101 

 FAKMS. 



The Committee on Farms report : — 



It is a matter of disappointment this year, as it has been too 

 often in years past, that the Committee have not been called on 

 to visit a single farm in the county in their official capacity. 

 They would gladly give a detailed and statistical account of 

 many farms which might have been brought to their notice ; 

 the record of which would be of great value to the farming 

 community. But they have been obliged to make such obser- 

 vations as could be made during social visits on their own 

 farms ; and they must content themselves with such general re- 

 marks as would arise from the slight investigations made on 

 such occasions. 



The agriculture of the county has received rather more than 

 usual attention during the last season ; and notwithstanding 

 the difficulty and expense of obtaining labor, the results have 

 been highly satisfactory. The season has not been entirely 

 propitious, it is true ; the early drought and the later floods 

 having interfered very much with some of the most important 

 farming processes. But, nevertheless, our crops have been, in 

 many Instances, abundant, and it is seldom that the markets 

 have afforded better advantages. The fruit crop has been near- 

 ly a failure. Small grains have suffered much from drought 

 and subsequent rains. Root crops, which are beginning to be 

 extensively cultivated, are abundant. The quantity of hay cut, 

 whatever may be its quality, is not below the average. And 

 at no time have our pastures produced such a luxuriance of 

 herbage. Our farmers commence the winter with well stored 

 barns, and their cattle in unusually good condition. It is doubt- 

 ful whether the 150,000 acres of land in the county, employed 

 for farming purposes, have ever yielded a larger return for the' 

 labor bestowed upon them. 



The enterprise of our farmers and their interest in their cal- 

 ling have not abated. In addition to the Agricultural Society 

 •which has been so long established in the county, and has en- 



