:i78 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



I presume some readers will shrug tlieir tired shoulders at what I have pre- 

 sented, and with thoughts of an already irksome life, will mutter, too much 

 work. But it pays. Besides, how easy to take the boys and girls into partner- 

 ship — such regular duties will be valuable to them — and stipulate to give them 

 half the extra profits to spend for good books and papers. In this way you will 

 not only tliicken your pocketbooks, but will ])ut the dear children in tlie way 

 of greater improvement and usefulness. 



Mr. A. Sharp of Xottawa read an essay in which he argued that the raising 

 ■of stock was not profitable in St. Joseph county, as tiie land was not adapted to 

 grazing, and argued in favor of raising grain and vegetables to the exclusion of 

 stock. 



FRIDAY MORNING SESSION. 



Prof. C. L. Ingersoll gave his lecture on Beef and Beef Breeds. (See Lect- 

 .ures given at more than one Institute.) 

 Mr. Dougharty of Park read an essay on 



FARM STOCK. 



AVe have not the manuscript of Mr. Dougharty's essay and did not hear it 

 read. 



The reporter for the Detroit Post and Tribune says Mr. Dougharty, in speak- 

 ing of farm stock, said he was surprised that any one should vote to keep no 

 stock. He was sorry Laban could not have heard Mr. Sharp's paper; it might 

 have saved the pariarch the great deception. Showed that judgement was not 

 -exercised in breeding, especially in choosing sires. We must also look to our 

 dams. Sires should not be grades or crosses, but all well bred. Care, too, is 

 most important. The care expended will meet ample returns. 



The speaker then showed by carefully prepared statistics that if we would 

 select the best animals and care properly for them we could make, in excess of 

 our present profits, enough to pay all our taxes. By keeping better sheep and 

 cattle we might secure double what we now get for our surplus. 



One of the greatest mistakes our farmers are making is in not keeping more 

 stock, keeping better stock and keeping it better. Over half our profits ought 

 to come from our stock. 



Mr. Dougharty, in answer to inquiry, said he preferred fine wool breeds of 

 ^heep. 



Mr. B. Hicks of Three Rivers read the following essay on 



BUTTER MAKING. 



I considered that one of the iirst requisites after obtaining the desired num- 

 ber of cows, was a milk house witli ilowing water, so I had a drive well put 

 down close by the river, as that is the only pUice where a head can be obtained 

 that will maintain a steady flow, and built a small house, 10x12, over it, of 

 which I was the designer, architect, contractor, and builder. I built a trough 

 along one side of the milk house about 1<> inches deep and 20 inches wide. I 

 then divided it into six square water-tight compartments about 20 inches 

 square. The first partition was raised about one-halt' inch from the bottom, so 



