms. Give us 

 a little more age and we will equal, according to our natural 

 and artificial advantages, in all the substantial elements of 

 wealth, any county in the State. 



The county was organized in 1830, and the population at 

 that time was but nine hundred and thirty-five; since that 

 time it has increased twelve thousand; showing upwards of 

 sixty-seven thousand acres of improved land, with the value 

 of real estate over two millions of dollars. The face of the 

 country is generally undulating, embracing every variety of 

 soil and timber, all but a small portion first rate land. Half 

 of the county is covered with heavy timber, such as beech, 

 maple, walnut, hickory, poplar, oak and cherry ; the remain- 

 der is oak barrens or prairie. It might surprise some to be 

 informed that considerable of our walnut lumber is sent into 

 the New York market. The county enjoys water power in 

 all directions to an unexampled extent, the most of which is 

 improved as fast as the wants of the people require. Noth- 

 ing is wanting now among us but a good system of common 



