43 



the original liomc of the potato. Potatoes that grow Avild in 

 Chili, -where the disease is not known, may revive the reproductive 

 energies of the plant now greatly impaired by over cultivation 

 and strong manure. New varieties from seed raised here, may 

 do well a few years in some instances, though not always, and 

 then submit to the general fate. We have had seedlings which 

 rotted worse than almost any. The early dug crops fared the 

 best, but the intense heat and heavy rains developed the disease 

 of the others to a lamentable extent. And in fields where the rot 

 was not excessive, the crop is small ; probably the average is 

 much under a hundred bushels per acre. 



This fact shows a great falling off in the yield as in the quality. 

 By reference to the proceedings of the Agricultural Society of 

 Massachusetts, from thirty to forty years ago, it appears that 

 premium crops ranged from four hundred to six hundred and 

 fifty bushels per acre, while the average was about two hundred. 

 There has been a gradual tendency to degeneration in the princi- 

 pal varieties for several years, that has discouraged farmers and 

 led them to apply their means to more productive crops. The 

 uncertainty of the yield deters them from making a large outlay, 

 while the consequent high price of good potatoes prevents them 

 from being used as food for stock. 



Within two or three years, the farmers in this county have 

 gone more largely than ever before into raising of horses and 

 cattle. In almost every town we find breeding mares and colts, 

 and calves from stock of the finest quality. High prices have 

 given a new impulse to this business, which promises to be prof- 

 itable on one condition, namely, that only the best breeds are 

 raised. By this we do not mean that the full-blooded foreign 

 breeds should be perpetuated exclusively, but that by their aid, 

 with the best specimens of our native cattle, a breed may be 

 formed that shall be expressly adapted to our climate, soil and 

 feed. 



The farmers hardly did themselves justice at our last fair. 

 Although there were many excellent cows and bulls present, yet 

 the exhibition fell far below what the county might and ought to 

 have done, and we hope will do another year. 



In more than half of the towns in the county there is not a 

 mowing machine, and there is quite a common prejudgment 



