SECRETARY'S REPORT. 61 



until they are very indigestible ; and they are not such food as 

 will sustain men in hard and constant labor. He advised 

 against their general use. 



But ho thought, that whatever the quality of different kinds 

 of meat might be, the farmers of Massachusetts had only to 

 settle what kind of sheep is best adapted to their own farms. 

 To determine this they had only to look abroad over tlieir own 

 State, and see where the most successful sheep husbandry had 

 been carried on. Our best sheep farmers are in Berkshire — not 

 that they have any better soil or climate for sheep than can 

 be found elsewliere in the State — but they have devoted them- 

 selves to tliat branch of sheep husbandry which is really 

 profitable. Tliey had the same latitude and the same feed as 

 Worcester County and other parts of the State ; but they had 

 better sheep. And it is one of our agricultural misfortunes that 

 their example has not been followed. Many portions of our 

 State present admirable facilities for sheep farming. Those 

 pastures in and around Brookfield, which were swept by pleuro- 

 pneumonia, offered every inducement for the business. And 

 yet they had been stocked again and again with a class of cattle 

 of doubtful benefit; and whenever sheep had been placed upon 

 them, it had been the coarse-woolled varieties, whose owners 

 had been glad to speed their departure. 



Mr. Wetherell of Boston, as strongly advocated the keeping 

 of mutton sheep in the neighborhood of large markets as most 

 profitable. We cannot compete with the West, and with Texas 

 and South America in raising fine wool, as we can in supplying 

 our markets with mutton and lamb. 



The discussion was continued by Mr. Tidd and Mr. Walker. 

 At the close of this debate, the Board adjourned. 



ANNUAL MEETING IN BOSTON. 



The Board met in Boston the 26th of January. It was — 

 Voted, That the State Board of Agriculture have read with 

 great pleasure the communication of the Secretary addressed 

 to His Excellency the Governor, upon the subject of pleuro- 

 pneumonia, and they fully agree with the Secretary in the 

 statements and recommendations therein made. 



