40 
STATE AGEICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
are raising such large cereal crops as to be forced, from mo' 
tives of economy, to throw aside their old implements the mo* 
ment an unmistakably improved one comes to their knowl¬ 
edge. 
Grain drills, “ sulky ” cultivators, revolving steel-toothed 
rakes, horse hay-forks, and numerous other inventions of great 
value are also being sold in most incredible numbers; thus fur¬ 
ther demonstrating the enterprise of our farming population, as 
well as the incalculable benefits conferred upon agriculture by 
the mechanic arts. 
DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 
Thorough-bred animals of every class are becoming much 
more common than they were five years ago, and their in¬ 
fluence upon the native or common stock is already very ob¬ 
servable. In view of the marked adaptability of our State to 
their production, this advance in the right direction is an es¬ 
pecial ground for hearty congratulation. There is no sufii- 
cient reason why, ultimately, we should not vie with, or even 
excel, Yermont and Michigan in the breeding of fine horses and 
sheep. And if we do not soon overtake Kentucky in the 
breeding of cattle, and New York in the dairy business, the 
failure should not be chargeable to our lack of enterprise and 
intelligence. 
♦ 
Of the Horse^ we are able already to boast many of the finest 
specimens known in the west; and the number of such is rapidly 
increasing by the constant production and importation of su¬ 
perior'thoroughbreds. From two or three systematic breeders 
of such stock in the whole state, in 1860, they have now be¬ 
come so numerous as to exceed the limits of our space for their 
mere mention. 
The very decided opinion and persistent prejudice of some 
of the slower and over-cautious of our farmers to the contrary 
notwithstanding, it is only by a liberal infusion of pure blood 
that we shall be able to raise the standard of superiority and 
bring this noble animal to its highest capabilities. It is with 
