258 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The farmers, or most of them, thought it would not pay to 

 keep their cattle and horses in good order, or fat, where now, 

 not one in twenty but drives a good, well fed animal. Then, 

 corn would not average more than twenty bushels to the acre ; 

 now it will come near forty. The cows of those times would 

 not average over three quarts of milk daily, through the year ; 

 now they will yield five or more. 



The causes that have produced these improvements are, chiefly, 

 the introd action of agricultural newspapers, and the works on 

 agriculture given out through the agricultural society of this 

 county. While many farmers contend against these societies 

 and their work, they are under their influence without being 

 aware of it. 



I once knew a farmer that would exclaim, "book-farming," 

 to his neighbor, when he saw him ploughing his cow-yard several 

 times during the summer, and carting in every sort of matter he 

 could find that would absorb the liquids and prevent the sun 

 from drying up the rest ; but when he saw this man cart out two 

 hundred and eighty loads of as good manure as his, and he got 

 but eighty from the same number of cattle, he was led to ask, 

 " How did you get all that manure, and why did you think to 

 do as you did last summer ?" " Why," said the other, " I saw 

 it in my newspaper, and so thovight I would try it, and you see 

 the results." " Ah," said he, " those book farmers will be the 

 end of you yet." But in a few years I saw him harness his 

 horse, after a hard day's work, and go two miles to get his agri- 

 cultural newspaper, the same that he once scouted. But as 

 these facts are familiar to most of us, I will not enlarge. 



The tenth cattle-show and fair of the agricultural society 

 came off September 26th and 27th. The attendance was not as 

 large as at some former exhibitions, on account of the neglect 

 of the railroads and steam-boats to make arrangements for trav- 

 elling to and from the county ; but the interest of our own people 

 was fully equal. The cattle were less in number than usual, 

 but of an improved character. The number of thoroughbred 

 animals was much increased — seven Jerseys and five Ayrshires, 

 and grade Ayrshires and natives. These were young animals, of 

 good points, all showing improved care and keeping. Of sheep 

 there were two fine flocks of grade Southdown and native. A 

 very fine young stallion, grandson of old Blackhawk, named 



