192 



at the root of her ear, is all the loss out of a stock of 116 head. I commenced with a 

 flock of 1,100 shRep, and have fully as many lambs as usual. My losses are confined to a 

 few old ones and those killed by dogs. 



From Whitmau, Wasliington Territory, the report states that cattle 

 as a general rule make their own living on the bunch-grass, and that 

 the winter has been the hardest one on stock since that of 1861-'62, 

 w^hen 50 per cent, of the cattle in that part of the country east of the 

 Cascade Mountains perished. It furnishes the following illustrations 

 of the folly of neglect : 



One man brought from Oregon 1,100 sheep, and, without feed or shelter for them, he has 

 now less than 300. A neighbor, who had nearly 300, prepared good, warm sheds and plenty 

 of feed, such as hay, oats, beets, parsnips, «&c.. During stormy weather he fed well. His 

 flock came through with a loss of only two, and they died from injuries. 



The return from Ada, Idaho, represents that though the winter in 

 that Territory has not been excessively cold, it has been unusually long, 

 aud as "but little food and no shelter is provided, it has been more 

 severe on cattle and sheep than any winter since the Territory was 

 settled." 



CONDITION OF CATTLE. 



Among the thirty-six counties reporting definitely, from New England, 

 Kent, lihode Island, returns average ; all the others range above. The 

 prevalent thrifty condition in Maine is largely accounted for by the 

 return from Piscataquis : " Farmers are taking better care of their stock ; 

 they are more regular in feeding, and take more care to keep them gaining 

 through the winter; they have discovered that it does not pay to let 

 cattle get poor, it takes so long, and so much feed, to get them up and 

 gaining again." In Carroll, New Hampshire, "farmers begin to find 

 that it pays to winter only what they can keep in a thriving condition." 

 Also in Berkshire, Massachusetts, that " by prevention of exposure to 

 storms, and by keeping up a moderate, even temperature, the cost for 

 food is diminished, and the health of animals materially benefited. In 

 Kent, Khode Island, a gradual improvement in condition through the 

 winter is secured by feeding more roots and corn-meal than formerly. 



In the Middle States the general condition indicated is also one of re- 

 markable thrift. The exceptions noted are very few. A scarcity of feed in 

 Washington, Suffolk, Livingston, and Genesee, New York, has caused loss 

 of condition ; a similar deficiency, resulting from drought, in Talbot, New 

 Jersey, caused like deterioration ; and comparative leanness has come 

 upon the kine of the counties of Wyoming, Westmoreland, and Warren, 

 Pennsylvania, in the latter owing to the light hay-crops and high price of 

 corn ; an average condition exists in Dutchess, New York ; in Bergen, New 

 Jersey ; in Columbia, Dauphin, Juniata and McKean, Pennsylvania; and 

 in Cecil, Maryland. All of the ninety other counties in these States mak- 

 ing specific returns on this point report condition higher than average. It 

 is mentioned that more grain than usual has been fed to cows in Mont- 

 gomery, New York, and that the flow of milk has been correspondingly 

 liberal ; and in Otsego, that selling prevented starving, leaving the re- 

 mainder in fine order. Eoots prevented ruin in Union, New Jersey. 

 Well-stabled cattle of Berks, Pennsylvania, lived high on meal and bran. 

 Maryland shows only in Talbot poor stock ; in Carroll medium ; in twelve 

 other counties high condition, particularly in Frederick and Prince 

 George. 



