206 



ries of our country unsuited to their breeding, especially in 

 large flocks ; ground very undulating or even rugged and 

 mountainous being better adapted to their habits. A few 

 sheep of the finer qualities or grades of merinos were intro- ' 

 duced into the county a few years ago, but have, through 

 careless breeding, degenerated. Some of the coarser breeds, ■ 

 with large carcass, might be made very profitable by fattening 

 for the butchers; but the encouragement for raising the 

 smaller breeds for wool is not at all flattering. 



Hogs. — Considerable carelessness is manifested in the breed- 

 ing of this invaluable stock by most of our farmers. A hog 

 is a hog ! no matter how large the ears, snout or legs ; they ^ 

 may form almost the entire animal, still they are kept and 

 bred from. One great and culpable error committed by ma- 

 ny, is breeding sows too young. It is nothing unusual to 

 see one of six or eight months old, with a litter of a half 

 dozen pigs at her side. This litter, of course bred by a sire 

 of the same age of the dam, and perhaps of the same litter, 

 the breed soon becomes degenerate. 



An attempt has been made by some farmers to introduce 

 trood breeds, and they are still to some degree sustained, but 

 in a very limited number of cases. They have been princi- 

 pally of the small Berkshire breed ; their form is neat — color, 

 black ; size quite small, which renders them unprofitable for 

 the market, especially when kept for a length of time. This 

 is the principal cause why they have not been more thorough 

 bred. 



The number of hogs sent to market this season is not so 

 many, it is supposed, as that of last year. The prices of corn 

 rating so much higher last year than this, it was considered 

 unprofitable to feed so much pork ; consequently all hogs of 

 suflicient size were disposed of before regular wintering sea- 

 son commenced, and the number thereby much diminished. 

 All farmers, however, who adopted such a course, liave re- 

 gretted the step taken. The difference in the present prices 



