I 
260 Wisconsin state agricultural society. 
we have little to boast of, while in the breeding of pure blooded 
animals and the most approved crosses of these, we are more 
backward than several other counties, with no more advantages 
than ours now has. So true is this of cattle, that when wealth}^ 
stockmen of the far west appeal to the officers of the State Agri¬ 
cultural Society for information as to where in Wisconsin there can 
be procured a car load of “ pure Durham and Devon cattle, they 
are of necessity referred to Fond duLac, Waukesha, Racine, Mil¬ 
waukee, and perhaps other counties. For the credit of the capital 
county, I hope this necessity will not long continue. 
In the class of Alderneys and their crosses, we have a few 
specimens that will compare favorably with any of their kind in 
the State. In Ayershires, I know of none to speak of. It is quite 
likely that in the aggregate, we have in Dane county a considerable 
number ot the more popular breeds, but excepting a very few of 
our more enterprising fellow citizens, I know of no full herds of 
either Durhams or Devons in Dane county. The same may be 
said in general terms of sheep. A few of our farmers have taken 
special pains to procure purely bred Merinos, Leicesters and Cots- 
wolds, and have succeeded in making them profitable. But ours 
is in no proper sense a prominent wool growing county. In the 
horse department, we have done but little better. Some of our 
citizens have introduced superior animals for breeding purposes, 
and have done much to improve the horses of the county and 
state, but enough has not been done in this way to distinguish 
ours from other communities. The farmers of Dane have not all 
learned the simple lesson, that it is just about as cheap to raise a 
colt that will bring hundreds of dollars when ready for market, as 
to raise one that will bring tens or fifties. In swine, our people 
are generally doing much better. The slab sided, long-nosed, 
bristle-haired hogs of our fathers have disappeared, and pork¬ 
raising is beginning to receive the attention its value demands. 
Yet many of our farmers still fail to appreciate the superiority of 
improved breeds which a few are raising with so much profit. 
With better stock, too, will come better care, for men take pride 
in their best flowers, their best horses, their best cattle; and as 
the standard of excellence is raised, inferior animals will bejfound 
unprofitable, andwill be speedily sent to the shambles. 
