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cock, in raising slock. Attempts have been made at crossing the 

 North Devon with the Imj)roved Durham, on the farm of the former 

 gentleman at Sandisfield, and it is said a superior milking stock has 

 been obtained. I have known other instances of this same cross, 

 with like success ; and in sotne parts of England it has been greatly 

 commended. The great difficulty to be contended with in the intro- 

 duction of the Improved Duiham Short Horns into our state, will 

 be found in the expensiveness of their keep, and the care which they 

 require. It is universally admitted by their warmest friends, that 

 they consume much more food than our common stock ; and cannot 

 flourish under exposure, and the neglect with which our stock is 

 usually treated. 



Attempts have been made, likewise, in Otis and Sandisfield, to 

 introduce the long-wooled sheep, the Dishley or New Leicester. 

 Four bucks of this variety were exhibited at the cattle-show, in Pitts- 

 field, the last season ; and the joint live weigiit of two of these an- 

 imals was G40 lbs. A cross between the Leicester and the Merino 

 has been tried here, and is favorably reported. The experiment of 

 thus mixing the long and the fine and short wools together, has 

 heretofore been attempted. The first and second crosses have given 

 satisfaction ; afterwards it has not been approved. All highly bred 

 animals are of tender constitution, and require great attention to keep 

 up the improvement. A cross of the Dishley or Bakewell with the 

 large sheep of our native stock would be an undoubted improve- 

 ment. 



8. Compost and Liquid Manures. Manures are the very 

 sinews of agriculture ; its food ; its life-blood. To this matter the 

 attention of the farmers of Berkshire cannot be too strongly directed. 

 1 have spoken urgently on this subject in another place ; but I am 

 extremely desirous that the farmers should be impressed with its 

 importance. 



It is well established that all animal manures have most efficacy 

 when applied in the greenest state. They are then most active ; 

 and their chemical efiects upon the soil are inmiediate and powerful. 

 In a direct application to the soil, however, they cannot be very 

 thoroughly intermixed ; and on this account, without question, they 

 are less efficacious than they would be, if uniformly distributed and 

 thoroughly incorporated with the earth. To eflect this object in the 



