AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS IN SOUTHERN NEW YORK, 11 



oats, and j)otatoes where desirable, making a four-yeai- rotation. 

 Stock may be added as tlie feed for their support is produced, or an 

 orchard nia}' be started. 



LIVE-STOCK FARMING. 



No one who has observed eastern conchtions closely can have 

 failed to note the laro;e acreajj^e in grass. Many of the ])asture and 

 hay grasses are veiy much at home in southern New York and make 

 excellent growths. Lai-ge areas are well adapted to ])ermanent 

 glazing lands and to forage cro])s, affording an excellent basis for 

 cro])])ing systems for the maintenance of animals. But the animal 

 industries, with the possible exceptions of dairying and i)oultry rais- 

 ing, are poorly developed. Attention should be given to the breed- 

 ing and raising of shee)) and horses, both of which will prove profitable 

 industries in this section. In some cases beef cattle and swine may 

 also be found pi-ofitable. 



Despite the great develoi)ment of these industries throughout the 

 State as a whole, less stock tiian formerly is ke])t upon the hill lands 

 of southern New York. As already pointed out, the raising of sheep 

 for wool was once ([uite an industry in many parts of the State. 

 Instead of abandoning shee]) when the price of wool fell, a dual- 

 ])ur])ose breed should have been introduced, as was done in man}' 

 other parts of the country. Now that sheep have become more 

 profitable New York farmers should take up the industry again. 

 Large areas are better adapted to sheep pasturage than to an3^thing 

 else, and the opportunities for the development of this industry are 

 great. 



Another line which was formerly very profitable but which has 

 been almost abandoned is the breeding (3f draft horses. The 

 present liigh ■i)rice of horses and the nearness to market of many 

 chea]) eastern lands open up a great field for ]irofitable horse breeding. 

 A few enterprising business men have already demonstrated this 

 beyond a doubt. 



It is an open question whether, under existing conditions, cattle 

 for beef and hogs for pork can not be as chea])l3^ produced in the East 

 as in the West. In the first place. New York lands are not nearly 

 so high priced as western lands, so that the investment on which 

 interest must be earned is nuich less. Furthermore, the physical 

 condition and fertility of the soil would l)e im^iroved, thus raising 

 the value of the land. 



The whole dair}" industry needs to be develo])etl and extended on 

 these cheap lands. The market for clean and wdiolesome dairy 

 products is constantly growing, transportation facilities are improv- 

 ing, and the tendency in the price of milk is ui)ward. Good up-to- 



[Cir. 64] 



