99 



uniformity in their exemption from croaking and depressing views; and 

 while they exhibit great variety in description of the status of domestic 

 animals, nine-tenths of them indicate a state of health and ^igor vary- 

 ing from medium to highest ; and care has been taken, in the following 

 digest, to present all the unfavorable statements made. 



CONDITION OF CATTLE. 



In ten counties in Maine cattle are reported in " average" or '^ good" 

 condition ; in Somerset they " came to the barn poor last fall ; hay was 

 scarce, and they are therefore thin in tiesh." S^^^l^ 



In all counties -reporting in New Hampshire, condition ranges from 

 "fair," "good," "better than common," up to "remarkably fine" in 

 Hillsboro County, where hay was of fine quality, and in consequence of 

 a short crop more grain and attention than usual were bestowed. 



Cattle have wintered unusually well in Vermont, no unfavorable 

 report being received. The report from Grand Isle is, "the best I ever 

 knew." The correspondent in Orleans County reports as follows : 



Twenty or more years ago cattle were fed very poorly in this region. I have seen 

 cattle driven to the woods in winter to eat the twigs of birch, hemlock, and other trees 

 felled for them to browse npon. I have seen cows so jDoor that it was necessary to help 

 them iij) ; and it was no disgrace to have two or three that had to be thus aided by 

 lifting at the tail. Now most of the cattle in this county are wintered in stables made 

 so snug that the temiierature is raised by animal heat several degrees above freezing, 

 even when the thermometer is at zero or lower. The hay is also of fine quality, and 

 cut earlier than formerly. More grain is fed and less straw ; and now it is quite com- 

 mon to have cattle gain in flesh through the winter, and dairy cows are strong and 

 vigorous, and come in in March or Ajiril, and are capable of giving a good flow of rich 

 milk. Several herds iu the county yielded over two hundred pounds of butter to each 

 cow last year. 



The reports from Massachusetts are, " good," " very good," and " never 

 better." Similar statements are made from Rhode Island and Connecticut, 

 except in Fairfield, in the latter State, and Providence, in the former, 

 where cattle are not in as high condition as usual, though healtliier. 



In New York the counties reporting " good condition " are Broome, 

 Ulster, Oneida, Clinton, Greene, Cattaraugus, Steuben, Suftblk, Schenec- 

 tady, Fulton, Saratoga, Wyoming, Rockland, Albany, Chenango, Ontario, 

 Jefferson, Onondaga, Franklin, Columbia, Allegany, Dutchess, Seneca, 

 Washington, and Warren ; " above an average," Madison, Otsego, 

 Schuyler. Our correspondent in Warren writes that hay has been 

 high and scarce, but has been freely used, ta the great benefit of the 

 stock. He estimates as follows the value of a condimental feed of grain 

 occasionally : 



I calculate a bushel of oats, 80 cents, helps a horse as much as a hundred of hay, 

 which costs a dollar ; and a bushel of corn ground in the ear, at $1 25, is equal to two 

 hundred of hay. 



The mild weather of the past winter has been extremely favorable to 

 the health and growth of cattle in New Jersey, Ocean County present- 

 ing the only report of inferior condition. Delaware makes an equally 

 favorable return. 



Pennsylvania reports as fellows: "Not so good as usual, owing to 

 scarcity " of feed last fall, in Wyoming County ; " good condition when 

 properly cared for," in Beaver; "excellent," with some exceptions, in 

 Berks; "poor," not having recovered from effects of drought last fall," 

 in Susquehanna; "good" in Bradford, Somerset, Washington, Perry, 

 Clinton, Adams, Warren, Montgomery, Union, Juniata, Greene, Ches- 

 ter ; " average," Elk, Westmorland ; "better than average," Cambria, 

 Franklin, Cumberland, (better than for many years,) Dauphin, Delaware, 



