2G2 STATE BOARD OF AGKICULTURE. 



the jovering of animals is tliimicv than in the colder and more northern locali- 

 ties. Keasoning, then, from this, it 'wonld seem that more wool could be 

 produced, that its growtii would be stimulated, by shearing early in the spring 

 or by the first of May, while cool weather exists. Nature would interpose her- 

 self here, and try to make good the comfort and warmth by quickly covering 

 the exposed body of the sheep; and more wool is yearly produced tlian if the 

 month of May was left to finish up the year's growth of the fleece. 



iJy this early shearing we can get more wool yearly, the comfort and health 

 of the sheep be promoted; besides the loss and trouble from flies and maggots 

 are avoided. No observing flock-master could have failed to notice the discom- 

 fort of heavy-fleeced sheep through the warm days of last April, and the 

 remedy is to shear early enough in the season to escape the difficulty. Again, 

 the appearance of wool is injured by this pulling and squeezing in washing, and 

 the indifferent manner in whicli this part of the work is done is injurious to the 

 real merit of our wool. I have had experience in botii methods of putting up 

 wool, and I am clearly of the opinion that, all things considered, the washing 

 of sheep is unprofitable and should be discouraged. 



Mr. President, I have tried to confine my remarks to tlie subject assigned 

 me, and if they will be the means of bringing out thought and discussion on 

 points where ditferences of opinion will occur, or if they shall awaken a greater 

 interest in this the profitable branch of farming of to-day, and cause men to 

 study the economy of raising better sheep, of keeping and caring for them bet- 

 ter, I shall have accomplislied all or even more than I anticipated. 



EVENING SESSION. 



Mr, AV. Asa Kowe read the following paper on the 



SWAMP I.AXDS OF MICHIGAK. 



There are in Michigan about three and a half millions of acres of State 

 swamp lands, and in the older })ait of the State — tiie four southern tiers of 

 counties — there are nearly three hundred thousand acres of this class of lands. 

 Of course these State swamp lands are not all wet; yet there are are also some 

 really wet lands not included by them, so that they probably represent very 

 fairly tlie actual amount of this class of lands in the State. In some portions 

 of the State, one-third of the farms have more or less of these water-soaked, 

 health-destroying lands within their borders. 



Having so much at stake, all the residents of our State should be interested 

 in their reclamation. The sim[)lo (piestion of good health ouirht to be suffi- 

 cient to claim the attention even of those who have none of this land. Good 

 health is the greatest boon that can be conferred on any person ; without it 

 life, even with wealth, is miserable; while with it life may be enjoyed even in 

 poverty. That these swamp lands arc injurious to the health of all persons 

 living in their vicinity, is admitted by all who have given the subject attention. 



The malarial diseases caused by these lands early gave our State a very unde- 

 sirable reputation. Doubtless most of you will recollect the report at an early 

 day of the Surveyor (general to the government in regard to tiie lands within 

 our borders. The report was tliat the lands, being notliiug but sand-ridges and 



