6 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Clients in Cumberland county, twentj-one had undergone more or 

 less of this kind of improvement, and the owners had adopted it as 

 a very important feature in their eflbrts for improvement. This 

 seemed to him a very striking and gratifying fact in agricultural 

 progress. In his visit to these farms, he had been extremely inter- 

 ested in hearing the farmers set forth its benefits. They had tried 

 it on a small scale, and were going to extend their labors in that 

 direction. Not long ago, very few of these men, if any, would 

 have thought of such a thing as expending money for underdrain- 

 inof. A manufactory of tiles had been established in Cumberland 

 countv. The arentleman who conducts it had informed Mr. A. that 

 the demand for tile now exceeds the supply, while during the first 

 year he almost despaired of making it a profitable business. In 

 this connection, he would express the hope that the Board would 

 in some way advise the State to prescribe the making of tile instead 

 of brick in one of the departments of labor at the Reform School. 

 The profit on the manufacture would be as great, while the benefit 

 to the community would be greater. 



There had been great improvement in stock during the last few 

 years. This also was to be largely attributed to the action and 

 measures of the Society. Especially had attention been directed 

 to the matter of keeping stock. More than ever, boards and shin- 

 gles had been resorted to for the saving of fodder, rather than to 

 more expensive things. Farmers were fast learning that to keep 

 cattle warm saves their hay, and that consideration for cattle and 

 saving to the owner, go together. Xearly every man in Mr. A.'s 

 vicinity now gives his stock good protection : and the trial is made 

 to see if this mode of dealing will not forward the matter of build- 

 ing up stock more than any system or quantity of feeding will. 



Mr. Anderson said that in a report on the subject of sheep and 

 swine made to the Cumberland Society last October, attention was 

 directed to the protection of sheep against mischievous dogs. The 

 object was to see if dog owners could not be induced to substitute 

 for dogs a more profitable animal as a favorite. lie would read 

 from the report referred to : 



" We desire to repeat advice often given unheeded. — ' that far- 

 mers keep fewer dogs and more sheep and hogs,' and propose a 

 question for the earnest thought of those who regard the general 

 good. Would it not be better for the State, if every farmer was 

 allowed a certain number of sheep exempt from taxation, rather 

 than, as now, the sheep-killing dogs ? which infest the country, 



