216 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



certainty tell how many they can dispose of within a speci- 

 fied time. I know of some feeders of early lambs who 

 practise slaughtering their own lambs, and sending the car- 

 casses direct to the consumers, and with much larger returns. 



Could this be the practice of all, I think it would result 

 in saving to the producer two commissions at least : first, 

 the one to the purchaser of the lambs from the feeder ; and, 

 second, the commissions to the butchers for slaughtering, and 

 selling to the consumers. 



What reason is there why we should not at least have the 

 same advantages for disposing of our lambs as the dairymen 

 have their butter and cheese ? I believe it to be perfectly 

 practicable for the producers of early lambs to slaughter 

 them, and send the carcasses to A, B, and C, in Quincy- 

 hall Market, the pelts and refuse which they save to them- 

 selves fully paying for the trouble of slaughtering, and ex- 

 pense of transportation. Is it not time for us as farmers to 

 begin to " rake after," and save all we can, and thus make 

 our calling one that is strictly independent ? The great 

 trouble is, we support too many that are not of us, and con- 

 sequently are against our best interests. I believe the time 

 is near at hand when the producer and consumer will be 

 directly connected, and thus be mutually benefited. Hop- 

 ing that I have in this paper suggested some ideas that will 

 lead to a profitable discussion, I leave the subject with you. 



The Chairman. Gentlemen, the subject is now open for 

 discussion, if any gentleman wishes to make any remarks 

 upon it. 



Mr. Whitaker. I have bought a good deal of wool. 

 The gentleman referred to the difficulty of buying wool. 

 The great difficulty about the buying of wool is with the 

 farmer. In nine cases out of ten, probably, if there was 

 any trouble, it would be the farmer's fault. If I come into 

 Franklin County or into Greenfield to buy wool, I buy the 

 first quality wool, and pay the farmer the highest price. 

 He is so well pleased because he gets an extra price for 

 his wool, that he must tell everybody about it. It is 

 one of the most difficult things in the world to make one 

 farmer believe that his wool is not worth just as much as 

 his neighbor's. By paying a certain price, the wool-buyer 



