46 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



realized, I can give no information. Some make rapid advance, but a large 

 proportion, I am sorry to say, depend on other sources, to tlio ncgloct of their 

 farms. Of course we have nothing established in relation to' a rotation of crops. 

 On such farms as have been partly plowed, the average of hay, is one ton per 

 acre; on those which have nothing done, and the hay sold off, it would fall below, 

 and others, well treated, yield two, two and a half and even three tons. On 

 the whole, there has been no increase of late years. My method to increase the 

 crop, (in old fields,) would be to let the grass grow without feeding, till the 

 last of June; turn it under with the plow; harrow thoroughly, soon after 

 haying; cross plow in October; harrow the succeeding spring as soon as 

 dry. At a proper time sow down to wheat and grass seed ; then roll to 

 smooth the surface. In a fair season tlie wheat would cover expense, while 

 the hay would probably be increased three or four fold. 



"With regard to the average quantity of milk per cow, and of butter and 

 cheese, I am unable to answer definitely. Some of the dairies in this town, 

 and generally in number two, (called Benedicta,) and which is settled with 

 Irish, are managed well and made profitable-; while I am sorry to say that 

 many of the Yankees of number three, with an equal number of cows, are 

 butter buyers. From my own experience, I should judge that a good lot of 

 cows properly managed on good hay and pasturage, would average two hund- 

 red pounds of butter and fifty of cheese, per annum. I have a cow four years 

 old, which calved the first of Ootobar last, that made one hundred and ten 

 pounds of butter from that time to the first of April, five months, and raised 

 the calf. Wo sold eighty pounds at twenty cents per pound. The calf drank 

 its milk, probably half new for the first four weeks, after this, wholly skimmed, 

 with meal and water, scalded. I raise all my calves in the same way ; prefer 

 oat meal in small quantity at first, and increase. This calf is now worth 

 twelve dollars. Same cow yielded, the last week in June, eight pounds of 

 butter ; the weather was very warm. 



Cost of raising a colt, to the age of three years, (including pay for the 

 foal,) about fifty dollars ; not many sold at this age, except a fancy one, which 

 will command from one hundred to one hundred and fifty dollars; twenty-five 

 dollars more may be added to the cost at four years old ; average value, one 

 hundred and twelve dollars. From four to five, they may be used nearly or 

 quite enough to pay the keeping ; average value, at least one hundred and 

 twenty-five dollars. 



Cost of neat cattle, at one year old, twelve dollars ; average value ten dollars ; 

 at two years old, twenty dollars ; average valoe twenty dollars ; at three years 

 old, thirty-five dollars; average value thirty dollars ; at four years old, fifty 

 dollars ; average value, if steers, seventy-five dollars ; if a cow, probably she 

 has her second calf, and if good, she may have reduced her keeping twenty 

 dollars; average value twenty dollars. Ac five years old, if oxen, the labor 

 of the last year^ properly employed, will pay for keeping, leaving the cost 

 for raising, fifty dollars ; average value one hundred dollars ; if a cow, prob- 

 ably she has reduced her keeping twenty dollars, bringing the cost to ten 



