No. 6. 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



11 



of 



Most poultry raisers have come to understand the disadvantage 

 in-breeding*^ and raising ''scrub-stock," so that quite as much 

 pains is taken to secure pure blood of whatever variety may be in 

 greatest favor and to keep the breeding up to the proper standard 

 by the introduction of new blood as is taken with any of the other 

 live stock upon the farm. 



FARM ANIMALS. 



The National Department of Agriculture has just issued a state- 

 ment of the number, average and total value of farm animals in 

 the country, from which the following statement relating to Penn- 

 sylvania is taken. The statement shows that in 1907 the figures 

 were as follows: 



Animals. 



3 

 d 



o 



Horses 



Mules 



Milch cows, . 

 Other cattle, 



Sheep, 



Swine, 



Total value. 



$69,198,000 



5,084,000 



41,472,000 



17,370,000 



5,091,000 



7,722,000 



$145,937,000 



While the above estimated value is surprisingly large, it is quite 

 probable that the actual worth of all horses, mules, cattle, sheep 

 and swine is rather under-estimated than over-estimated. 



Our State does not produce anything like the amount of live stock 

 needed to meet the requirements of our population. Many horses, 

 mules and cattle are brought into Pennsylvania from the West and 

 South every year. Large numbers of sheep and swine also are 

 brought from the West. 



There has been, during the last few years, quite a revival of inter- 

 est in the subject of stock breeding, and in recognition of this in- 

 terest and to meet, in some measure, the wants resulting from it, 

 this Department arranged for the preparation of bulletins of infor- 

 mation upon the subjects of breeding and care of sheep, cattle and 

 horses. The bulletin relating to sheep was issued in 1906, 



It seems difiicult to secure the services of competent persons to 

 prepare the matter for the bulletins relating to the cattle and horse 

 breeding industries, but parties in whom we have full confidence 

 have finally been secured for this work, and although these bulle- 

 tins have been delayed longer than we had supposed would be nec- 

 essary, we expect confidently to be able to place them in the hands 

 of the State Printer early in the coming year. 



The State Livestock Breeders' Association is doing much to en- 

 courage the breeding of more live stock in Pennsylvania. Promi- 

 nent stock breeders from other states are secured to deliver lectures 



