542 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 
with valuable original articles by experienced writers. The leading arti- 
cles in the former are upon agricultural inventions and novelties, de- 
scribing the different labor-saving machines and implements brought into 
notice the past year; the progress of fish-culture ; notes upon dairy mat- 
ters; upon the diseases of cattle, horses, and poultry; leguminous 
plants; mutton sheep; besides numerous useful tables. 
In the retrospect of the year it is stated that “codperation among 
farmers has extended from the cheese dairies of Central New York over 
a large part of that State and westward into Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and 
other western and interior States. Not only have cheese factories been - 
on the increase, but in other matters farmers are slowly learning the 
advantages to be derived from a similar course of codperation. Along 
the Housatonic Railroad a milk association offers unusual facilities for 
farmers to get a good price for their milk. Butter dairies or creameries 
are springing up in various parts of New England, and similar codpera- 
tion will obtain in regard to other farm products, making the farmers 
less dependent upon middlemen.” ‘The receipts of cheese at New York 
in 1870 show an increase of 43,000 boxes as compared with 1869, and 
the exports were more than 4,000,000 pounds in excess of the previous 
‘year. A patent style of square cheeses, of various sizes up to thirty 
pounds’ weight, has been introduced into Otsego County, New York. 
The most desirable form is ten inches long and five square, weighing 
nine to ten pounds, and it is thought this form has some advantages in 
_ manufacture, packing, and preservation. 
In fish culture a very substantial increase is noted, although not yet 
sufficient to affect the fish markets. It requires four or five years for 
shad or salmon to reach their best condition. Thus far it has only been 
attempted to sow the seed, and to demonstrate, in a limited way, the 
economy of stocking barren streams with fish. These efforts have been 
attended with so much success that men best acquainted with the results 
are entirely confident of the future of fish culture, and are willing to 
embark their capital in fish-hatching houses, in dams, and leases of ponds 
and streams. The legislatures of all the New England and Middle 
States have voted liberal appropriations and appointed fish commis- 
sioners to manage this new industry. Millions of ova of salmon, shad, 
black-bass, white-fish, trout, &c., have been placed in the rivers and ponds 
of the Northern States. In 1867 some millions of shad-spawn were placed 
in the Connecticut River, and in 1870 the catch was without parallel in 
late years, upward of 30,000 being taken last spring. At Holyoke, 450 
were taken at one haul. The results are so satisfactory that upwards of 
50,000,000 of fry have been placed in the Connecticut, at an expense of 
only $500 to the State; seventeen ponds in Connecticut have also been 
stocked with black-bass by the State, besides a large number by private 
enterprise. Numerous ponds and streams, farther north, are being 
stocked with trout. ‘ 
Dr. Hexamer thinks the severe drought of 1869 and 1870 produced 
the beneficial result upon the potato crop of nearly exterminating the 
potato disease or rot, which was so destructive during several preced- 
ing years. Nearly all varieties grown in 1870 have kept well, and are of 
better quality than usual. The Early Rose has become the great favorite 
and fully sustains its reputation. . 
The Horticultural Annual is of a character similar to the Agricultural 
Annual, comprising articles on orange culture in Florida, on dwarfs, 
on conifers, on raising nursery trees from seeds, with notes on new fruits 
and the fruit crop of the year, as well as the new vegetables, roses, and 
other flowering plants that have been tested. 
