18 



To J. P. Sabin, for his second best breeding sow, [sow 



three years, ten pigs, seven weeks old,] 2 00 



To Warren A. Crehore, for his third best breeding sow, 



[sow two and a half years old,] 1 00 



The Committee are deeply impressed with profound grat- 

 itude at the high honor which has been so spontaneously, 

 and without solicitation on their part, conferred upon them. 

 They boldly assert, herein their place, that they have sat in 

 judgement upon one of the most useful classes of animals in 

 the whole catalogue. What else affords such agreeable, 

 such wholesome food — is preserved by salt and smoke so 

 easily in all climates, — is procured and reared with so little 

 expense, and when fairly packed in the family pork barrel, 

 sends such a spirit of independence to every member thereof? 

 Let old winter come in all its frigidity — old boreas blow 

 his creaking blast, till not a single autumnal leaf shivers 

 to the breeze ; the happy bipeds who gather around the cheer- 

 ful fireside of " sweet home," from parents to four-year- 

 olds, can sit at the family fireplace, (would that we had more 

 of them,) and complacently look at back-log and fore-stick, — 

 hear the joyful serenade of snapping, during the longest win- 

 ter eve, — raising their thoughts, their emotions, their gratitude 

 to that Source from whence all our blessings flow, — which 

 always adds dignity and elevation to humanity; — for, why? 

 there are layers enough, still left in the barrel, of this nutri- 

 tious food, till spring time and harvest. 



What a subject to contemplate ! What a theme to dilate 

 upon ! ! How on earth your Committee ever arrived at the 

 exalted position in which they find themselves, is totally 

 beyond their comprehension. As Old Santa Anna said, he 

 left General Taylor at Buena Vista, terrified, so are they ; 

 at any rate, almost so. 



It is true that a single humble member of this Committee, 

 found himself the past winter, and very unexpectedly too, 



