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fected in the mode of cultivation ^ or by the introduc- 

 tion of new kinds of crops ? " 



Your committee cannot but congratulate themselves 

 upon the unanimity of their views with regard to the 

 subjects presented to them. Coming from various sec- 

 tions, and hitherto strangers to each other, their expe- 

 rience and observation have led generally to the same 

 conclusions. In a county presenting such a diversity 

 of soil and situation as ours, no general remarks can 

 apply with equal force in every case. Of the justness 

 of our remarks, and their applicability to his own situ- 

 ation, each can best judge for himself. They are not 

 made in a spirit of dictation : if useful to any, our end 

 is gained. 



The crops which have come under our notice, as 

 having been cultivated in this county, are wheat, Indian 

 corn, oats, rye, barley, buckwheat, clover, potatoes, 

 turnips, flax, hemp, and, to a very small extent, ruta 

 baga, sugar-beet, and mangel- wurtzel. 



First in importance, both as to the extent of its cul- 

 tivation, and the value of the product, is the wheat 

 crop. To it our soil and climate appear to be well 

 adapted. Though some districts yield a larger crop, 

 we have never been visited by such serious failures as 

 others have sufl*ered. The average crop, however, 

 falls far short of what v/e believe it ought ; probably 

 not exceeding fifteen bushels per acre. Late and care- 

 less sowing tends much to produce this result. The 

 chief difficulties with v.^hich the wheat crop has to 

 contend arise from the extreme variableness of our 

 climate. Frequent thaws during winter are often sud- 

 denly succeeded by severe frost when the young wheat 

 plants are unprotected by a covering of snow. They 

 then not only suff'er from the frost, but when, as is 

 often the case, the earth becomes dry by long freezing, 

 it is blown from about their roots, leaving them still 

 more exposed. Again, in spring and summer, droughts 

 are often succeeded by alternate rains and hot sun. 



