MR. neavell's address. 15 



habitants don't tell a short story ; — that there is no mistake as to 

 their beneficial influence. Accommodate your crops to meet the 

 •wants of the market by which you are surrounded, and a fair remune- 

 ration -will attend your exertions. 



The animals of a country will as a general thing be a fair criterion 

 by which to judge of the state of its agriculture. Go through any 

 district of country, and if you see the flocks and herds of good size 

 and in good condition at every stopping-place, it is safe to infer that 

 you are in a well-cultivated region. The turnip culture in England, 

 has done much to improve her stock. A good supply of that root in 

 addition to straw for winter food, will make two year-old cattle as 

 good as threes of the same breed fed on straw only. In ordinary 

 circumstances, probably the best way to improve stock, is to select 

 the most perfect from breeds not much larger than your own farm 

 will grow. As you improve the soil and the quality of fodder, the 

 stock will increase in size. Animals accustomed to feed on rich pas- 

 tures, and to have a full allowance of roots in winter, if taken from 

 this feed and put upon poor pastures and poor hay, without roots in 

 winter, will be far less profitable than the breeds not improved in 

 size by generous feeding. The dealer in cows, who has taken them 

 from cities or other places where they have been fed high, and put 

 them upon ordinary food, is not disappointed, if from being good 

 milkers they become ordinary cows. I would advise no man, howev- 

 er poor his keeping may be, to purchase animals that have been fed 

 better than he intends feeding. Some imported stock has come into 

 disrepute from this cause. Cattle large, possessing good quahties, 

 and of a vigorous constitution while well fed, have become lean and 

 feeble, for want of their accustomed nourishment, and their progeny 

 have degenerated even below the inferior animals of other breeds. 

 This should not operate to create prejudice against foreign breeds, 

 but rather it should stimulate us to provide a more generous diet. 

 I consider it an open question whether the importation of stock has 

 done any thing by way of improving our animals. Men far better 

 qualified than myself, have discussed this subject fully : their views 

 have been spread liberally before the public, and I certainly do not 

 expect to settle the differences between them ; but at the suggestions 

 of a few individuals, I will give you my ideas on this subject. At 

 the first settlement of the country, the importations made were fair 

 specimens of the stock of the mother country at that time, and until 



