No. 112.] 5 



and crops, which were once the leading ones in our State, must 

 give place to those of a diiiCrent character. , 



The returns of the last census most clearly show that this has 

 taken place to a considerable extent already; and the general 

 prosperity of the farmers of our State, and the successful result 

 of their operations the past year, show, that their labors have, 

 in the main, been well directed. The wheat crop has de- 

 creased, from a less number of acres devoted to its cultuie; a 

 crop which the west can raise and send to market, so as to com- 

 pete with us successfully. Indian corn, rye, oats and barley, 

 which will not bear transportation so well, have largely increas- 

 ed since the last State census. 



Our dairies have also very materialy advanced, not only in the 

 quantity of butter and cheese, but in quality also ; and what is most 

 encouraging, while the increase in quantity of butter ]ias been 

 264,361 pounds, and of cheese 12,991.437 pounds, the number of 

 milch cows, since the last State census, has decreased 68,066, 

 showing most clearly that the efforts of the Society in elevating 

 vthe standard of our daily products, and in improving the charac- 

 ter of our dairy animals, have been most gratifying. Tlie ave- 

 rage yield of cheese per cow, as estimated in 1845, was 110 lbs. 

 each ', and the yield in 1850, adopting the same standard of esti- 

 mate, gives a fraction over 160 pounds each, showing an increase 

 per cow, at the average prices at which cheese was probably sold 

 by the farmers, six cents, of about iJST. 50 each=toSl, 162,916. 12, 

 for the whole number of cows in the State employed in the cheese 

 dairies alone ; a revenue to the farmers engaged in this business, 

 equal to nearly one-half the annual revenue of our canals. The 

 increase in butter, though not as large, is still very satisfactory, 

 and shows most conclusively the advance which has been made 

 in this department of agriculture; and in which, from the cha- 

 racter of our soils and climate, and the facility of our markets, we 

 are not likely to be superseded by any section uf our country. 



The Society have ever kept before the minds of the farmers of 

 our State, the importance of doing well what they did do; and the 

 premium farms to which awards have been made from ytar to 



