DIGEST OF STATE REPORTS. 465 



cessfiil iu a financial poijit of view, as well as in tlic many superior 

 articles exhibited. 



Eeports from county ami district societies show these organizations 

 to be in a healthy and prosperous condition. The number of such so- 

 cieties iu the State is about fifty, from which reports have beeu made 

 by forty-five. 



At the January meeting of the board an interchange of vi,ews was 

 had among the members upon the questions of seeding ground to clover 

 aiul flax at the same time, and ui^on early and late plowing for corn. 

 Upon the first question there was quite a diversity of opinion. Some had 

 found that the flax so shaded the clover as to kill it. Others had been 

 successful, and found that the flax.did not interfere with the clover to 

 any greater extent than oats. As to early aud late plowing, the testi- 

 mony was almost unanimously in favor of late plowing for corn, many 

 giving it as their experience if the ground were broken up after vegeta- 

 tion had well started, say as late as the 20th of May, they secured per- 

 fect immunity for their corn crop from the cut- worm. One gentleman 

 had divided a field, plowing one -fourth in the fall, one-fourth on 

 the 1st of May, and the remainder about the 20th of the same mouth. 

 In sections plowed in the fall and early spring the cut-worms destroyed 

 the entire set, while in the half of the field planted late only a few 

 hills along the edge required to be replanted. 



In compliance with a resolution adopted at the March session of the 

 board, a trial of implements used iu the preparation of ground and the 

 cultivation of crops was held at Indianapolis, commencing on the 10th 

 and continuing up to and including the 13th of June. There were one 

 hundred and sixty-four entries of plows, cultivators, grain-drills, rollers, 

 harrows, planters, dynamometers, &c. Premiums amounting in the ag- 

 gregate to $220 were disbursed. The exhibition was very successful, 

 and its regular continuance from year to year is recommended by the 

 board. 



A convention of the cattle-breeders of the State was held at Indian- 

 apolis on the 21st of May. The convention was largely attended, and 

 much interest seemed to be taken in all its proceedings. Dr. Steven- 

 son, of Greencastle, presided, and on taking the chair delivered quite 

 an elaborate address on the subject of the breeding aud rearing of short- 

 horns. In giving the points of a pure or thorough-bred, he "said that 

 the general contour of the body should be nearly a square. The crops 

 should be wide ; the line of the back straight ; the line of the belly 

 nearly so, swelling a little behind the ribs ; the flank low ; the ribs bar- 

 rel-shaped ; the loins wide, and the rump long and wide; the back 

 should be wide ; the thigh long and wide : the legs short and compara- 

 tively small, or at least uot coarse ; tail light ; hair soft and fine ; skin 

 thick, soft, and elastic. The color should be red or white, or a mixture 

 of the two, as roan or pied. In answer to the question as to whether 

 short-horns can be improved, Dr. Stevenson said : 



If these cattle are not susceptible of improvemeut, tlieu the breed is perfect, aud 

 that perfection implies perfect uniformity. That this breed is not perfectly uniforui 

 does uot admit of a doubt. If not uniform, then thej' are not perfect, and are suscei)- 

 tiblo of improvement just as any other imperfect breed of auimals are. That they are 

 no better now than they were a centiu'y ago, is no proof that they are not susceptible 

 of improvement. The proper inference is, that l)reeders have failed to adoiit such a 

 course as would accomidish it. Aud there are reasons iialpablo enous^h why breeders 

 have thus failed. The great merit and deserved popularity of tlio breed, commencing 

 with the CoUings, has been the prime cause. The great demand for them has resulted 

 in throwing upon the country all the bull-calves, good and bad, as breeders; conse- 

 (lueutly, many bad bulls have beeu used, to the great damage of the breed as a whole. 

 The high price paid for these cattle has turned all the breeders into speculators, aud, 



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