COUNTY EEPOETS. 459 



labor and the dairy. But it is admitted that the flesh of Durham 

 cattle, being loose of texture, and coarse grained, makes the 

 most tender and juicy beef of any class of stock raised, and, as 

 they are of large size and get their growth young, and fatten 

 easily, they are more profitable than any other kind for beef. 



The Devon is a compact built, fine grained, hardy animal that 

 can endure much hardship, and stand the rigor of a northern 

 climate v/ithout peeceptable inconvenience. They will keep in 

 tolerable condition on ordinary feed, and perform more labor 

 for the money it costs to keep them than any other grade of 

 cattle now among us. But for the dairy, neither of the breeds 

 we have named is superior to the hest cows of our native stock. 

 A man purchasing a cow at a cost of from one to five hundred 

 dollars, values her highly and keeps her on the very best feed 

 he can obtain. Let him keep one of our best native cows, and 

 feed her in the same way, and compare the quantity and quality 

 of the cream each will produce and, if our experience is correct, 

 the imported cow will come out second best. 



"We would, therefore, recommend to the board of control to 

 offer a premium for the best native cow; and we would say to 

 the farmers of this county, that in our opinion they will find their 

 interests promoted by breeding from the best native stock and 

 keeping them on the best of feed the whole year through, in- 

 stead of paying the enormous prices for imported cattle. What 

 are now termed blood cattle were first produced, and the grades 

 are still kept up by breeding from the best and giving high 

 keeping. What can be done on the other side of the Atlantic 

 can be done in our county. 



EEPORT ON SHEEP. 



It is rather gratifying to the judges to see the number of 

 entries in the department assigned to them about double what 

 it was last year. This shows an increased interest in this im- 

 portant branch of husbandry, which we ardently hope will be 

 followed up, until our State can stand beside our sisters in the 

 Union without a blush. Our soil, climate and every facility for 

 producing wool is not surpassed by any State in the Union. All 



