No. 112.] 457 



best adapted to fall or winter trade requires different treatment in 



manufacturin 



an early age. 



manufacturing and curing, from such as are to be consumed at 



A. L. FISH, Cedarville, Herkimer county, 



WILLIAM BRISTOL, Utica, 



BELA PARDEE, Vernon, 



Committee. 



Products of the County. 



The great agricultural product of Oneida county is that of 

 grass, the greater part of which is converted into butter and 

 cheese. Sheep husbandry has been fast giving way for the last 

 five years to the business of dairying, until the produce of butter 

 and cheese in the county has become immense, and constitutesby 

 far the greatest bulk of sales of agricultural products. 



Farmers generally dispose of their dairy^products at their own 

 homes, to dealers in those articles, with a condition to deliver at 

 gome convenient point on the canal or railroad. There was 

 a great diminution of the product the past year, owing to 

 the severe and long-continued drought, which has been the 

 immediate cause of prices ranging much higher than usual ; 

 and yet the farmers hav-e not realized as much in the aggregate 

 for their butter and cheese the past year, as on some previous 

 years, with a less price and full yield. 



The cows generally used in the county are, doubtless, a mfx- 

 ture of all breeds, witli no particular traits of any, whicli are 

 mostly denominated native cattle. Althougli we have the 

 pure-bred Durhams and Devons in small numbers, together 

 with many of their grades, and valued highly, which com- 

 mand large prices; and yet tlie great indifference among 

 farmers to improve the general a[)pcarance of their cattle, as 

 well as as to breed in the intrinsic qualities, leaves us 

 with but little credit for any improvement in that important 

 branch of agriculture. There seems to be a prevailing diffiTence 

 of opinion with farmers generally, with reference to the l>est cows 

 for the dairy, although all agree that the cow giving the best and 

 greatest quantity of milk is the one sought for. 



