12 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



at their meetings, and the information contained in these lectures are 

 giA'en to the public by printing such addresses with the proceedings 

 of such meetings, which are sent broadcast to do missionary work 

 throughout the State. 



The act passed by the General Assembly of 1907, entitled ''An 

 act to encourage the breeding of horses," etc., will no doubt lead to 

 the breeding of a better class of horses in our State, an improve- 

 ment which is very much needed and which will stimulate our best 

 breeders to greater energy in their calling. When it becomes gen- 

 erally known that horses bred in Penusylvania are free from heredi- 

 tary tendencies to unsoundness, and that with proper care, no 

 blemish is likely to develop during the period of a horse's active 

 life, buyers will seek for Pennsylvania stock, and better prices, as a 

 consequence, will prevail. 



A great number of cattle are fed in Pennsylvania for the butch- 

 er's market every year, most of which are brought from other 

 states. During the year 1907, 80,000 head of cattle were sold for 

 feeding purposes from the stock yards at Lancaster City, alone, and 

 from the same yards 60,000 head were sold for slaughter. 



The unfavorable season for properly maturing the corn crop, 

 which has already been referred to, served as a hindrance to the 

 profitable feeding and fattening of stock. The thrifty Pennsylvania 

 feeder, not willing that his reputation should suffer, in many in- 

 stances, made up the loss occasioned by immature corn, by purchas- 

 ing western mill feeds and good Pennsylvania steers were, as usual, 

 found in the market, demanding remunerative prices. 



CHESTNUT CULTURE. 



In 1904, this Department issued a bulletin on Chestnut Culture, 

 prepared by Mr. C. K. Sober, of Lewisburg, Pa. Before arrange- 

 ments were made for the preparation of the bulletin, Mr. Sober's 

 farm was visited -and a careful calculation was made of the possible 

 outcome of the work that was being done at the time of the visit. 

 Nothing seemed clearer than that a great field of profit was open 

 to persons possessing mountain lands, from which the chestnut 

 timber had been receutlj^ removed, or was soon to be removed, and 

 the bulletin was issued.* 



It was found on the visit referred to, that Mr. Sober then had 

 between 7.5,000 and 100,000 young and thrifty chestnut sprouts graft 

 ed with Paragon chestnuts, many of which were beginning to bear 

 fruit. Some of the grafts that were from two to three years old, 

 were producing from three to four quarts of chestnuts, while older 

 grafts were bearing proportionately Avell. Last year Mr. Sober had 

 orders for many hundreds of bushels of chestnuts, at |6.00 per 

 bushel, over and above what he was able to fill. 



This experiment proves conclusively that chestnut land, from 

 which the timber has been removed, is susceptible of being turned 

 to great profit by grafting the sprouts with the improved Paragon 

 variety, and the matter is referred to in this report, not to give prom- 

 inence to what an individual citizen has accomplished, but rather 

 to point out what may be done by others to reclaim and put to prof- 

 itable use, lauds that may otherwise be allowed to lie waste. 



Mr. Sober's home is at Lewisburg, Pa., and the chestnut farm is 

 near Paxinos station east of Sunbury of the Penna. R. R. where 

 anyone wishing to do so, can see what has been accomplished. 



