REPORTS OF COMMITTEES. I5 



should be greatly surprised, if, at the end of the first season, the 

 income from the stock and the wool taken from the same had 

 not paid the first cost of the flock, and the pasture been im- 

 proved besides, by the keeping of the sheep. It has been 

 thought by many of our best fruit-growers that sheep could be 

 pastured to good advantage in orchards, thereby serving a 

 double purpose to the farmer. 



There is certainly no animal grown so attractive to those 

 not specially interested, as the sheep, and the frolicsome lamb 

 is always the child's pet. We wish that our Massachusetts hills 

 could be dotted with the white playful lambs ! How many 

 pleasant hours have we spent in our boyhood, watching the 

 little lambs frisk and play upon the hillside, while the mother 

 lay curled up on some flat rock, gazing at the frolics of her 

 young. 



Farmers, look to this matter ; it is something in which you 

 are all interested. Do not think because the sheep is small it is 

 unworthy of your attention. There should be at least one 

 cosset in every barn, if for nothing else than a playmate for the 

 children. 



Your committee feel that this society is not sufficiently lib- 

 eral in the premiums oft'ered for sheep. Sixteen years ago the 

 society offered $24.00 in premiums for sheep. The committee 

 find that it is not so much a scarcity of sheep as that no induce- 

 ment is offered for the exhibit of any. Then there were three 

 classes ; now there is but one ; and, in the opinion of your com- 

 mittee, this is the chief reason why there are no more entries 

 at this time. 



Your committee recommend that premiums be offered for 

 three classes : 



ist, Flocks, two premiums. 

 2nd, Bucks, two premiums. 

 3rd, Cossets, two premiums. 



We feel that with due effort we can again have a good 

 exhibit of sheep at our annual fair. 



