adapted to this branch of farming, and our fathers once covered them with 

 flocks, mostly of the fine wool varieties. 



Mutton was then little esteemed as food, and as wool ran down to a low price 

 the sheep were exchanged for cows. Some few kept up their flicks, and these 

 we uotice have thrived notwithstanding the low price of their staple. Merinoes 

 have quite generally given place to Cotswolds and Southdowns and the profit 

 now is from both wool and mutton, and especially from the sale of early lambs, 

 which command prices that to our fathers would have seemed fabulous. Mut- 

 ton and lamb make a much more healthy summer diet than beef and pork, and 

 if more sheep were introduced into the county we think it would result in ad- 

 vantage to both farm and farmer. Some of the statements made to us by Messrs. 

 Palmer, Spun* and others, showed such a profit on early lambs, that we hardly 

 dare to rehearse them lest there should be a general rush to lamb-raising. Con- 

 sumers, however, would not regret a little reduction in the prices of this favor- 

 ite summer meat. 



One more suggestion : Farmers should not be so afraid of expending their 

 surplus earnings in improvements of their lands, stock, and buildings. No bank 

 furnishes a safer place of investment than the banks of the Housatonic, and no 

 guardian of surplus profits will prove more vigilant than he who has made them 

 and knows what they have cost. It may be well to keep a reserve force of 

 cash, but as a general rule he is the successful farmer who devotes his energies 

 of mind, body and money to the improvement of his land, not forgetting his 

 home. The committee on best Managed and most Improved Farms respectfully 

 report, after a three years 1 careful examination : 



For Best Managed and Most Improved Farm, Charles Spurr, Sheffield, $50 Q0 



2d do., Zacheus Cande, Sheffield, 40 00 



3d do., Elizur Smith, Lee, 30 00 



4th do., Pliny M. Shaylor, Lee, 20 00 



5th do., Daniel T. Farnum, Adams, 1C 00 



Respectfully submitted. 



Great Harrington, Sept. 25, 187b", 



Alexander Hyde, I 

 Thomas II. Cuktiss, ) 



Committee. 



