No. 112.] 365 



peciallj the fat sheep. The plan adopted by the State 

 Society of making a show of fat animals of the various 

 kinds, also a show of poult i-y alive, as well as dressed, is, a 

 plan by which all the county societies might be benefited, and 

 which, I think, this society will adopt. 



The society has for the past few years, adopted the plan of the 

 State Society in putting up a fence and charging an admittance 

 * fee, by which they have been able to pay their premiums and ex- 

 penses. We have been ihinkingof buying a piece of ground and 

 putting up a permanent fence and renting it for pasture or other 

 purposes, and thus saving the expense of putting it up and taking 

 it down every season, and cost of lumber, which are very ex- 

 pensive. 



The land in this county, and more especially in the vicinity, 

 has advanced very much in price and availability ; and this 

 has been caused by draining. They, (I mean the small far- 

 mers,) have seen the experiment tried, and found it succeeds be- 

 yond any of their conceptions ; the land that a few years since 

 was swampy and boggy, is now perfectly dry, and raises as fine 

 wheat as is grown on any upland in the county. The greatest 

 difficulty is found in not getting drain tile enough, the demand is 

 so great. They are also much preferable to stone ditch, as 

 they last longer and are cheaper. There has been a great many 

 cattle and hogs fed in the county this winter for eastern markets, 

 and I will send you the statistics of shipment at the railroad 

 depot this winter in a few days. 



The winter meeting was held in February, and elected the 

 following officers : 



Elisha W. Shelden, President, Sennett ; a Vice President from 

 each town in the county ; Treasurer, Henry ILBostwick, Auburn; 

 Recording Secretary, S. S. Graves; Corresponding Secretary 

 Phineas Hurd, M.D., Scipio. 



There is quite an excitement amongst the farmers of the coun- 

 ty as regards labor-saving implements, in regard to which is the 

 cheapest, most durable, and the best worker. As the mowing 



