532 



Of the improvement in farm stock, we have already spoken. No 

 attendant of our fairs can have failed to notice the striking superiority of 

 our last exhibition, in this respect. 



In the early part of the season, and indeed up to the time of har- 

 vesting, great alarm was felt for the wheat crop, owing to the depreda- 

 tions of the Hessian fly. Every field was infected, and perhaps not a 

 stalk could be found entirely free from the insects, while upon some 

 they could be counted by dozens. That their operations lessened the 

 yield of the crop, cannot be doubted ; but the damage proved not near- 

 ly so great as was at one time feared. This, perhaps, was mainly owing 

 to the season having been very favorable to vigorous vegetation, which 

 enabled the plant to outgrow the injury of its enemy. Under different 

 circumstances of weather, the loss from this source of damage might 

 have been much more serious. 



Just after harvesting had commenced, the State was visited with co- 

 pious rains, which caught a large portion of the wheat crop in the 

 fields. From this cause, in common with the rest of the State, Gen- 

 esee county suffered considerably by the grain growing in the ear, but 

 not to so great an extent as many other sections. Notwithstanding 

 these two serious drawbacks, those competent to judge, consider the 

 wheat crop of this county at the last harvest, a full average ; while the 

 yield of most other crops was largely over the average. Potatoes were 

 unusually productive, and uncommonly good in quality ; as, indeed, 

 were all kinds of root crops. 



Your Committee received at various times, from the Patent OIBce at 

 Washington, packages of garden and farm seeds, imported from abroad, 

 which they distributed for experiment as opportunity oflered. Many of 

 those seeds do not seem to be suited to this climate; but others, no 

 doubt, will prove valuable acquisitions. It is not yet in the power of 

 the Committee to report definitely upon the value of the imported seed 

 of field crops ; but a variety of them have been placed in different care- 

 ful bands, who will give each a fair trial, and it is expected will report 

 the results for the general benefit. 



The bountiful harvest of the past season, conjoined with the very re- 

 munerative prices which all kinds of produce have commanded — as 

 high (and in some instances higher) at the farmer's own door as they 

 would have been at a distant mart, thus saving to the producer the 



i 



