356 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



ever, that " twenty hundred weight make a ton!" The full 

 grown animals of this breed will generally yield an animal clip^ 

 each, of seven or eight pounds of wool. The South Downs are 

 rather distinguished for the excellence of their mutton. A cross^ 

 between the two, called Oxford-Downs, was also exhibited, 

 which promises well. 



Our duties as a committee also led us to the sty as well as to 

 the i)en. There was " a herd of many sivine " in attendance 

 upon the exhibition. Some of them from the beginning took a 

 deep interest in the proceedings. Ti)ey were evidently svbsoil- 

 ing the society's new lot. As this report has already occupied 

 too much space, we will not bore you with many remarks upon 

 this subject. We noticed one Italian hog, owned in Northamp- 

 ton, evidently a fine animal, but he did not meet our views ; he 

 lacked the indispensable appendage of bristles. Until'he can 

 use a little " hair tonic," and mend that matter, he should bo 

 referred, as a member of Congress once said of John Randolph, 

 to the " committee on unfinished business." 



We next met with the Suffolk hogs, which are evidently 

 favorites in these parts. They are beautiful animals. They 

 have small extremities, not too thick bristles ; they have not 

 large frames, and they take on fat more readily perhaps than 

 any other breed. We noticed a male and female of this species, 

 exhibited by T. P. Huntington, of Hadley. Tlicy received the 

 well-deserved praises of all who saw them. The male partner 

 in the concern evidently belongs to good society, for he was not 

 vp when we passed him at eleven o'clock. And this leads vis to 

 say that we have one accusation to make, even against this 

 breed — they ivill not root ! We shall lay up this charge against 

 them. Any attempt to imitate " high life " by being lazy, is no 

 recommendation, even in a hog. If you will allow us to use 

 one large word in this report, we would say that it is one of the 

 " idiosyncrasies " of a hog to root. Every regular animal knows 

 how. A full-grown occupant of the sty, by the proper use of 

 his " proboscis," will make from eight to twelve loads of manure 

 in a season. The farmer then need not be alarmed at this pro- 

 pensity in his swine. Keep them well supplied with straw, leaves, 

 turf, and the sour issues of the swamp, and they will transmute 

 it all into agricultural wealth. 



The exhibition of milch cows was not large, though some fine 



