312 MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



Stomach, he would probably agree with the general opinion here. I have had 

 under my charge, at the same time, iicaltliy, well-driven stock from the county 

 of Washington, Pennsylvania, and another over-driven from the county of Yates 

 in your own Stale, and I am credibly assured by my shepherd and the butchers 

 that they had no dilliculty in distinguishing between the firm, plump flesh of the 

 one, and the soft, flabby meat of the other. It is too well understood to be ques- 

 tioned now, and it may be regarded as an established fact, that the chief if not 

 the only dangers to well attended flocks here, are the want of sufficient feed in 

 fall, winter and spring, and careful driving in coming hither. The losses from 

 these causes must not be laid to cither climate or soil. 



Your ob't serv't, BRONSON MURRAY. 



Since our last number we have had the pleasure to make acquaintance with the writer, 

 and the boy referred to who, with a Scotch colley dog ibr his assistant, has charge and takes 

 care of 2,000 sheep. Their fleeces of the last season brought 36 cents a pound. The writer 

 supposes it will take half his wool to pay all charges, but then he has the lambs " in the bar- 

 gain." When they get overstocked the custom is to let the surplus out for so much, or such 

 a portion of the wool. Muttons are killed and dried up for the sake of their tallow, excep* 

 the hind-quarters, which are salted and sold for what they will bring — a cent or two a pouud. 

 Is not oui's a wonderful couatry ! [_Ecl. Farm. Lib- 



EDUCATIONAL AND AGRICULTURAL COMMITTEES: 



THEIR CHARACTER AND DUTIES. 



It was only after agricultural journals came into existence, and the farmers 

 began to imagine that they too had an interest to be cared for, that legislative 

 Committees were appointed in many of the States and in Congress. We are 

 under the impression that the widely beloved and benevolent General Solomon 

 Van Rensselaer was the first chairman of an Agricultural Committee of the 

 House of Representatives, and in some States no such Committees are appointed 

 to this day. The custom is to appoint such a Committee, and to have their 

 names blazoned, along ivilh others, to the public, and thus the vanity of small 

 men is flattered by seeing their names in the papers as members of a Committee, 

 and there the thing usually ends. 



Of the rights of Agriculture, and of what legislation could do for it, while it 

 is protecting and providing for every parasitical interest that lives on it, these 

 wise and public-spirited law-makers know but little, and, if possible, care less. 

 Thus session passes after session, and these drones draw their pay and go home 

 without any, the slightest attempt, lo investigate the condition, to weigh the 

 burdens, or to understand the wants of the very interest which they themselves 

 often with abject and unbecoming importunity solicited authority to represent. 



The same may in general be said of Committees on Education. Where are 

 the Reports, such as ought to be expected, from gifted and honorable men in- 

 trusted with the high office of legislation ? Where are their Reports on the two 

 greatest of all human concerns, Educalion and Agriculture ? If nothing can be 

 done, can't something be said, in their behalf? Are the systems provided for and 

 in operation in reference to either of these two great interests of society, so per- 

 fect that nothing remains to be suggested or enacted by those who are deputed 

 to watch over the political and social interests of the Commonwealth ? 



(633) 



