22 ESSEX SOCIETY. 



In order to ascertain the quality of her milk, it was set, for 

 butter, the three first weeks ia June. The result is as follows : — 



From June 1st — 1st week, 7 lbs. 11 oz. 



2d week, 7 lbs. 9 oz. 



To June 22d— 3d week, 7 lbs. 12 oz. 



Total, . . 23 lbs. 



Her keeping, through the season, has been good pasturmg, 

 with the addition of mown grass at night, until the first of Sep- 

 tember. She was then fed with corn stalks, in common with 

 the cows. 



North Danvej's, October 1st, 1846. 



On Swine. 



The Committee were at a loss to accoimt for the compara- 

 tively small number of swine offered, at this and the late exhi- 

 bitions of the Society, for its premiums. Essex is confessedly 

 not a grazing county, and hence it is that few cattle are fatted 

 for the shambles, and few such present themselves at our shows. 

 But of swine a large amount is fatted and raised among us. 

 There is hardly any neighborhood in our villages but could 

 present many such as would do credit to any exhibition. Our 

 premiums seem to be offered rather with a view to encourage 

 the breeding of swine, than the fattening of them ; but to that 

 object, as your Committee believe, the attention of our farmers 

 is not at present specially directed. Many of them purchase 

 their store pigs from the droves ; some have no belief in the su- 

 periority of one breed over another ; and others are deterred 

 from keeping sows for breeding, by the risk and uncertainty at- 

 tending it. Perhaps, too, from the low price of pork for the last 

 few years, less interest is taken in procuring valuable breeds of 

 swine, and propagating from them, than would otherwise be. 



Your Committee would be slow to subscribe to the opinion 

 that it is best to purchase from a drove where a large number 

 of swine is kept. The most practised eye is often deceived as 



