140 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



farmers, I am glad to be able to say, have taken the front 

 rank in this branch of farming in our State. They have 

 made mutton the first consideration, then wool, which I con- 

 sider the true policy for the New England sheep raiser. 

 When a pound of early lamb or two pounds of fat mutton 

 will bring as much as a pound of wool in Boston market, it 

 is poor policy to sacrifice the mutton qualities of our flock 

 and put ourselves on an equal footing with the Texas or 

 California sheep raiser. Then let me say, brother farmers, 

 that I congratulate you upon the wise choice you have made 

 in the selection of your breeds of sheep, and may you go on 

 until your flocks shall rank second to none, either on this or 

 the other side of the Atlantic. England's hungry mechanics 

 by the tens of thousands want your mutton and your beef 

 and are willing to pay fair prices for it. We can compete 

 with their stock raisers successfully, if we will but use the 

 same sound judgment that they do in selecting breeding 

 animals. We have the stock to make the selections from 

 and the feed to grow and fatten them, with the means of 

 easy and cheap transportation. 



And now, brother farmers, in conclusion let me say that 

 stock raising is a subject that has been and is near my heart 

 and has engrossed a large part of my attention since my 

 majority, and in fact for years before. I can almost say 

 that I have made it a life's study. And here let me say that 

 I have ever tried to keep clear of that bigoted prejudice that 

 has been so detrimental to many of our breeders' interests 

 and made their life work almost a failure, that of thinking 

 and acting upon the principle that my cattle were better than 

 those of others. 



In breeding, do not enter into it at hap-hazard. Have a 

 definite idea of what you want. If you intend to make 

 dairying your leading business, breed from the best Jersey 

 bull within your reach and rear your heifer calves for a 

 special purpose, the dairy. One first-rate dairy cow will be 

 more net profit than three ordinary cows, while the pleasure 

 of having such is of no small account. 



